Building a home can be complicated, and as home designers in Calgary, we strive to make the process as clear and simple as possible. Our residential design process starts with the basics, but if you need information before you ever send your first message, this is where to start.
This blog is an introduction to the topic, should you need one. Consider it your 101 on residential design in Calgary and beyond. We’ll cover key definitions before giving you a step-by-step walkthrough of our design process so you know exactly what to expect.
What Is Residential Design?
Residential design focuses on the planning and creation of your home’s spaces. At Ellergodt Design, we strive to make homes both functional and aesthetically pleasing, ensuring your needs, wants, and visions are included.
Residential design includes renovations, single-family, and multi-family homes, from bungalows to fourplexes.
When referring to custom home design for a single family, understanding a family’s or individual’s lifestyle needs is key—as is integrating them into a physical structure, which may include designing a new home or remodeling an existing one.
How Does It Differ from Architectural Design?
Residential design and architectural design are often mistaken for each other but have significant professional and legal differences.
While architectural design includes a broader scope of buildings and structures (including commercial and public buildings), residential design services zero in on residential homes.
An architect has significant structural training in areas like concrete and steel that may not be required for Residential Design. To be an architect, you must have a minimum degree in Architecture and several years of internship experience.
Like residential designers, architects design the interior spaces and exterior aesthetic, layout, use of space, and placement of a building on a site, but they also lead a team of engineers during the construction phase.
If you’re building a new custom home or renovating an existing one, an Architect’s skills may be more than is required. Instead, it can be more cost-effective to hire a residential designer in Calgary. We work alongside architects, if needed, and handle all development permits and approvals.
What’s the Difference Between Residential Design & Interior Design?
Residential design and interior design are two different disciplines, but they can be combined to create personal, comfortable, and functional spaces.
- Residential design covers the entire process of home creation from concept to construction, including building layouts and exterior features.
- Interior design focuses on interior environments, dealing with material selection, colour schemes, furniture, textiles, and more—elements that enhance the interior atmosphere and functionality.
The Residential Design Process
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is about the residential design process. It’s completely natural to have tons of questions before designing a home, and we encourage as many as possible!
The residential design journey is about creating a home that’s perfect for YOU, and though time frames may vary, the process is similar for every client. Here’s what you can expect along the way:
Consultation
Finding the right home designer in Calgary—or anywhere else for that matter—can take time. It’s important to find a team that puts your needs and vision first and your mind at ease.
If you’ve decided that’s our team, we’re thrilled to be a part of your journey and we’ll send you a Design Questionnaire. Fill it out with as much detail as possible so we can get to know your style preferences, long-term intentions, and daily habits.
During your consultation, you’ll get to know us and we’ll get to know you. We’ll go over your answers to the Design Questionnaire and answer any questions you have about the next steps.
Design Process
After you’ve relayed all of the details you’d like to see in your custom home design, we’ll begin the initial sketches. These will evolve with your feedback into detailed plans and 3D renderings. This collaborative process ensures the final design meets your needs.
Permitting
When you’re in love with the final design, we’ll manage and navigate the permit process. Because we’re experienced home designers in Calgary, we know what’s needed to obtain the right permits for your home.
The design needs to comply with local bylaws, building codes and regulations, and it’s our job to ensure that it does this while considering your style, site orientation, and size preferences.
Construction Drawings
The final step before construction begins is the creation of detailed construction drawings. These are critical for builders, containing all necessary specifications to bring the design to life.
Reviews About Our House Design Process
We don’t expect you to just take our word. When selecting a home designer in Calgary or beyond, you should always ask for reviews. Here are a few from our clients that speak to our collaborative home design process.
Silverhorn Luxury Estate
“Project after project, Brent and his team at Ellergodt Design continue to deliver and help us push the limits of conventional design through their collaborative process and attention to detail.”
Fernie Woodland Vacation Home
“Brent impressed us from our first encounter with him at the Calgary Home Show. He is genuine and informative, and his explanations inspired our confidence. Brent’s knowledge and sense of humor created a comfortable environment for working together as a team on our project.
Brent and Jessica are both skilled listeners who clearly care about their clients; they really “got” us, and were able to capture our general vision in the very first drawings. Jessica has been great to work with; she is responsive and collaborative, as well as being generous and patient with our many questions.”
Bearspaw Acreage Modern Farmhouse
“It has been a pleasure working with Brent, Jessica and Elicia… Brent was involved from day one when we were deciding to purchase the land for our new custom home. [The team] listened to us and understood our needs and style.
They were patient, flexible and creative in providing ideas and updating the design to meet our needs. We are very happy with their work and the support they have provided.”
Collaborative Residential Design in Calgary & Beyond
Ellergodt Design has been designing homes for 21 years, but our process has remained the same. We believe in the power of collaborative design, forging relationships with our clients to create the homes they’ve been dreaming of.
Looking for definitions of more residential design terms? Check out our Home Design Glossary. Need more specific answers? Email our team or call (587)803-3715.