I an an architectural designer.

If you end up with a property in the Arrowhead Woods area (one of the areas with lake rights), you'll have to deal with an architectural committee for any changes, including removal or trimming of trees.

a bit more detail here - The contractor is also an architect, or a least went to school for architecture. 

If you just want a feasibility study you can get that for less.You can get some stock apartment plans from the internet, but you should double check how efficiently those plans would use your site, the money saved on architecture fees might be lost on an inefficient use of your site. 

Single family homes is the most common type of architectural practice.

The market is strong and the demand is steady, particularly during peak seasons when Texas State University is in session, and summer months when people are looking to take advantage of the many outdoor activities the city offersI would recommend focusing on properties that have a unique selling point, such as proximity to the river, historic architecture, or unique amenities like a pool or hot tub.

Just read a few wall street journal articles for some ideas there.Hand tools or power tools or phrases from architecture or from our sector.

Our total project cost with permits and architectural plans is well below the total cost of the unit plus installation you are projecting.

Often times for the violations you'll need to get an architect involved like @Prashanth Mahakali or @Samuel Pavlovcik - it is sometimes necessary to rectify the violations with architectural plans and then a contractor like us has to come and do the work. 

I capitalized on the architecture of the building and rather than gutting the place, refreshed the original cabinets, installed period-appropriate lighting fixtures, got a new stainless fridge but found a vintage Frigidaire wide-coil stainless steel cooktop and installed a new stainless 18" dishwasher (where there previously was no dishwasher at all).