Author: mb

Before construction could start we had to secure three main approvals:

1. Coastal Site Plan
2. Zoning
3. Building Department

Norwalk Planning & Zoning handled the first two of these, and we were told that the CAM approval process could take about 60 days, so we wanted to kick that off ASAP. Doing so required plans for the house, but did not require a construction set, and did not even require a final deep foundation design, it was sufficient to indicate the house would be raised and on a deep foundation system. So once the conceptual design was complete on 1/20/16 we kicked off the CAM approval process, and to avoid any potential re-work wanted to have that complete before work on construction drawings for zoning and building department approvals started.

The main takeaway on the CAM application requirements was that we needed to engage a civil engineer to prepare a site plan, and that this was likely the main critical path item. Submissions were due about 3 weeks before the plan review meeting dates, which were generally monthly. In casting around for a local civil engineer a couple of candidates would have taken us at the end of a queue of existing commitments, but Landtech was able and willing to get right into it and pursue an aggressive submission and approval timeline, so they got the gig. They started working (without an agreement in place) on Tuesday 2/16/16 and managed to submit a package on 2/18/16 for a meeting on 3/10/16.

Prior to the 3/10/16 meeting Norwalk Planning came back with some feedback on our submission. Despite our siting the home in the AE flood zone operation of the lot we were told the home had to be built to VE flood zone specifications. We tried pushing back on this, it seemed like it might be a difficult battle to win and we were happy to elevate the home and park under it. The main drawback to the VE rules is that you are not allowed to do more than minor drainage-related grading, whereas in an AE zone you can bring the lot up by 3 feet (which others in our neighborhood have done). Our slab ended up at 7.8′ (1′ above the average lot level), with AE and VE zone base flood levels at 11′ and 14′ respectively. Norwalk Planning also wanted to know more about the foundation, which at this point had not been designed (though we had started to look for a structural engineer, thinking it might be best for the same person to do the foundation and house, rather than using the geotechnical engineer for the foundation and then having him or her coordinate with the structural engineer). We got away with showing some timber piles in the drawings (which were ultimately below grade into grade beams, with concrete columns supporting the house). Finally Norwalk Planning wanted an elevation certificate, architect thought the structural engineer, who had not been engaged, would provide, surveyor wanted construction drawings to provide, and Landtech ultimately provided (with a CT Licensed Professional Engineer seal).

Landtech asked if we wanted to have a catchment area along the edge of the seawall of our lot, with grasses etc., the idea of a barrier between the rear yard and the seawall/water did not appeal to us, so we ended up with a site plan that included 90′ of buried Cultec C-100HD galleries with water shed by driveway and roof piped to same.

At the Plan Review Committee Meeting on 3/10/16 our project was discussed and there was no call for a public hearing, which is apparently something that can be required. Landtech was hoping to secure Zoning approval at the meeting the following week, but prior to that meeting our project had to be reviewed at the next Harbor Management meeting, which meeting I attended, and was unremarkable, on 3/23/16. While this was going on we worked with Turkel and Landtech on a final version of the site plan that brought the lower level slab up a foot from the average lot grade (I really had to fight for this), avoided a variance by making some adjustments to keep the mid-peak of the roof at 31′, and fiddled with siting a bit to comply with neighborhood setback requirements that were more stringent than Norwalk B Residence “height and bulk” limits.

A final submission to Norwalk Planning and Zoning was made 3/24/16. Prior to this submission I ordered a HP Designjet T120, which can print ARCH D (24×36 inch) plans. Printing multiple sets of plans out at Kinkos was costing a small fortune. The Zoning Commission approved the CAM application at its meeting on 4/20/16 with an effective date of 4/29/16. Next step was to get the construction drawings done.

We started talking to Turkel about the project a couple of months before we closed on the lot, and signed a Design Services Agreement (DSA) with them a couple of weeks before closing, with a contingency on closing, but no plan not to close and a desire to hit the ground running. The DSA deliverables included the development of a 3D digital schematic/model, then creation of 2D plans, a written specification with major interior and exterior elements, and pricing for a prefabricated component package.

Prior to launching the design process we were drawn to the Axiom 2340. We liked the open L-shaped living area with the kitchen at the elbow, and the 2-story “light well” surrounding a loft, adding to an open feel and providing light without creating a lot of dead/wasted volume. The issue with the 2340 was that it was only about 31′ wide and our lot was a trapezoid with 75′ on the water and 50′ at the road, so we wanted to push towards the water and go as wide as possible. Ideally we also wanted the master on the main level, and to have water views from that and the main living area. This led us to think that maybe a Turkel design for Lindal, the TD3 2100, might be a better starting point, but we left the starting point as a TBD as there were some things we did not like as much about the TD3 2100 (lots of bedrooms, smaller living area) and Turkel’s pitch was that they were going to ask us questions and make a recommendation.

Here are the major “touch points” and steps of our initial design “program:”

8/3 – Signed the Design Services Agreement

9/2 – Turkel architect made a site visit

9/16 – Online meeting to review a “site packet.” Main thing here was defining the building envelope based on zoning setback and height limitations, and also understanding the flood zone requirements. SketchUp was used for the online meeting.

9/29 – Online meetings scheduled for 10/7, 10/22, and 11/11. We were sent a program worksheet that listed rooms/dimensions/areas/comments, and we returned this worksheet with our comments. 3BR/2.5BA, little over 2500 soft. We nixed the idea of tray ceilings in the master and master bath.

10/6 – Online meeting scheduled for 11/25

10/7 – Online meeting to review program worksheet and discuss high level design, rooms, locations, etc. Looked at some different Turkel designs and discussed the idea of Axiom 2340 with a master sweet stapled to the side of it. Next step selection of a model/design that could be starting point for our home.

10/22 – Online meeting, “Schematic Design Review 1.” Based on our feedback on the program worksheet we were led through a series of progressions with “jelly block” rooms moved around to create a series of 3D bubble diagrams. The final progression was indeed something like the Axiom 2340 with a master suite stapled to the main level. The layout of the main spaces was pretty close to the final result, just needed to sort out location of master bath, closets, mud/laundry and mechanical rooms, and delete an upstairs bedroom. We were tasked with providing feedback in the form of what we liked and what we saw as issues (rather than providing specific solutions) to allow them to digest and refine the design.

10/26 – Received pdf packet from the 10/22 meeting, included 3 schematics, first of these was last progression from our meeting and clearly the basis of the design going forward.

11/1 – Sent our feedback on SD1. Suggested we might prefer closets to be adjacent to master instead of ensuite, discussed need for living room to also be media room, and deleted an upstairs bedroom, making other bedroom larger and maybe giving it a small deck. We went out into a parking lot and blue-taped outlines of the main living spaces to try to get an idea of size and feel, and based on that suggested that we might like a little more living room and a little less deck.

11/11 – Online meeting, “Schematic Design Review 2.” Very close to the final design. Walls were added to the model, which we were told could consume up to 15% of the floor area, and during the meeting we were able to see things moving around the interior of the 3D model.

11/14 – Received SD2 pdf packet from the 11/11 meeting.

11/18 – Sent our feedback on SD2. Didn’t like the idea of transiting the ensuite to get to one of the master suite walk-in closets, and asked about increasing size of master and guest a little bit. Asked how we would go about finding a structural engineer and also signed up geotechnical engineer for soil survey and thinking about who would design the foundation, which would likely be a deep foundation (i.e. piles). Looking forward also visited Norwalk Planning & Zoning to ask about the CAM (Coastal Area Management) approval process, which we were told could take a couple of months and so wanted to be on top of that. They marked up the requirements/forms for us, and one of the requirements I latched on to was a “drainage report.” We asked the geotechnical engineer if that could be added to his scope, but he told us we would need to engage a civil/site engineer for this. We were also wrestling with siting home in A flood zone vs pushing towards the water (where lot is wider) and having some of the home in the V zone, and trying to understand cost implications of this decision. It was very hard to get specific information on the insurance aspect of this decision without elevation certificates, but the guidance seemed to be that siting in the V zone would cost “a lot more” (even if positively elevated).

11/25 – Online meeting, “Schematic Design Review 3.” Pretty much the final design. Spent some time discussing siting in A vs V, with setbacks it would be tight keeping footprint in A (which is what we ultimately did, trimming some things to wedge the home in to the permitted envelope).

12/1 – Received SD3 pdf packet from the 11/25 meeting.

12/4 – Sent our feedback on SD3. Ensuite shower size, vanity configuration, built-ins, WICs. Small stuff. Asked what the next step was.

12/10 – Turkel said they were incorporating our comments and bringing the level of finish up in the model (cladding, windows) so it would look more like a house, and that once we signed off they would send a package out to get pricing for both their package and our local builder (local builder TBD).

12/29 – After pestering Turkel a bit received the “final design packet” (SD4).

1/5 – Sent our feedback on SD4. WICs in master suite, kitchen design (started to realize we might need help with this), concerns about blinds for tall skinny windows, idea of sliding doors from dining room to deck, and started asking questions about windows to promote air flow. On the small powder room, 5×5 near the front door, realized that was small so we needed to be smart about layout, and found a great post on powder rooms (I probably need to create a page with a list of links to sites I found helpful), so we suggested changing from A to B or C.

1/18 – Online meeting, “Schematic Design Review 5.” Mainly discussed ensuite layout, we liked Turkel’s solution to our feedback. They had some concern about commode being visible from the hallway/master, but I viewed that as big positive, with the bathroom and commode doors open there is a water view from the seat! The ensuite ended up at a bit over 140 sqft, not small but also not enormous. A large shower at 5.5x6ft, commode with a pocket door, 8′ vanity, and plenty of room for a tub.

Final addition was a largish (12’+) sliding door for the dining room. We like the idea of being able to open up the dining area to the deck/outdoors/view. Turkel suggested sliding over accordion as the former more like big windows when closed, and given climate they would be closed quite a bit. Next steps pricing, assembling the CAM application, and a cabinetry questionnaire. The Turkel team told us we were on track for construction to start in the summer (’16).

1/20 – Received SD5 packet from the 1/18 meeting, also a cabinetry survey and design specification. Still lots of design work left to do before construction drawings would be done, but I would say this concluded the conceptual/schematic design phase of the project. So a little over five months from engagement to completion of this design phase, and we ended up with a 2561 sqft home with 412 sqft of decking (entry, rear, upper) and a lower level garage/storage area of 1725 sqft.

During the run up to closing on the purchase of our lot in August ’15 we had the idea to build a modern home, roughly 2500 square feet and probably 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, comfortable for the two of us, a nice guest bedroom, and a third bedroom for that or for an office or other. When we told the broker selling us the lot about this he suggested we take a look at Turkel Design, who he said designed some nice looking modern homes and offered affordable prefabricated construction. We looked and we liked and were initially drawn to their Axiom 2340 model, which ended up being the starting point for our design.

Big decision though, so we wanted to do our due diligence and explore some other options. We couldn’t find any local architects with experience with modern homes, but heard “I have always wanted to do a modern home” a few times, and while local would have been nice (for design, oversight, local knowledge and relationships) we were not entirely comfortable being a guinea pig. There was a nice looking modern home we could see from our lot that was designed by Maryanne Thompson, similar size to what we were planning, but we tracked down the owner and construction cost of about $2 million scared us away (it did have geothermal and solar panels, but still …). An old high school classmate who is a partner at a small high end firm told us we should plan on $600psf for coastal Connecticut, which still scared us! So this reinforced the idea of modern prefab, we went and met with a Lindal representative, Turkey has partnered with them for some designs in their “TD3 Series,” but we preferred Turkel’s Axiom designs and the idea of stick-built prefab did not resonate. We also popped in to NYC to meet the principals of Resolution 4, we very much liked their body of work. A little “boxier” than Turkel’s designs, perhaps driven by their focus on modular prefab construction. We also looked briefly at Stillwater, and I don’t remember if we looked at them then, but if we were doing this again I might look at them now, evoDOMUS. After boiling the ocean for a bit we landed back with Turkel, we liked their designs, the panelized prefab approach made sense to us, we bought into the timing/quality/predictability rationale for the approach, and they initially suggested a budget that was attractive but that we knew was low, but we thought maybe we could get it done in the same zip code.

Here are the before and after photos:

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