My previous blog post Working with an Architect touched upon the various steps and processes that define the services of an Architect.  After working with a Client in Cambridge MA to determine the viability of a project on a unique lot with many zoning restrictions, I thought it beneficial to discuss yet another aspect of service that benefits dimensionally challenged sites in towns with restrictive zoning – a Feasibility Study.

Most often an Architect will get hired to perform a feasibility study in towns that are known to have multiple lots/properties which don’t conform to typical zoning laws.  The benefit of a feasibility study is determining the viability of a client’s anticipated project prior to engaging in full-blown design services.  The study will establish if the project is possible or what the potential problem(s) may be.  

A Feasibility Study investigates in detail the requirements for the Client’s project as well as the constraints, resulting in a written and graphic documentation of the Client’s project’s potential. This service is performed in combination with Phase One: Existing Condition Documentation and Code/By-Law Research yet results in a more robust gathering of information related to challenging sites.   

The process begins with an initial meeting to discuss the requirements of the project and to establish the overall scope and preliminary budget. A thorough investigation of the existing house, in conjunction with a zoning code review and a site analysis is performed. It is important to have an accurate and up-to-date Plot Plan generated by a licensed surveyor prior to beginning the study. Meetings with town inspectional personnel such as the Building Inspector, Zoning Specialist, and Conservation Administrator are imperative to the accurate completion of the study.  The end result from this phase is the establishment of the overall parameters that will affect the design and determine any/all viable options developed to support zoning code compliance.

Performing a feasibility study is the ideal way to thoroughly evaluate a site in towns that are known to have strict building constraints, non-conforming lots, and dense by-law requirements.  It is important to engage the services of a Registered Architect to assess the viability of an anticipated project.