OUR SERVICES

Traditional Architectural Services

Providing the right tools for church ministry, senior’s living and public or private education.

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• Establish program and space requirements.

• Analyze the site and develop the site design.

• Design and develop concepts for the building.

• Develop a creative concept with engineering input.

• Interact with municipalities to facilitate approvals at each stage of the process.

• Produce working drawings and specifications for tendering, permit, and construction.

• Perform contract administration services.

• Shop drawing review.

• Perform field reviews during construction as required by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing, the Ontario Association of Architects and the client.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Design Brief in response to client requirements

  • Concept Drawings and Preliminary Budgets

  • 3D Computer Renderings/Models

  • Technical Drawings and Specifications

  • General Review Reports (Construction Administration)

  • Payment Certificates

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Customized Services

Providing the right services to suit a customer’s needs

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• D+H Architects Inc. can offer services tailored to a customer’s specific needs.

• We strive to work with a potential customer in the initial stages of our relationship to provide only the services they require and structure our fee proposal to reflect that.

• Typical Deliverables are customized to suit a customer’s needs.

 

 

Church Growth Consultation & Assessment

Understanding and planning for your expanding congregation.

 

A church building program should be the result of a creative response to the expressed needs of a church for more space to accommodate dynamic growth. Church Growth involves far more than just the building. D+H Architects  offers our experience to help churches uncover their growth needs prior to proceeding with a new building.

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We have gained valuable church design experience on over 500 church projects.  These projects have included feasibility studies, small additions to improve accessibility, as well as multi phased Master Plan designs. Over our many years of practice we have developed strong relationships with many consulting firms who work with us on a regular basis to provide value added design and engineering services - from initial Concepts to Opening Day Celebrations. 

 

 

Site Assessment and Selection

Reducing the risks involved in purchasing new property with a high degree of due diligence

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• Assistance evaluating the viability of a potential property for purchase for optimal or change of use.

• Contact municipality to determine zoning restrictions (setbacks, parking, permissible uses, buildable envelope, etc) to ensure they are favorable.

• Determine which approvals will be required if property is acquired.

• Prepare conceptual site layout plan to suit requirements with all restrictions shown.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Conceptual Site Plan showing building, parking and various site restrictions.

  • Summary of findings, risks and opportunities.

  • Preliminary project budget or cost-analysis

 

 

Feasibility Studies

Make best and optimal use of existing property before considering purchase of new

 

• Analysis of existing building and site to determine natural capacity of property (building and parking).

• Analysis of existing and future spatial requirements as related to anticipated growth.

• Overlay municipal restrictions on the site and determine Building Envelope (aka, maximum buildable area on the site without seeking additional approvals).

• Identify spatial inefficiencies and potential areas of improvement for use on the site and within the existing building.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Concept Site Plan & Floor Plan drawings showing site limitations and potential uses.

  • Feasibility Study Report including Preliminary budget.

  • Opportunities and Constraints Plan

 

 

Multipurpose Master Plan

Strategic expansion planning with a well-developed road map for growth

 

• Understand customer’s current conditions and provide a strategy for expansion.

• Develop an intentional plan for facility growth on existing or new property.

• Sub-divide overall expansion into phases to suit financial capabilities.

• Thinking and planning for the future is imperative. Decisions about the building today can be impacted by what will happen in the future. Furthermore, as a user group grows, for instance in the case of a church, the base for financial support grows as well. Hence, master planning a facility and breaking it into manageable phases often causes a project to be financially viable in the long term.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Conceptual Site Plan and Floor Plans showing expansion capabilities.

  • Preliminary budgets.

  • Phasing strategy as required.

 

 

Computer Assisted Visualization

Seeing your building and being reassured before implementation

 

• When developing a building project, it is important to be able to predict and communicate a realistic picture of the end result. Unlike manufacturing where prototypes can be cost effectively made; a building is its own prototype.

• Develop a computer concept model of building and/or site design.

• Provide a presentation for stakeholders to visualize the end product to create awareness and excitement for a building project.

• Useful tool in motivational fundraising campaigns.

• We can include this as part of our basic architectural service for an overall project or as a stand-alone service for specific presentational needs.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Basic black & white renderings.

  • Basic colour renderings.

  • Photorealistic Full colour renderings.

  • Interior/Exterior Presentation Package.

 

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Change of Use Assessment

Reduce the risks in occupying an existing space requiring a Change of Use Permit

 

• An assessment will help a client determine the costs associated with occupying a new space prior to committing to it.

• Provide assistance in evaluating the various upgrades required to occupy an existing building or tenant space.

• Detailed Building Code review.

• Should the assessment result in renovation work, D+H Architects  would provide additional services to ensure such work meets applicable code requirements while satisfying the client's needs for the new space.

• Typical Deliverables:

  • Change of Use Assessment Summary

  • Change of Use Permit Application and related stamped drawings.

  • Preliminary project budget.

 

 

Accessibility Assessment and Planning

Dignity development through barrier-free upgrading in existing buildings

 

• In Canada, the government has introduced legislation to encourage a deeper commitment to full and equitable accessibility to buildings for all persons.

• D+H Architects can provide the necessary assessment of existing facilities and a plan of action to respond to the new requirements.

• Barrier-free Design, Construction Drawings, and Coordination of Consultants’ work.

• Due Diligence Accessibility Review prior to purchase of building.

• Accessibility Assessment of Existing Building to establish required upgrading work.

• Building Code Review & Assessment.

• Assistance with application for Ontario Trillium Foundation Access Grant. (Tender information for quotes required).

• Assistance with project budgeting.

• Review of Building Entrances, Multi-level Access, and Barrier-Free Path of Travel.

• Washroom design.

• Accessibility Report

  • Drawings for permit and construction where upgrading is needed.

 

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Other Types of Projects

Although we specialize in worship facility design, we have had experience in several other areas of the design and construction industry

 

• Public and private school facilities

• Seniors & dormitory housing

• Single and multi-family unit dwellings

• Commercial offices and plazas

• Other assembly facilities

• Warehouse & theatre conversions

• Barrier free accessibility design & implementation