For homeowners planning a new custom home who need professional direction before hiring a builder or committing to full construction drawings.

If you own a property and are considering a teardown/new build, this is the right first step before you invest thousands of dollars into plans, builder pricing, or permit drawings.

The Smart Start New Construction Review is designed for homeowners who already have a general vision for their new home, but need help determining whether the project is realistic, well-directed, and worth advancing into a full design process.

This is especially helpful if you are trying to build a traditionally inspired or classically styled home, such as a Cape Cod, Colonial, cottage, or other timeless architectural direction, and want to avoid ending up with a generic builder-grade result.

Who This Is For

This consultation is ideal if you:

• Own a property and are considering tearing down the existing house and building new

• Have a general idea of the home size, layout, or architectural style you want

• Want a timeless, traditionally inspired home rather than a generic new build

• Need to understand whether your budget, goals, and timeline are realistic

• Want professional design direction before speaking seriously with builders

• Have not yet confirmed zoning, setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, or neighborhood restrictions

• Want to avoid spending money on plans that may not fit the property, budget, or architectural goal

• Need a clear roadmap for what drawings, studies, and professional services are actually needed next

This is not just a drafting review. It is a strategic first step to determine whether the project is ready to move forward and what should happen before full design begins.

What You Get

This is a professional new construction feasibility and design-direction review delivered through an online consultation and written follow-up.

You will receive:

• A review of your new home goals, approximate size, budget, and desired architectural direction

• A preliminary discussion of whether your concept appears realistic for the property

• Initial design guidance on how to approach the architectural style, massing, layout priorities, and overall character

• A review of obvious red flags that could affect design, cost, timing, or buildability

• A checklist of missing information needed before full design or builder pricing

• A recommended next-step roadmap for moving from idea to design process

• A clear scope recommendation for what type of drawings or studies are likely needed next

• Written follow-up notes summarizing the main findings and recommendations

The goal is to help you understand what is possible before the project becomes expensive.

What We Will Review

During this consultation, we can discuss:

• Your project address and property context

• Whether the existing house is likely a teardown candidate

• Your desired home size and room priorities

• Your preferred architectural style

• Your rough construction budget

• Your timeline for design, demolition, and construction

• Whether your current goals appear aligned with the likely cost and complexity of the project

• What zoning, site, survey, or municipal information should be gathered next

• What should happen before speaking seriously with builders

• Whether this project appears to be a good fit for a full design engagement

For a new custom home, the early decisions matter. The wrong plan, wrong massing, wrong roofline, or wrong budget assumption can create expensive problems long before construction begins.

What You Send Before the Consultation

After purchase, you will email the information you currently have. Do not worry if it is incomplete.

Please send:

• The property address

• Any sketches, floor plan ideas, room lists, or layout concepts

• Inspiration images or links showing the architectural style you like

• Approximate desired square footage

• Desired number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garage spaces, and major rooms

• Your rough construction budget

• Any survey, site plan, zoning information, or city correspondence you already have

• Any questions or concerns you want addressed during the review

If you do not have zoning information, a survey, or a builder yet, that is completely fine. Part of this review is identifying what information is missing and what needs to be confirmed next.

What This Consultation Does Not Include

To keep this service focused and efficient, this consultation does not include:

• Full custom home design

• Floor plan drafting

• Exterior elevation drawings

• Permit-ready construction documents

• Structural engineering

• Zoning verification by the municipality

• Site engineering, grading, drainage, or stormwater design

• Contractor bidding

• Construction management

• Multiple rounds of design revisions

This is the strategic starting point before full design. If you decide to move forward afterward, you will receive a recommended path for the next phase.

Turnaround Time

After receiving your project information, we will schedule the online consultation.

You will receive your written consultation summary within:

3 business days after the consultation.

Investment

Flat fee: $786

This fee covers the online consultation, professional review, feasibility discussion, design-direction guidance, and written next-step summary.

Best Next Step

If you are planning a new custom home and want to avoid rushing into the wrong plan, wrong builder conversation, or wrong design direction, this is the correct first step.

Click below to book your Smart Start New Construction Review.

After purchase, you will receive instructions for sending your property information, inspiration images, layout ideas, and project goals.