This is also usually billed in $/sqft of design. 

@Naim Rahman yup- I design the houses myself along with the GC who actually has a really good sense of design and has good taste in the finishing materials he picks out as well.

I want to build this fairly cheap (in terms of design, not quality).

We've been contractors for close to 30 years, and seen alot of designs, but this house was never a typically built house, it's built with 4 sections and a center courtyard.

If the property owner fails to comply with the notice and order, and does not appeal the notice, the inspector will file a certificate of designation as a slum property with the County Recorder's office.

When we came to the house next, the wall was already busted out and he stated that work had already started -- and had we known what types of design changes he was making, we would have rejected it because the laundry room now juts out into the dining room and it's no longer usable.

People don't go up to the counter at the department store and argue that the $100 pair of designer jeans should only cost $50.  

In my opinion what works the best is flexibility of design. 

Better to have them tab a bunch of design magazines or save pictures from the internet or houzz... etc... 

The amount of hard engineering is about the same as the amount of design aesthetic so I think you could make it fly.