All Forum Posts by: Connor Wingfield

Approaching student is always a good way to go about it. Craigslist is also a good place to look. There are even a few apps that can turn photographs into basic plans. It all depends on what you are looking for. There are a few designers on BP, like me that specialize in working with investors who can provide basic services like what you are looking for. 

I'm curious though, were no drawings made before the renovations?

@Darina Pogodina,  the above to comments are right, the best thing to do is to call your city planning department and try to get your initial questions answered. Straight forward building permits are fairly simple as long as you follow code, although the cost can sometimes be more than expected. 

In the end you will need a number of drawings for the city to review. So one of your questions should for the city should be "who needs to prepare the drawings, an drafter, an engineer, or an architect". 

Nir Wittenberg piggybacking on what Milan Mehta has mentioned, a good architect/designer will provide material samples that they get from different manufacturers, from which you choose what you you want as an end product. However this will really depend on what is agreed upon in your contract. It's also pretty easy to do on your own. So If it's worth saving money you can spend a little time looking at materials, calling up manufacturers and asking for samples, getting quotes and saving the specifications etc. If you aren't paying for this service with an architect or designer the pro trick is to get a quote from he manufacturer and send the quote along with the specification to your contractor. This tends to ensure a fair price for what you are looking for. From there on met your contractor do the purchasing and the rest. If you are lying for this service, make sure your designer does this in a V/E phase.

People buy land at tax deed auctions and sell it online, for some reason ebay is a popular place to unload it. It can seem cheap, but the person selling it got it for much less.

@Pandu Chimata Congrats! it sounds like it should be fairly straight forward. Just a heads up that some things like replacing windows and any electrical work can sometimes require a permit in LA. People get away without it but it should be on your radar. 

@Deborah Cavallaro 

Not to get into too much detail, but you can hire a designer (unlicensed architect) to prepare your design, they can coordinate with the structural engineer. Designers are somewhat limited to what documents they can prepare but according to the Los Angeles building code designers can prepare documents on houses under 2 stores under the supervision of an engineer. This can potentially be a cheaper route and you could be more satisfied with design quality than using a structural engineer (although I am not as familiar with this service). If it is important to see it on paper before finalizing your design ideas, this may be a good option for you.  

Check out the book "Get Paid for Your Pad" by Jasper Ribbors. It is all about how to maximize your success using Air BNB. He even has a podcast if that's easier

Courtney M. The above comment is well advised, check out what other houses in the area do to get an idea of at least the minimum level of rehab. As a designer I can only give rules of thumbs based on what I see clients asking for. This generally includes, open floor plans, natural light, and large master bedrooms with generous master baths. In more upscale neighborhoods I see this is key. But take a look at the comps in person to make sure you don't plan to over build.

A few things to add: Depending on where you are in West LA permitting can add time to your schedule. Check with the planning department to get an idea of the review time. 150-180 $/sf seems low for "high end" on the west side of LA. Based on the size of the house you may not need an architectural stamp, even if you are adding a story. In some cases just an engineers stamp will suffice. This could potentially save you money as well.

@Elizabeth Anderson  Every builder will be different. Like contractors, they each have different experience levels. Make sure you look for one who has experience building what your client is looking for. Your client should take the time to "interview" different builders to make sure they have a good working relationship as they will be spending a lot of time together. 

If your client is only looking to subdivide the land you won't need a builder and an architect can help you get through the process. If your client is looking create a "subdivision" of built houses, you will need to find a builder that can produce permit drawings and possibly work with an architect to get this done.