Looking for answers?
Find frequently asked questions about our architecture firm, our design process, services, and how we can help bring your vision to life.
General Inquiries
Design-Build services are when Architectural Construction Drawings are not contracted and the Builders work off the Schematic Design drawings. We advise going through the Construction Drawing process because it specifies how things are built. But, for clients who are on a budget and understand the risks, we offer Schematic Design drawings that can be used by your trusted Contractors to build your home. Not all of the details will be on these drawings. So only Contractors with proven experience can be trusted to perform in this fashion.
Typically, telephone, cable, internet and swimming pool equipment installations are done on a design build basis by the various providers. Kitchens are also frequently fabricated this way.
Yes. Many of our foreign-based clients consult with us via Whatsapp and Zoom and other platforms during the Design, Construction Drawings and Budgeting/Construction Contracts Phases.
We recommend that clients intermittently visit the construction site to observe construction progress first hand. We keep a gallery of weekly construction progress photos for clients to review remotely. But, seeing the construction up close frequently inspires a client to add a detail, or tweak a design. It is this co-creation that results in a project catered to clients’ needs and tastes.
A new handcrafted home on Lake Atitlan typically can take about one year to build. That said, the timeline varies depending on the project’s size and complexity. We develop detailed project schedules during the construction contract phase of the project. Gant Charts are created with input from all the trades identifying critical path items that can impact the schedule.
Architecture, Construction, Urban Design and Community Development, Interior Design, Landscape Design Services, Real Estate Pre-purchase Planning Studies and Property Inspections, Property Appraisals.
Fees and Budgeting
After the Construction Drawing Phase we develop detailed line item Construction Budgets. We calculate materials and price them in local hardware stores. The client only pays for materials purchased. Any contingency not consumed is not charged to the client. We procure fixed labor bids. But, because of fluctuating currencies and market influences, our Budgets cannot be construed as a guarantee. However, most of our clients’ projects come in under budget.
Payments for design fees shall be enumerated in the Architectural Schematic Design and Construction Drawing Proposals/Contracts. Typically, a partial payment is required to begin and subsequent payments during drawing development and prior to presentations.
Tierra Linda does not finance construction projects.
Before construction begins, we work out a schedule of transfers for clients so they can manage their finances.
If the client is eligible for a local bank loan, Tierra Linda can prepare documents required by the bank as an Additional Service.
For Schematic Design we charge a fixed fee. For subsequent phases our fees are typically based on a percentage of the project’s total cost. However, we can also discuss alternative fee structures.
Design Process
Our website showcases many of our projects. We are happy to arrange site visits for larger public spaces like schools, restaurants, hospitals and clinics. Seeing private projects in person can be a bit of a challenge in Guatemala. We respect our clients’ desire for privacy.
Sustainability is a Core Value of Tierra Linda. Some of the technologies we integrate into our designs have included: Rain water harvesting, Solar hot water systems, photovoltaic solar electric, Daylight and passive solar siting, Sand Filters, Natural locally sourced materials like adobe, bamboo, palm, rattan, clay-straw, stone, Repurposed materials, Passive cooling systems, Compostable Toilets and Rain Gardens.
Each client will need to express their level of comfort with the different technologies. For example, in the US, the average water consumption per person is 50 gallons per day. The average Guatemalan consumes 5-10 gallons per day. If a client wishes to reduce their consumption, it frequently requires forming new habits. We are always thrilled to help our clients reduce their carbon footprint.
Design is a collaborative endeavor between Architect and Client. The projects that shine will be the ones where the clients play an active role in co-creating the spaces. Molly begins by getting to know the client and the site. She has developed an Architectural Program Questionnaire designed to understand clients’ passions and dislikes, habits and hobbies. The goal is to create a space that is reflective of its user, whether this is a home, a garden, a school, a hospital or an urban space.
An Architectural Program is developed for the project. Spaces, adjacencies, sizes, engineering systems and architectural stylistic inclinations are defined. A Pinterest page or mood board is developed. We do a site analysis and then, develop 2 different options for how the distribution of the spaces could work on the site. The concept is to explore and harness the potential of the site. From this initial presentation and client feedback, we then develop the final Schematic Design Drawings.
Construction and Permits
Yes, we can assist with the construction permit application process. We develop a skeleton set of drawings for municipal construction permits and a simple materials list and budget. The contractors are responsible for coordinating and procuring the permit.
We can also assist in coordinating Environmental approvals with the authorities that have jurisdiction (MARN, Conap, Amsclae). Typically the client would hire a specialist in these themes and Tierra Linda Architecture would provide supporting documents and do follow up with the local authorities until the permit is procured.
Finally, for those projects within 200 meters of Lake Atitlan, we can also provide documentation and plans necessary to the client’s lawyer for inscription in OCRET.
We have developed a network of trusted and capable contractors and builders over the last 25 years of building all around Lake Atitlan. You are also welcome to work with your own builders.
Our primary role during Construction Supervision is to ascertain that the project is built in conformance with the Construction Drawings and to ensure quality control, monitor safety measures and to administer the Construction Contracts and Gant chart.
Tierra Linda provides ongoing support to Contractors and Clients during this phase. We work with the maestro de obras to coordinate the teams and critical path items, material procurement and weekly oversight throughout the construction process. We issue supplemental sketches and instructions and Client Change Orders as needed. We calculate and coordinate Contractor’s weekly/intermittent payments based on construction progress. We also offer Interior Design as an Additional Service, making shopping trips to Guatemala City or Xela to purchase lighting and plumbing artefacts, tiles and other finishes.
Finally, we maintain and distribute line item monthly balance sheets. It should be noted that for transparency reasons, we work with an outside Auditor who reviews and certifies our balances each month.
Additional Questions
Absolutely! Please contact us to schedule a consultation. The initial meeting is free of charge, with no obligation. We will discuss the project scope and Tierra Linda’s approach in the hopes of discovering if we are a good match for each other.
We primarily work in the Lake Atitlan basin and the rural communities above Lake Atitlan. But, have also done work in the Antigua, Guatemala City area and in California, USA.
If my clients feel like their space supports and invigorates them, I feel like I have been successful.
As an architect I strive to create BELONGING. How do we design spaces where the inhabitants feel SEEN, understood and validated? At the onset of the design process, I get to know what makes my clients tick. What juices them? What makes them worry? What brings them joy? What goals do they have for themselves? It can be a process of deep listening. As I develop the ARCHITECTURAL PARTI, the guiding organizational design principal or big idea and intention for their space, I integrate and distill what they share with me. They could be obsessed with textiles or film. They could be a writer who craves silence and natural light. Or a young widow that wants to stay connected to their departed husband. It could be an elderly couple with mobility or hearing issues. Sometimes my clients and I develop names for their buildings. Cocoon with a view, Trickle down flow, Interior courtyard, Sanctuary, Off the Grid. The more my clients participate in the design process and work with me to co-create their space, the more successful we are.