BASEMENT DESIGN PROCESS & SPACE PLANNING PROTOCOL

The basement design process is easily done all through email and is the same at the beginning when receiving your initial dimensions no matter if it came from a sketch, builders plan, chicken scratch or anything you send it on and this process stays the same until the final plan is made. You’ll see in the following examples that were sent through email back and forth and all from a real design being created and how this works. Even if we’re redesigning your house and designing an addition for your home, this is still the same basement design process protocol I developed over 20 years ago. You may now see how well and how simple this works and how proficient this process is, not to mention this is truly the best way to efficiently get a design done by a professional via email. With the covid pandemic, this is so safe too. NOTE: Please don’t think contractors know how to design as well as I do if they offer this service to you. If they did, they’d  be an Architect not a builder. My level of expertise is unmatched and I’ll send you over 250 references that will tell you so. 

The upside down image below is what the client 1st sent via email to me as his plan or sketch showing me all dimensions.

You may send anything like this, even chicken scratch is fine. Builders plans too, just as long as all numbers are clear to read!

Then I send back the  PDF image below drawn on my CAD software from the clients dimensions for the first corrections needed as shown below; I call this the “footprint”. I flipped the clients plan over for better fit and understanding and it’s now to a perfect scale to work with. This Preplan Existing “footprint” image is sent back to the client with red notes, data circles for the client to address, correct and make notes back to me from. Yeah, fairly simple to see what I need back from the client and since I know what I’m looking for.

First CAD footprint of basement made requesting corrections.

Then the client sends me another update (shown below) marking on the last Preplan Existing “footprint” I sent the client with his corrections.

The Client Then Returns The First CAD “footprint” Image With His Corrections!

Then again and again if need be, the client corrects this and returns his homework to me as shown below (side to side in the process order) for each step in this basement design process until we have all dimensions corrected and all items such as support post, walls, drains and appliances shown as is in the current existing space and with a tolerance of only plus or minus 1″.  View the following revisions below in the slide show in the order sent and received through email over time.

Keep in mind that larger basements and basements with existing framed walls take a few times more than average and based on your measuring skills but no matter what, I’ll get the corrections if you follow this basement design process. Once again, I send back and forth via emails these corrections needed on the plans named “Preplan Existing” by showing red notes, red numbers and red data circles to have the client check again or to address with their corrections which they show on their plans “Client corrections” sent back to me. It’s normal making corrections even if it takes more than 6  times as with this example I’m showing here but many clients have this phase done in less then 3 corrections in order for me to have a footprint of their basement ready to design with. I also attach instructions for this in the first couple of plans sent to the client (you’ve had enough to read here) and I’ll always indicate with red numbers the dimensions that came from the client as a reference and to show if it differs from my blue CAD software numbers because those are very accurate and don’t lie. As you can see now in these “PREPLAN EXISTING” files above, we go back and forth as many times as needed to correct all dimensions before I design the first of possibly many plan ideas. So you will see next how very important all items/objects fixed in the basement are needed to be located and within a tolerance of plus or minus an inch at the least.

FIRST DESIGN LAYOUT SENT TO CLIENT

So then you get to relax and sit back and see the first Preplan-1 is made (shown above) and it may not even be what the client had in mind because I’m well known for having my clients think outside the box  the first time around. I feel I’m being paid for my expertise, why not have fun and just show the client great use of space using my many years of experience. Besides, you’ll see in these examples that we still ended up making it the way the client wanted since I promise a 100% satisfaction in this basement design process, even if I didn’t think the ideas were so great. It’s your home after all and I do aim to please.

Always and at any time of this basement design process; you can send images to me from other web sources such as this link for example; Home Designing but mainly so I get a general idea of what you’re after, what’s on your mind and how we’ll achieve your dreams in the final design concept. After all, I can add textures such as stone, brick, tile, granite, Avonite and or Formica counters and much more in the 3D views but I’m not the interior decorator. My job is to make the best use of space and get everything located to fit into your existing structure. Also to create an appealing overall flow and functionality to the space.

Not to make too much more for you to read, the flowing gallery shows all Preplans made for this client so you can see all his choices before I polished off the one he picked. You may or may not notice each change by the way but I save the file name differently each and every time we make changes so I may always be able to go back to former ideas. Feel free to either save images and zoom in on detail and or read notes I’ve made on some of these as we get through this process and locating a now added larger screen for his projector. It’s always ok to change your mind by the way as this client did adding this feature in before we finished. We tried many locations but in the final views in this large gallery, you’ll see not just what we tried but how the final plan 12 ended up looking as well. Please allow time for these to load in your browser, thanks!

Sometimes a preliminary design may look the same but they are not, I merely resave the CAD file with a revised number, there’s no limit to how many ways we try different layouts. The following PDF image below was sent as the final master plan.

FLOORPLAN DESIGN (FULL PLAN)

The following gallery is this final master plan in design level “D” with all views that I send the client and to show you what I put in the final portfolio upon completion of the plan and even then, minor changes can still be made. I’m always here for you even after you start building this beautiful yet professional basement design. We can work at your pace no matter how long you wish to do this or how fast, all for one low cost. Plans turn out better the more time we have to think. So if all this sounds fun and easy, let’s get going and get all your information to me if that’s what’s holding us up from starting. To contact me and upload files all at the same time, use Contact Me or better yet, use a cloud service like dropbox or onedrive and merely email me the link to your images or documents each time as needed.

I do hope this helps explain my basement design & space planning process protocol and remember, there’s no additional cost if we can do this my way. You have to admit, it’s a cool protocol and fun process seeing what is possible at first before we polish off a plan. Then without a doubt you will be 100% pleased.

To contact me and to share a file, use Contact Me. Or upload to a cloud drive and share the link with me or merely email files to me at adesignpro@hotmail.com.