Clients usually come to us with a mix of questions, inspiration, and a dream to create something special. Our job is to illustrate how these ideas can become reality.

Most of the architect’s work happens in the design and development stages, adding layers of detail and materiality until the project can be built by an experienced contractor.

Once construction starts, we ensure the project is built to the agreed-upon standards and facilitate efficient communication between builder and owner. Our process has been honed over our nearly two decades of experience. You can download our helpful Tyreus Introductory Package which includes a description of the Tyreus Design Process and the stages of a project from your first call to a completed home.

Every custom project is unique, but we generally suggest six months to one year for the Design, Documentation, and Permit Stages and about 12 to 16 months for construction.

It is very uncommon for our clients to know how much they want (or need) to spend to achieve their vision at the start , so we begin every project with a stage called Concept Design. This work is a fixed fee, based on project size and complexity, that is credited back to you if we continue.

The Concept Design phase covers how the project might take shape, gets you excited about it, and helps us determine the project’s scope and budget. We find this is a great way to get to know one another, and there is no obligation to proceed beyond this stage. If you do choose to continue, we agree with you on a project budget that we can then base our fees on.

For full architectural design and documentation services, we charge a percentage fee based on the cost of the project, estimated during Concept Design. Through our years in practice, we’ve found that this project cost is the clearest reflection of the work, time, and number of drawings required to deliver the high quality of work we are known for. 

The cost is not influenced by interior finishes that may be selected later on (e.g. if you choose an expensive lighting fixture during the interior design phase, the design fee does not increase).

We invoice monthly based on the progress of the stage underway.

Once construction begins, we follow the progress to support you and the construction team, billed hourly as needed.

Obtaining permit approvals can be a daunting process in many areas of California. We’ve built long-standing relationships with many of the planning departments and work collaboratively with them from the beginning of your project. Here are some of the Building Departments we work with regularly:

San Francisco, Marin County, Napa County, Sonoma County, San Mateo, St. Helena, Mill Valley, Tiburon/Belvedere, Santa Cruz, Orinda, Larkspur, San Anselmo, Kentfield, Ross, and many others.

Sustainability is integral to all of our projects. We discuss ways to reduce energy consumption, material selection, and how to address local climate challenges from the very beginning with our clients. Our office is particularly interested in wildfire resiliency and passive cooling strategies.

We have worked with and are happy to recommend a number of quality architectural builders who share our values of transparency, excellence, teamwork, respect, and a positive can-do approach. Like us, there is nothing they want more than a happy client.

Unlike large firms, our principal is involved in the design and details of each project. Christie works collaboratively with you to determine the concept and realization of the project through construction. You’ll also have a project manager contact for any questions you have on timelines, meeting notes, budget, etc. throughout the process.