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Design Wiki

Pratt Guys Design Process

1. Project Intake & Scheduling

All new projects are introduced during the Tuesday Construction Scheduling Meeting.

The salesman presents a info dump to the design and construction teams, covering:

Approved proposal

Site videos/photos

Property surveys

Milestones are scheduled, including:

Site Visit Planning

Decision made on whether the designer, construction team, or both will conduct the site visit.

2. Site Analysis & Client Consultation

Feasibility study by Justin:

HOA/permit restrictions

Historic district requirements

Client introduction & questionnaire sent

Assigned designer sends a

welcome email or text⁠

with a

design questionnaire⁠

to define their needs and preferences.

Meeting Scheduled (Preferably in person at Pratt Guys, virtual if necessary). Topics to discuss include:

Site visit:

Existing structures

Measure house details (doors, windows, columns, lanai ceiling and beam heights, etc.)

Use

Hover⁠

app to create 3D model of the home

Terrain & Elevation Mapping:

Measured with zip level, benchmark set at lanai door threshold

Photos taken of benchmark placement for consistency in construction

⁠

Vegetation & Landscape Assessment:

Identification and location of trees and plants to be preserved or removed

General site conditions

Key focal points and privacy concerns

Evaluate the architectural style of the home and surrounding landscape.

Identify views to enhance or screen and potential design challenges.

Drone, Photo & Video Documentation:

Capture a complete site overview - photos, videos, and

drone imaging⁠

⁠

3. Concept Development

Create a Daylight and Shade Analysis to ensure the design optimizes comfort throughout the day.

Use

Curic Sun plugin⁠

⁠

Export screenshots of each hour between 8 am and 6 pm on January 1st, March 1st, June 1st, and September 1st.

Use Photoshop Script - Load Files into Stack

See tutorial

How to make an Animated GIF in Photoshop⁠

⁠

Prepare your stills

Load images as layers 2.1 In Photoshop, choose File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack 2.2 Click Browse, select your eight images, then Open 2.3 Click OK and let Photoshop stack them

Open the Timeline panel 3.1 Window > Timeline (or click the Timeline tab) 3.2 In the center of the panel, choose Create Frame Animation

Make frames from layers 4.1 From the Timeline’s menu icon (top‑right), choose Make Frames From Layers

Adjust looping and timing 5.1 Below the frames, set looping to Forever 5.2 Select the first frame, shift‑click the last to select all 5.3 Click the time below any frame and choose 0.1 seconds

Preview your animation 6.1 Hit the Play button in the Timeline panel 6.2 Tweak frame delay if you need faster or slower motion

Save your working file 7.1 File > Save As… and choose PSD to keep layers intact

Export as GIF for web 8.1 File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) 8.2 Format GIF, set Colors to 256, turn on Dither, Palette Adaptive 8.3 Check Convert to sRGB 8.4 Click Save and choose a destination

Test in a browser 9.1 Drag your .gif into any web browser to confirm it loops smoothly

⁠

Spatial Organization & Preliminary Layouts

Establish functional zones for relaxation, entertainment, cooking, dining, planting, screening views and circulation. Sketch preliminary bubble diagrams to explore spatial relationships.

Explore various configurations of the major project components. Experiment with different pool orientations like perpendicular, parallel, and diagonal. Adjust the placement of each component, such as positioning the cabana or pergola structure between the house and pool, beside the pool, or behind it.

Explore various shapes and forms based on client preferences (see questionnaire) to generate multiple variations of the overall layout.

⁠

⁠

Sketch out 7-10 variations before refining the 3-5 best options to present to the client

⁠

⁠

Once you have the layouts you want to refine create a grid based on alignments with the residence

4. Internal Review & Client Presentation

Internal Review

Design sketches shared with Jack at least 2-3 days before client presentation.

Create Design Process Webpage

Inform Jack when you are ready to create the design process webpage. He will provide a Coda Document that will serve as the Design Process and the Design Approval webpages.

Add the Design Approval link to Coda and BT. Make sure you copy the published link, not the editable link.

Continuously update the Design Process webpage throughout the design process. Each time a new section is added or an existing section is updated, include the date of the change under the section heading to maintain clarity in the design process.

The webpage should include the following:

Client Meeting

Preferably in person at Pratt Guys (virtual if necessary).

Invite the Backyard Consultant.

Always utilize Meeting Recording: Choose Gemini for virtual meetings or Voice Memos for in-person meetings.

Consider sending the client the design webpage link before the meeting for prior review and thoughtful feedback. Alternatively, presenting the design in person may be preferable to effectively explain and highlight its advantages, shaping their first impressions.

Discuss the following topics:

Sun & Shade Study: Explain how daylight patterns influence design choices.

Neighborhood & HOA Requirements: Identify Building Department and HOA restrictions that impact design options.

Initial Design Concepts & Layout Options: Review the preliminary layout, identifying primary use areas and ensuring logical traffic flow and circulation. Discuss privacy, views, and the integration of outdoor spaces with key indoor views, focusing on sightlines, screening, and focal points. Assess which configurations and forms resonate with the client.

Preliminary Cost Overview: Outline the general price impacts of each design option without providing specifics. Highlight any design elements not included in the approved proposal. Mention if costs might decrease due to smaller components or other factors. If necessary, suggest phasing the project into affordable stages.

Gather Feedback: Encourage the client to share what they like and dislike.

Finalize Functional Layout: Determine which concept will move forward for detailed design development. Try to limit the client to 1 or 2 concepts to see more details on.

Schedule Follow-up Meeting: Set a date for the updated design presentation. Set expectations if the next round will be refined 2D layouts or 3D renderings.

5. Design Refinement & Approval

Choosing between 2D and 3D Design Updates

Proceed to 3D rendering if the client is satisfied with the layout and functionality.

If major changes are required, first refine the 2D layouts and get client approval before transitioning to 3D rendering.

Material Selection Meeting

Request Jack to create a new Coda take-off for the project, using it to record and discuss all necessary selections.

Coordinate with Derek or Adam beforehand and pre-select material options for the client. Use

CODA TAKEOFF - FINISHED PROJECT SEARCH⁠

to prepare.

Meeting led by Derek or Adam to ensure material choices align with design intent, budget, and availability.

Send the DocuSign Material Selection Finalization Form for client approval of final selections.

Design Approval

Request Design Approval when the client has no further revision requests for the layout and structural design. Color and material selections may not be finalized, but this should not delay design approval, as they are approved separately.

Create the Design Approval Webpage:

This page is part of the same Coda Document as the Design Process Webpage.

It should include the following information:

Send the Docusign Pratt Guys Design Approval to the client, including a link to the Design Approval Webpage with timestamped updates and an attached PDF of the webpage.

Take Off

The designer fills out the Coda Take Off Form and includes screenshots of measurements in SketchUp for EVERY line item.

Notify the backyard consultant when the take-off is complete.

The backyard consultant will use the take off to update their proposal and request Invoice Approval.

The purchaser will use the take off to purchase the materials for the project.

6. Engineering, HOA, & Permits

Order Engineering

Order engineering once the invoice is approved. If running behind schedule, discuss ordering engineering before invoice approval with the backyard consultant. For example, they may agree to proceed based on a verbal client agreement, allowing structural engineering to be ordered while waiting to order screen engineering until the final invoice is approved.

Typical engineering timeframes:

Review engineering to ensure it aligns with the request and does not alter the design's dimensions or aesthetics.

Share the engineering with the backyard consultant and construction team for feedback.

Notify Justin once the engineering is finalized and ask if he prefers physical or digital copies of the stamped and sealed engineering.

HOA

Permits

7. Construction Documentation & Execution

Working drawings completed before Construction Dump Meeting

Pages should be in the order of construction

Designer monitors logs to ensure construction follows design

Arched beams placed in each bay

Exterior kitchen wall material changed from brick to stone

Interior kitchen brick wall replaced with John Michael cabinets. These cabinets are weatherproof and add lots of storage.

Stand alone stools changed to attached swing out stools

Fence pushed out for extra walking space behind the kitchen

TV mount changed to a flip down mount. Added 2nd TV.

Shifted sink to be centered between posts

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