Floor Plan Redevelopment Floor Plan Redevelopment

Floor Plan Redevelopment

  • Runtime:

    discussed individually*

  • Project’s cost:

    discussed individually**

  • Architectural supervision:

    discussed individually

* Depends on the Project

** Price depennds on the style and complexity of the Project.

Service Overview

A new floor plan can turn a home that almost works into one that fits your family: an open kitchen for entertaining, a walk-in closet instead of a wasted hallway, a second bathroom, a home office, or a primary suite where there was none. It is also the riskiest part of a remodel, because it touches walls, structure, plumbing, and permits.

We start with a site survey and measured drawings, find out which walls are load-bearing and where plumbing, ducts, and wiring run, and only then propose several layout options. The chosen option is developed into construction drawings that contractors can price and build from and that support the permit application. You get not just an attractive diagram but a plan that can be built safely and legally.

The service suits condos, townhomes, single-family houses, and small commercial spaces. If you only need a better arrangement of furniture and zones without moving walls, our space planning and functional zoning service is a better fit.

Our portfolio

Stages

Q&A

Can any wall be removed?

No. Non-structural partitions usually can, but load-bearing walls need a new beam sized by a structural engineer and a permit, and shared plumbing stacks or fire separations in condos cannot simply be removed.

Do I need a permit?

In Seattle, moving walls, plumbing or electrical circuits generally requires a permit from SDCI. Smaller projects may qualify for a simpler subject-to-field-inspection permit; condo owners also need HOA approval.

Can the kitchen be opened to the living room?

Usually yes. If the wall is load-bearing, it gets a new beam; we also plan the range hood and ventilation so cooking smells do not spread through the open space.

How long does the design take?

For an apartment or condo, usually a few weeks, depending on size, the number of options and engineering changes. Permit review time comes on top and depends on the scope.

How is this different from space planning?

Space planning organizes a room without moving walls: furniture, light and zones. Redevelopment changes the geometry itself - walls, doors, plumbing and electrical - so it needs construction drawings and usually a permit.

Do you work on houses as well as condos?

Yes. Houses offer more freedom: combining rooms, moving stairs or the kitchen, finishing an attic or adding space. Structural and exterior changes are designed by our architects together with structural engineers, and drawings that need a local license are signed by licensed professionals.

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Permits and Structure in Seattle

In Seattle, moving or removing walls, relocating plumbing, and changing electrical circuits generally require a permit from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections; smaller projects can often use a simpler subject-to-field-inspection permit, while larger or structural ones need full plan review. Removing a load-bearing wall means a new beam and posts sized by a structural engineer, and in a seismic region the lateral bracing of the house has to be checked as well. Condo owners also need approval from the HOA before any work that affects shared walls, plumbing stacks, or fire systems. Our architects prepare the permit drawings to local codes together with structural engineers, and drawings that require a local license are signed by licensed professionals we work with.

What to Check in Older Homes

Many Seattle homes were built decades ago, and opening walls can reveal surprises. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint, and older materials can contain asbestos, so testing before demolition is a sensible first step. Knob-and-tube wiring, undersized framing, and old galvanized pipes are common findings that are far cheaper to address during a planned redevelopment than after the finishes go in.

What You Get

  • a site survey and as-built drawings;
  • two or three layout options with furniture plans;
  • demolition and new-wall plans with dimensions;
  • plumbing, electrical, and HVAC relocation plans;
  • coordination with structural engineers and support during permitting and construction.

We show how a 65 m² top-floor apartment became 103 m² with a second level in our article 8 interesting design solutions; the finished project is in our portfolio as Residence 11. After the new layout, the natural next steps are interior design or remodeling design, and for larger changes to a house, architecture.