Services

MIDWEST Drafting & Design has been dedicated to providing home builders and home owners of Northeast Iowa with Quality Drafting and Design services for new homes, renovations, additions, and light commercial since 1996. From high resolution LIVE 3D Conceptual Drawings to Accurate Construction Drawings/blueprints, MIDWEST Drafting and Design is a Complete Design Service.

Building a Home is often a Once in a Lifetime Opportunity. The Design should be flexible to accommodate a young family as well as empty nesters. It should be inspiring and practical – Efficient to build and Economical to maintain. The physical structure should be designed and built to last generations through the understanding of a Whole House Building Science Approach. Trust MIDWEST Drafting & Design to guide you through all the choices from beginning to end.

Fees

MIDWEST Drafting & Design is about Professional Residential Design. Continuous learning and researching every aspect of Residential Design and Construction means higher quality. My goal is to help you turn your dreams into reality.

Fees are charged at an hourly rate and invoiced on a monthly basis. The more information I know about a project, the better estimate I can provide, but past history has shown that the total cost for my services for a new home has typically ended up being under one percent of the total cost of the homes construction. For additions/remodels it has been around two percent of the total cost.

The Design Process

Our first meeting (3-4 hours) starts at the site so that we can fully understand the limitations and opportunities the site has to offer. Then we continue the meeting by getting comfortable around your kitchen table discussing your ideas and wishes. We'll be discussing site issues, budget, schedule, and design parameters. At this time I'd also like to see some pictures of home exteriors that you like so I can get a feel of the Architectural style you're interested in. Then we'll discuss in great detail every room of your home and how they should relate to the site and to each other.

The information I gather from this meeting is what I use to create a preliminary layout of your new home/addition.

Our second meeting (1-3 hours) is where we really get started. I'll have preliminary floorplans as well as Live 3D of the exterior of your home on my computer. We'll discuss the floorplan and 3D's in detail. We'll have the opportunity to make some changes and immediately see the results in 3D at this meeting. Other changes are prepared later back at the office for following meetings. We'll have 2-12 more similar meetings as we refine and focus the layout and exterior image.

At the end of each meeting I'll leave you with the drawings as well as a CD with the 3D pictures on it. I feel it is incredibly important that you spend time studying the drawings and the 3D views so that you fully understand the design in its entirety.

As we start to define and approve the layout of the project we can prepare and send out preliminary quote drawings to ensure the project is on budget.

Once we feel that we're getting close to finalizing the design, I recommend having the builder attend a meeting. Truthfully, I would be happy if the builder attended every meeting, but I want to utilize their time efficiently.

Once everyone is happy with the final design, I convert the design into a complete set of construction drawings.

Once the construction drawings are approved by the builder, I print as many sets as required. The builder then hands out drawing sets to all of the subcontractors and material suppliers. Everyone from electricians to truss manufacturers will work from these drawings to bid, plan, and perform their work.

At this point, the builder takes over. The builder will guide you in determining what decisions have to be made (picking faucets, siding color, HVAC, etc.) and when they have to be made. Ground Breaking begins!

MIDWEST Drafting & Design will be available for any questions during construction from you or your builder.