Patrick Hansford Associates

Welcome to the journal of Patrick Hansford Associates documenting our Residential Design Services. The intent of this journal is to allow readers to see some of our current residential projects under design and construction. We feel we have developed a unique design process for our clients that allows them to make informed decisions. We hope this journal will allow you to understand our design process and how we provide our services for the typical project.

Maybe we should let you know a little about Patrick Hansford Associates. I am Patrick Hansford and Patrick Hansford Associates is my firm. So......... I will quit the third person narrative and make this journal a personal conversation. Before starting my practice in 1994, I worked for small firms (four people or less) and large firms (over 500 people). I enjoyed both experiences. I enjoyed working for the small firms because the relationship with the clients is more personal. This probably is the main reason I continue to provide residential design services.

Typically, Architects quit working on houses once they get established. They want to work on large commercial projects, which is the work that typically wins design awards. I’ve been involved in those types of projects..... seen my work win a few awards..... big deal. Maybe at my age, I don’t need my ego stroked anymore. Quite frankly, our work is about our clients, not our egos.

The first thing I tell potential clients is that we are Architects, not “residential designers” or “draftsmen”. There is a big difference in this distinction. Architects are licensed professionals who have attended and graduated from an accredited Architecture program. This means they have completed either a 5 year Bachelors program or a Masters program in Architecture. After graduating college, Architects must complete a two to three year internship under a licensed Architect. Internship is followed by taking and passing the Architects Registration Exam (ARE) to be legally known as an Architect. The ARE is a multipart test. Prior to computers, the ARE took place over four days, about 12 hours a day, and involved 13 sections covering structural design, materials/methods, site design, planning, contracts, building systems, building design and so on. Once we receive our professional status as a Registered Architect, we are bound by a code of conduct administered by each state government. We also must complete continuing education requirements to maintain our license. It normally takes someone 8 to 10 years to become an Architect.

To call one’s self a “residential designer” requires no formal education, no formal training, and there certainly is no code of conduct or continuing education requirements. They are typically tied to a builder and serve the builder as their client, not the home owner. So you have a big decision to make....... Do you hire a non-licensed person who typically does not have an extensive formal education and will address the builders concerns not yours or someone who has made the personal sacrifices to become an Architect and is concerned about your satisfaction? You are getting ready to make the largest investment in your personal life, who do you chose? We think the choice is clear.

I have been designing residential projects for over 20 years. I worked on the 14,000 SF private residence for a Fortune 500 CEO and I have designed a small 900 SF house for Habitat for Humanity. I am currently designing a master bathroom renovation. It’s a cliché I know, but..... No project is too large; no project is too small.

I do not work for home builders on custom homes or additions/renovations. I provide our services directly to the home owner. I worked for a local architecture firm that provided residential design services. Those services were managed by a partner who was not a registered architect. I watched project after project be driven by the builder, not the home owner. Builders would review and change the design before the homeowner ever saw the design. The builder would constantly remove items from the design, even when the item was specifically asked for by the home owner. When I started my firm, I vowed never to allow the builder drive the project.

To be fair, I have provided design services for production houses for several developers. But in those cases, we are designing for the mass market and the house was to be replicated several times within a single development. Buying a production or mass produced house is a great way for many Americans to get into the housing market. I own several of our production house designs and will be posting them on our website in the near future. I hope to offer them as a stock plan to the public.

However, in our custom work, our focus is the home owner. I hope you enjoy this rare peak into the process of designing, constructing, and renovating houses.

My next Journal entry will be the start of a project for a family of four who have just purchased a house on acreage. They plan on renovating and adding to the house to meet their needs. I invite you to follow the process here at Patrick Hansford Associates. The location of the project and the name of the client will be concealed to protect their privacy.