Why Hire an Architect?
Building or remodeling a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make — and one of the most personal. At ECCO Architecture & Design, we make that process clear, creative, and efficient from start to finish.
As a full-service residential architecture firm in Seattle, we design custom homes, major remodels, and waterfront properties that blend modern aesthetics with lasting function. Our team brings together architectural design, permitting expertise, and construction coordination so your project moves smoothly from concept to completion.
Whether you’re building a new home, planning an addition, or reimagining an existing space, ECCO provides integrated design solutions that prioritize beauty, sustainability, and site-specific detail. We handle everything—from permit and zoning management to landscape and exterior planning—so you can focus on the vision while we manage the details.
Learn more about our process:
Initial Meeting & Fee Proposal
The initial meeting, free of charge, is a chance for us to meet and discuss the goals of your project, and help you answer the following questions:
Did you like the designers you met with and the samples of work they showed you?
Was the firm receptive to your ideas and desires for your project? Did they offer insight into the strengths of your ideas or some potential conflicts with building structure, building code issues or budget?
Did they offer you a list of their references? Will the firm do your work? This is a good time to discuss schedule and whether or not they have the staff to meet the demands of your project.
After the initial meeting, Ecco will provide you with a fee proposal containing a line-by-line itemization of the phases of your project and the time we anticipate working in each phase. Within the industry, architectural fees range from 10% to 12% of the construction cost for new homes and 15% for remodel projects. We do our best to ensure you are aware of the scope of your project and the cost of our services. Because we work on an hourly basis, contracting our services means we will work on your project only as long as you are happy with our services.
The Design Process
Document Existing Conditions: A site visit to measure, photograph and document the property, and produce CAD drawings of the existing conditions.
Programming & Site Analysis: Focus on the spaces themselves and connections between them. Explore opportunities for views. Document the property’s zoning.
Schematic Design: One of the most exiting steps, this is when the vision begins to take shape on paper in sketches and/or models.
Design Development: Sketches and early models morph into drafted versions, giving literal size & shape to your project.
Construction Documents: Detailed drawings are produced, to be used in the permitting and construction of your project.
Permitting: Ecco will submit the plans to the city for review and make any required corrections. The review time can last up to several months. The city will then approve the plans & issue your building permit.
Construction Phase
Selecting a Contractor
There are a number of ways to engage a contractor for services. Ecco has a list of contractors we have worked with, and we're happy to provide recommendations. Family, friends and neighbors are often another good source. Before choosing a contractor we haven't worked with, we like to interview them, visit their completed projects, and check their references. We strongly encourage clients to do the same.
Construction Administration
Construction can be a stressful phase. We encourage our clients to engage our firm’s services during construction. Having a great deal of experience with the process, we can assist in keeping the project on budget, on time, and maintaining the design intent and construction quality. The architect acts as a liaison between owner and contractor; we are a neutral party in disputes, in cost negotiations, and in interpreting the construction documents. We typically budget approximately 15% to 20% of our scheduled fee for construction administration services.
Often in residential work, the project is very personal to the owner. It has been our experience that having a third party to assist in the details of construction makes for a positive relationship between owner and contractor. So, whether it is assisting in design modifications in the field, resolving tricky details, assisting in price negotiations or any other of the multitude of issues that arise, we can be there to help.
