Before the construction or renovation of a house begins, an architectural firm often goes through an extensive process, from design to execution. To ensure that this process runs as smoothly as possible, a clear project planning is essential.

How do you create a good project plan?

Create overview and tranquility

By creating a good plan, you know exactly what to expect. This helps you focus on the task at hand and reduces distractions. It also provides you with peace of mind, as you no longer need to remember all the to-dos. Additionally, a visual plan provides a clear and comprehensive overview. Create visual clarity by distinguishing between main tasks and details, and use color in your planning.

Plan your colleagues

Ensure that all your colleagues are clear about who is responsible for what. Plan your colleagues for their tasks. This way, they know what they should be working on, and you gain insight into the capacity of your employees.

Collect important information digitally

Ensure that you keep important information for each client digitally organized. This way, you have everything together in one place and won't lose anything. This includes contact details, building requirements, preferences, and needs, as well as attachments such as design drawings, mood boards, and municipal quality standards.

Create buffers

In the design process, unforeseen circumstances are inevitable. Consider the exchange of various drawings, for instance. You may not always know when you'll receive feedback. Additionally, municipal inspections can take longer than expected. Based on experience, you know that you need to account for this. Therefore, plan a buffer and allow for flexibility. This way, you can efficiently adjust the planning when necessary.

Plan in stages

Know exactly which stage your design is in by planning the various process steps per project. This allows you to monitor whether the project is on schedule. Planning in stages ensures that you don't forget any steps and creates more peace of mind. We've listed the most commonly used stages within the design process of architects for you.

1. Introduction and Orientation Meeting
   Most architectural firms commence with an orientation meeting. During this meeting, the tastes and preferences of the client are typically explored. Based on these preferences, a briefing and rough sketch are immediately drafted. The residential preferences are documented in a Programme of Requirements.
2. Developing Sketch Design (SD)
   After the orientation meeting, the rough sketch is further developed into a sketch design. This process gradually gives shape to the appearance. Main layouts are refined, colors and materials are added. During the sketch design phase, a cost estimation is often prepared to keep track of the available budget.
3. Voorlopig ontwerp (VO)
   Wanneer de klant akkoord gaat met het schetsontwerp wordt er gestart met het voorlopig ontwerp. Alle woonwensen en ontwerpbeslissingen komen samen en een goed beeld van de uiteindelijke woning wordt gecreëerd. Denk hierbij aan plattegrondtekeningen, doorsnedes, situatietekeningen en gevelaanzichten. Eventueel kun je het ontwerp in 3D bekijken. Deze fase biedt nog alle gelegenheid om aanpassingen te doen aan het ontwerp.
4. Preliminary Design (PD)
   Once the client approves the sketch design, we proceed with the preliminary design. All residential preferences and design decisions are integrated, creating a clear vision of the final residence. This includes floor plans, sections, site plans, and elevations. Optionally, the design can be viewed in 3D. This phase still allows for adjustments to be made to the design.
5. Building Permit
   The building permit is a component of the environmental permit and therefore must be assessed by various departments of the municipality, such as urban planning assessment according to the zoning plan to building regulation compliance. We now await permission from the municipality to commence construction. The municipality has 8 weeks for this process. Sometimes, the municipality may request additional information about the construction. If the municipality approves, the permit is granted. This will be published in a newspaper. A period of 6 weeks is allowed for objections to be raised.
6. Construction and Supervision
   Once the building permit has been granted, construction can commence. Throughout the execution phase, the architect can be engaged for construction supervision and advice to assist the client. Additionally, they can address unforeseen issues and ensure the aesthetic quality of various connections.

Architectural Planning in vPlan

The process that an architect undergoes is detailed and influenced by various factors. This complexity makes the planning of an architectural firm intricate. Read below to understand how you can gain insight into your entire design process with vPlan.

All your projects in a clear overview with our timeline

By using the timeline, you create a visual overview and gain insight into your projects. View the planning of your projects weeks in advance and schedule them over multiple days, weeks, or months.