Custom Home Architecture FAQs

As early in the process as possible. Bringing an architect into the project early allows important decisions about the property, home, budget, and project team to be considered together. If you are still evaluating property, we can also provide valuable input before you purchase a lot and help determine whether the site is appropriate for the type of home you want to build.

Yes. We can help evaluate a property before purchase and identify site conditions that may influence the design, construction, and cost of the home. On mountain properties especially, factors such as slope, access, views, soils, excavation, and building orientation can have a significant impact on what is possible.

Budingen Architecture specializes in luxury custom residential architecture in Park City and the Wasatch Back, while also working with clients in other locations. Many of our clients live outside Utah, so remote collaboration is a normal part of our process. For projects outside the areas where we regularly practice, we evaluate the requirements of the specific location and project.

Our primary focus is luxury and ultra-luxury custom residential architecture. We especially enjoy projects where architecture is an important part of the experience of the home, from the way the building responds to the site and views to the way individual rooms feel to live in every day. We are able to work across a range of project sizes and scales.

We intentionally do not limit our work to one architectural style. We enjoy designing both traditional and contemporary homes, and our goal is to design around the client, the property, and the way the home will be lived in. We love extraordinary architecture, but just as importantly, we want to create a place our clients will genuinely love living in.

That is completely fine. Inspiration images from Pinterest, Houzz, magazines, previous homes, or other sources are very helpful. You do not need to know the architectural terminology. We can look at the images with you, identify the qualities you are responding to, and use that information to better understand your vision.

The homeowner is an integral member of the design team. We cannot successfully design the home without your input because you are ultimately the person who will live in and experience it. Understanding your priorities, routines, preferences, and goals is an essential part of creating a home that feels genuinely yours.

Our fee structure is tailored to the individual project and is influenced by the scope of services, complexity of the site, project requirements, and applicable HOA or municipal review. Architectural fees are generally structured based on square footage or as a percentage of construction cost. After an initial conversation, we can better understand the expectations and scope of the project and develop an appropriate fee proposal.

We offer a flexible range of services because different clients want different levels of involvement from their architect. Some clients primarily need architectural design and construction documents, while others want interior design, extensive detailing, or a much higher level of involvement through construction. Budingen Architecture can provide a more streamlined architectural scope or a comprehensive level of service extending through design and construction administration.

Budget conversations work best when they begin early and openly. Knowing the overall budget is important, but it is equally important for us to understand where the client wants to invest. Different clients place different values on size, finishes, structural features, outdoor spaces, amenities, and architectural elements. We use that information to make informed design decisions and direct resources toward the parts of the home that matter most to the client.

We work with the homeowner and builder to look first for ways to accomplish the same design intent more efficiently. Sometimes a particular detail, material, or construction method can be adjusted without sacrificing what was important about the design. If those options are not enough, we can then work with the client to make thoughtful changes to the design itself.

We begin with a conversation about your project and an opportunity to learn more about each other. From there, we typically meet at the property so we can experience the site together and better understand your vision. We then provide a detailed questionnaire that helps us learn more about your priorities, lifestyle, preferences, and goals for the home.

The process typically begins with predesign, when we are learning about the client, project requirements, and site. We then move into conceptual design, where we begin sketching and presenting ideas. Schematic design develops the floor plan and early exterior concepts, followed by design development, where the architecture and exterior are refined in greater detail. Once the design is resolved, we move into construction documentation. Depending on the project scope, we can also remain involved during construction through construction administration.

There is not one timeline that applies to every project. The length of the design process can vary substantially depending on the size and complexity of the home, site conditions, HOA or municipal requirements, the scope of services, and the client’s decision-making and responsiveness. Once we understand those factors, we can establish a schedule appropriate for the individual project.

Yes. Basic exterior 3D visualization is part of our standard architectural process. More detailed or photorealistic renderings can also be provided depending on the scope of services. Interior renderings may also be developed when interior design is included in the project scope.

No. In fact, we prefer the opportunity to help clients evaluate and select a builder. We have experience working with builders and can help identify teams that may be a good fit for the project. We also welcome clients who already have a builder selected.

When possible, we like the builder to become involved during the design phase. Early builder involvement gives the design team additional information about construction costs and constructability while there is still flexibility to make informed design decisions.

The level of involvement depends on the architectural scope selected for the project. When construction administration is included, our services can include regular site observations, reviewing submittals, responding to Requests for Information, bidding and negotiation assistance, project closeout, and other services associated with carrying the design through construction. Jimmy’s background in commercial architecture allows us to offer a particularly comprehensive level of construction-phase involvement when a client wants it.

Mountain architecture is highly site-specific. The shape and slope of the property, approach to the site, orientation of the views, elevation, climate, and precipitation can all influence the design. Rather than beginning with a predetermined house and placing it on a lot, we look at how the architecture can respond to the individual characteristics of the property.

Slope can influence nearly every part of a mountain home. It may affect vehicular access, garage placement, transitions between levels, overall building height, roof design, and whether the home is better organized vertically rather than horizontally. In some situations, these conditions can also make features such as an elevator particularly valuable.

Snow loads influence the amount and type of structure required and can affect waterproofing, flashing, and insulation strategies. In Wildland Urban Interface areas, exterior materials, landscaping, and sometimes fire-protection systems must also be considered. These are not details we add at the end of design; they are conditions that need to be understood while the architecture is being developed.

Yes. We recommend obtaining geotechnical information early in the project. Understanding soil conditions and the depth of bedrock can significantly influence foundation design, excavation, and construction cost. On properties requiring septic systems, this information may also need to be coordinated with percolation testing.

Yes. HOA and design-review coordination is part of the normal process on nearly all of our mountain residential work. We are accustomed to managing those requirements so the homeowner does not have to navigate the architectural review process alone.

Our experience includes projects in communities such as Tuhaye, Skyridge, Golden Eagle, Soaring Hawk, Overlook Village, Wasatch Peaks Ranch, Deer Valley, and Wolf Creek Ranch. Each community presents its own combination of site conditions, architectural guidelines, and design-review requirements.

Views are not simply about using as much glass as possible. Sometimes the strongest approach is to frame only the most important portion of a view. Orientation, solid walls, and carefully positioned openings can also preserve privacy while making a particular view feel more personal and intentional.

Outdoor living is an important part of the overall experience of a home. Large openings can create a strong connection between interior and exterior living areas, while multiple outdoor spaces can respond to different seasons, times of day, sun exposure, and views. We want the indoor and outdoor portions of the home to feel intentionally connected rather than designed as separate experiences.

Yes. These types of spaces are a regular part of our custom residential work. Depending on the client’s priorities, a home may include ski rooms, golf simulators, gyms, bunk rooms, spas, saunas, cold plunges, and other specialty spaces. The goal is not simply to add amenities, but to integrate them intentionally into the architecture and the way the homeowners want to live.