Before you invest thousands in architectural plans for that dream addition, covered patio, or backyard ADU, there's a critical pair of restrictions you need to understand: lot coverage requirements and impervious surface limitations. These two rules work together to limit not just how much you can build, but also how much of your property can be paved or covered—and most homeowners don't discover them until it's devastatingly late in the design process.

In Episode 36 of The Awakened Homeowner podcast, Bill Reid continues the Understanding Design Limitations series by exposing how lot coverage and impervious coverage can shrink your buildable area by 40-60%. Using real-world examples, including a homeowner who discovered their 6,000 square foot lot could only accommodate 2,400 square feet of buildings and paved surfaces, Bill reveals exactly what counts toward each restriction and why existing structures like sheds and old patios might be blocking your future plans.

This episode goes beyond just explaining the restrictions—Bill provides the environmental context for why these rules exist (stormwater management, groundwater recharge, watershed protection), strategic solutions like permeable pavers that can recover 50% of your impervious coverage credits, and a complete action plan for researching your property's specific limits before you waste money on design plans that won't pass city review.

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ The exact definition of lot coverage and how it's calculated as percentage of your total lot

✅ What structures count toward lot coverage (houses, garages, sheds, covered patios—more than you think)

✅ The critical "overhang gotcha" that cost one homeowner $15,000 in redesign

✅ How impervious coverage differs from lot coverage (spoiler: it's more restrictive)

✅ Why driveways, walkways, and uncovered patios count toward impervious limits

✅ Real calculation showing 6,000 sq ft lot → 2,400 sq ft actual buildable (60% reduction)

✅ The compounding effect when lot coverage and impervious coverage work together

✅ Environmental reasons cities enforce these limits (not just bureaucracy)

✅ Permeable paver solutions that can recover 50% of impervious coverage credits

✅ How to inventory existing structures before planning additions

✅ Strategic design approaches: multi-story vs. sprawling footprints

✅ Common mistakes that trigger expensive redesign late in the process

✅ Complete action plan for contacting your planning department

✅ Why you should research these limits BEFORE buying property

✅ The questions to ask that reveal your actual building potential

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: The Restrictions Lurking in Your Backyard

01:55 - What Is Lot Coverage? Definition and Core Concepts

04:30 - Calculating Lot Coverage: Percentage of Total Lot

08:30 - What Counts Toward Lot Coverage Requirements

11:15 - Primary Residence Footprint Calculations

14:20 - The Overhang Gotcha: Covered Patios and Eaves

18:45 - Impervious Coverage Explained: Beyond Buildings

22:00 - What Counts as Impervious Surface

25:10 - Real-World Example: The Compounding Effect

28:30 - When Both Limits Apply Simultaneously

31:40 - Why These Rules Exist: Environmental Context

34:20 - Stormwater Management and Groundwater Recharge

37:15 - Permeable Solutions: Design Strategies That Work

40:30 - Pervious Concrete, Permeable Pavers, Gravel Systems

44:00 - Action Plan: Researching Your Property Limits

48:30 - Common Mistakes Homeowners Make

51:20 - Strategic Design Approaches to Maximize Potential

54:00 - Key Takeaways and Series Preview

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

📖 The Awakened Homeowner Book

• Amazon:

You can check out the companion video here REAL PROPERTY EASEMENT EXAMPLES: How a 2-Acre Lot Lost Half Its Buildable Area

https://youtu.be/WTJLeb2OGGM

When you purchase property for your dream home, what you see is definitely not what you get. Property easements home building restrictions are legally binding rights that allow others—utility companies, neighbors, government entities, conservation organizations—to use specific portions of your land for designated purposes. You own the property, you pay the taxes, but someone else has legal rights that restrict where and what you can build.

In Episode 35 of The Awakened Homeowner podcast, continuing the Understanding Design Limitations series, Bill Reid reveals how property easements can render entire sections of your lot completely unbuildable. These invisible legal agreements, often granted decades or even centuries ago, automatically transfer when you purchase property—whether you discover them beforehand or not.

The episode features a detailed real-world analysis: a 2-acre Northern California property where easements consumed 6.5% of the lot (5,655 square feet) before any setbacks were applied. Combined with setback requirements, only 68.5% of the original lot remained buildable. Additionally, because this jurisdiction subtracted easement areas from floor area ratio calculations, the allowed home size was reduced by an additional 1,414 square feet—nearly 7% smaller than if the full lot counted.

Bill also references a companion YouTube video showing an actual property survey walkthrough, making these invisible restrictions visible and understandable for visual learners. You can see the video here https://youtu.be/WTJLeb2OGGM

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ What property easements are and why they're fundamentally different from setbacks (contractual vs. regulatory)

✅ The 5 main easement types affecting residential construction:

1. Utility easements (most common—electric, gas, water, sewer, telecom)

2. Access easements (neighbor rights to cross your property)

3. Drainage easements (natural water flow corridors)

4. Conservation easements (environmental/agricultural protection)

5. Prescriptive easements (established through long-term use without permission)

✅ Building restrictions in easement areas: You absolutely cannot construct permanent structures including houses, garages, pools, sheds, retaining walls, or anything with foundations

✅ Floor area ratio impact: Some jurisdictions subtract easement areas from lot size for FAR calculations, dramatically reducing allowed home size

✅ Grading and drainage complications: Easements prevent grade changes and site modifications without permission

✅ Access and privacy concerns: Rights of way crossing your property affect daily living quality

✅ The 6-step due diligence process:

1. Review preliminary title reports (and read actual easement documents)

2. Order professional surveys showing exact easement locations

3. Walk properties observing current use patterns

4. Contact utility companies directly for easement information

5. Consult planning departments about FAR calculation methods

6. Hire architects/consultants to analyze buildable area before purchasing

✅ Real 2-acre property case study: Complete breakdown showing how easements and setbacks combined reduced buildable area to 68.5% of original lot, plus additional FAR reduction impacts

✅ Common homeowner mistakes: Trusting title insurance to cover everything, ignoring "small" easements, waiting until design phase to address restrictions

✅ Negotiation strategies: How discovering easements during due diligence enabled $50,000 price reduction

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Introduction: The Invisible Property...

When you stand on a piece of land you're considering buying, your perception is almost certainly wrong. Without knowing exactly where property lines fall, you might be admiring your future neighbor's lot while assuming it's yours. Property setback requirements for home building create invisible boundaries that can reduce your buildable area by 40-50%—and Bill Reid calls this episode "The Squeeze" for exactly that reason.

In Episode 34 of The Awakened Homeowner podcast, continuing our Understanding Design Limitations series, Bill reveals how setbacks and easements transform what looks like a spacious lot into a surprisingly tight building envelope. Using two real-world examples—a typical city lot and a complex custom home site in the Sierra Nevada mountains—Bill shows exactly how these invisible rules apply to actual properties.

The custom home site example is particularly eye-opening: a 44,000 square foot parcel (approximately one acre) that shrinks to just 26,000 square feet of buildable area after accounting for a road right-of-way easement, setback requirements, and slope restrictions. That's a 40%+ reduction before a single design decision was made.

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ What property setbacks are and why cities require these mandatory distances from property lines ✅ The critical difference between setbacks and easements—they're legally different beasts entirely ✅ Why different floors of your home often have different setback requirements ✅ The dangerous assumption that homes are parallel to property lines (they often aren't) ✅ The "invisible box" concept that deceives almost every land buyer ✅ Real site analysis showing how 44,000 sq ft becomes 26,000 sq ft buildable ✅ How slope restrictions add another layer of reduction to your buildable area ✅ Complete due diligence checklist for protecting yourself before purchasing property ✅ Why professional surveys ($3,000-5,000) save thousands in redesign costs ✅ How HOAs add restrictions beyond city zoning codes

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: What You See Is NOT What You Get 03:15 - Two Real-World Site Examples Preview 04:30 - Understanding the Building Envelope Concept 05:15 - What Are Property Setbacks? 07:00 - Why Cities Require Setbacks (Mass, Scale, Character, Fire Safety) 08:15 - Different Setbacks for Different Floors 10:00 - Understanding Easements: The Invisible Restrictions 15:00 - The Invisible Box: Why Property Lines Deceive You 20:00 - Real-World Example #1: Typical City Lot Analysis 25:00 - Real-World Example #2: Custom Home Site (Sierra Nevada) 38:30 - FAR Calculation Spreadsheet Walkthrough 40:00 - Key Takeaways 41:00 - Your Action Plan: Due Diligence Checklist 43:00 - What's Coming Next in the Series 44:00 - Closing & How to Connect

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

📖 The Awakened Homeowner Book

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1MDRPK7

• All Platforms: https://books2read.com/u/bpxj76

📄 The Tale of Two Homeowners (Free Story) See the dramatic difference between an informed homeowner and one who learns the hard way https://the-awakened-homeowner.kit.com/09608e1727

🎧 Related Episodes:

• Episode 33: Floor Area Ratio & Lot Coverage

• Previous episodes in the Understanding Design Limitations series

🔗 CONNECT:

🌐 Website: https://www.theawakenedhomeowner.com/ 📧 Email: wwreid@theawakenedhomeowner.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theawakenedhomeowner/ 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theawakenedhomeowner/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakenedHomeowner

🔗 LEARN ABOUT THE BUILDQUEST APP: 🌐 Coming Soon: https://www.buildquest.co/

👤 ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Bill Reid is Your Home Building Coach with 35+ years of experience in residential construction. He created The Awakened Homeowner methodology to enlighten, empower, and protect homeowners through their building and remodeling...

Floor area ratio (FAR) is the master rule that determines exactly how big your home can actually be—and most homeowners don't discover it until they're facing expensive redesigns or permit denials. This episode exposes the hidden complexities of FAR calculations and provides a proven action plan to avoid the costly surprises that plague unprepared homeowners.

Bill Reid shares the real story of a Bay Area couple who calculated they had room for a 3,200-square-foot home, only to discover during permit review their actual FAR was 63%—massively over the 45% maximum allowed. The damage: $8,000 in redesign fees, three months of delays, and eliminated beloved features. All completely preventable with proper due diligence before purchasing property.

The seemingly simple floor area ratio formula (Building Area ÷ Lot Area = FAR %) becomes surprisingly complex in practice. Different cities have wildly different definitions of what counts as "floor area." Garages might count fully, partially, or not at all. Covered porches can be 0%, 50%, or 100%. High ceilings can count as multiple stories. Finished attics typically count if they have windows.

But complications don't stop with building area. Your lot size shrinks too when accounting for easements, steep slopes, required setbacks, and protected areas. That 6,000-square-foot lot might only be 4,950 square feet for FAR purposes.

Bill reveals how a comfortable 38% FAR calculation with a 7% buffer can instantly become 48% (over the maximum) when you factor in all the elements cities actually count. The compounding effect of both building area surprises and lot size adjustments means homeowners who think they have plenty of room often discover they're significantly over their allowed FAR.

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ What floor area ratio actually is and the simple formula that becomes deceptively complex

✅ Why cities use FAR to control building mass, preserve neighborhood character, and manage infrastructure

✅ The six surprise factors that inflate your building area: garages, covered porches, high ceilings, finished attics, basements, and stairways

✅ How different cities count the same elements completely differently for FAR purposes

✅ Why your lot size shrinks when accounting for easements, setbacks, steep slopes, and protected areas

✅ Real-world calculation showing how 38% FAR becomes 59% without adding a single room

✅ The Bay Area couple's $8,000 FAR disaster and exactly what they should have done differently

✅ Your complete 4-step action plan: research before buying, get professional survey, obtain rules in writing, design with FAR from day one

✅ Specific questions to ask your planning department to get FAR rules documented

✅ How to coordinate with architects, surveyors, and planning departments for FAR compliance

✅ When to address FAR in your project timeline (spoiler: BEFORE you buy property!)

✅ Common FAR variations between urban (50-100%), suburban (30-45%), and estate (20-30%) zones

✅ Strategic trade-offs to consider when designing within FAR limits

✅ Why building in a 2-3% safety buffer below maximum FAR is critical

✅ How FAR interacts with other zoning restrictions like setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: The Rule You Don't Know You Don't Know

03:00 - The Fundamental Question: Should You Build Whatever You Want on Your Property?

05:00 - What Is Floor Area Ratio? The Simple Formula Explained

08:30 - Why Cities Use FAR: Five Critical Reasons for These Restrictions

13:00 - The Calculation Complications That Catch Homeowners: What Actually Counts?

18:00 - Lot Size Complications: Why Your 6,000 SF Lot Is Actually Only 4,950 SF

22:00 - Real World Example: The $8,000 Bay Area FAR Disaster

25:00 - How to Navigate FAR Successfully: Your Complete 4-Step Action

Master your zoning code and municipal regulations to become the informed, empowered homeowner who builds with confidence and success. In this foundational episode launching the Understanding Design Limitations series, Bill Reid reveals how smart homeowners research zoning regulations and building codes BEFORE purchasing property or beginning design—positioning themselves for creative freedom within a clear regulatory framework.

Your property's zoning designation isn't a restriction to fear—it's a roadmap to understand. When you master zoning code requirements for custom home construction, you gain the knowledge advantage that transforms you from uncertain buyer into confident decision-maker who evaluates properties like a seasoned professional.

Through real examples of how informed homeowners use zoning knowledge to select perfect lots and maximize design potential, Bill demonstrates the power of preparation. You'll learn the systematic due diligence process that smart buyers follow, how to read and interpret municipal code sections that apply to your property, and how to work strategically with architects and planning departments to achieve your design vision within regulatory guidelines.

This is Part 1 of the comprehensive Understanding Design Limitations series, where you'll gain mastery over ALL constraints—regulatory, physical, and practical—that impact custom home construction. Armed with this knowledge, you'll make informed decisions, protect your investment, and build your dream home with confidence.

**🎯 Knowledge You'll Gain in This Episode:**

✅ How to master zoning code custom home requirements through systematic research before property purchase

✅ Understanding why your property's zoning designation creates a clear framework for design success

✅ The smart buyer's due diligence process for evaluating municipal code building restrictions

✅ How residential zoning regulations knowledge empowers confident lot selection decisions

✅ Strategic approaches to working with architects when you understand the regulatory framework

✅ Real examples of setback requirements and height restrictions as learnable aspects of building

✅ The research checklist that transforms you from uncertain shopper into informed evaluator

✅ How to read and interpret the specific municipal code sections relevant to your project

✅ Why understanding zoning creates competitive advantages in property selection and negotiation

✅ The Awakened Homeowner methodology: turning regulatory knowledge into building confidence

**📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:**

00:00 - Welcome to Understanding Design Limitations: Building Your Knowledge Advantage

02:45 - Why Smart Homeowners Master Zoning Regulations Before Buying

06:30 - Understanding Your Zoning Designation: Framework for Success (R-1, R-2, Estate Zones)

11:50 - Municipal Codes Demystified: Your Comprehensive Roadmap

17:20 - Success Story: How Zoning Knowledge Led to Perfect Lot Selection

22:40 - Setback Requirements Explained: Creating Your Buildable Envelope

28:15 - Building Height Restrictions: Understanding Vertical Parameters

33:45 - The Smart Buyer's Due Diligence Research Process

39:30 - Reading and Interpreting Your Municipal Code Sections

45:10 - Working Strategically with Architects and Planning Departments

50:25 - Series Preview: Future Design Limitations Topics

54:30 - Taking Control Through Knowledge: The Awakened Homeowner Approach

**📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:**

📖 **The Awakened Homeowner Book**

Transform your building journey through enlightenment, empowerment, and protection:

- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1MDRPK7

- All Platforms: https://books2read.com/u/bpxj76

📚 **The Tale of Two Homeowners (Free Story)**

See the dramatic difference between informed homeowners and those who learn...

Episode Title: Understanding Design Limitations EP31: Property Evaluation Before Buying Land

Episode Number: 31

Duration: Approximately 58 minutes

Release Date: 11/15/25

You've found it. The perfect property. The view takes your breath away. The location feels right. Your heart is racing, and you're ready to make an offer.

But before you sign anything, before you let emotion drive a $500,000 decision, there's one critical step you absolutely cannot skip: professional property evaluation before buying land.

Welcome to Episode 31 and the launch of our comprehensive 11-part series: Understanding Design Limitations. Over the next several weeks, we're going to systematically break down every major restriction that affects your home building or remodeling project—one topic per episode, so you're not overwhelmed.

Today we're starting with the most critical piece: property evaluation before buying land, because this is where the biggest, costliest, most preventable mistakes happen.

Here's the hard truth that nobody tells you upfront: just because you own a piece of land doesn't mean you can build whatever you want on it. Even on rural properties. Even on large parcels. Even when you're paying cash. Design limitations, zoning restrictions, and hidden site development costs can make or break your project.

After 35 years in residential construction and watching thousands of homeowners navigate the building process, I can tell you this with absolute certainty: the homeowners who understand these limitations from day one are the ones with successful projects. The ones who don't are calling me with horror stories.

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ Why property evaluation before buying land is the difference between dream home success and $50,000+ in redesigns and delays

✅ The 7 critical factors that determine whether land is actually buildable for your vision (not just whether you can legally own it)

✅ 10 essential questions to ask BEFORE making any purchase offer—these uncover deal-breakers while you can still walk away

✅ Hidden site development costs that blindside homeowners: utility connections ($15,000-$75,000), access roads ($10,000-$100,000+), grading and retaining walls ($20,000-$150,000+)

✅ Why a $2,500 professional evaluation saves $50,000+ in costly mistakes (and provides massive ROI that makes it insurance, not an expense)

✅ Real example: How a "bargain" $150K property became $235K before construction even started due to $85K utility connection costs discovered too late

✅ The McMillans vs. Ben and Jane: Two similar properties, two identical dreams, completely different outcomes based solely on property evaluation

✅ How to make your purchase offer contingent on professional building feasibility assessment (14-30 day contingency that protects you)

✅ Which professionals to involve BEFORE you buy: architects, contractors, civil engineers, soils engineers, environmental consultants

✅ The budget formula that prevents financial disaster: land + site work should equal maximum 20-30% of total budget

✅ Understanding what design limitations actually are and why they exist (they're not arbitrary—they protect you too)

✅ Common mistakes that destroy projects: trusting seller information, assuming rural means unrestricted, making emotional decisions, skipping professional evaluation to "save money"

✅ The complete roadmap for the Understanding Design Limitations series: 11 episodes covering property evaluation, city/county regulations, setbacks, zoning, FAR, height restrictions, environmental limits, design review boards, HOA covenants, natural limitations, and series wrap-up

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: Welcome to Understanding Design Limitations Series 02:26 - What Are Design Limitations and Why This Series Matters? 08:15 - Series Roadmap: Your Complete Guide to the Next 11

Two couples bought neighboring lots same day. One finished in 12 months on budget. Other still incomplete 18+ months later, $150K+ over. Complete story of how planning mistakes destroyed dreams while proper methodology created success.

What separates a dream home success story from a $150,000+ construction nightmare? Two couples discovered their answer on the same beautiful summer evening.

After 29 episodes of using Ben and Jane versus the McMillans as teaching examples, I'm finally telling you the complete Tale of Two Homeowners—the full narrative of how home renovation planning mistakes compound into disasters, and how proper methodology creates smooth, successful building experiences.

Same Day, Different Destinies

Picture two couples independently touring the same mountain development on a perfect summer evening. Ben and Jane fell in love with lot 47 at first sight—sweeping views, mature trees, gentle southern slope. Within an hour, they'd put down a deposit, driven by emotion and excitement.

The McMillans discovered lot 46 (right next door) that same evening. But they weren't alone. They'd brought their architect and construction consultant. While Ben and Jane were rushing to secure their lot, the McMillans' team was walking the property with measuring tools, driving survey stakes, evaluating solar orientation, checking drainage patterns, and documenting everything.

Ben actually noticed these "other people" doing their homework. He didn't realize he was witnessing the exact due diligence that would save the McMillans $150,000+ and countless headaches—or that his rushed approach would cost him everything.

What You'll Discover:

✅ The Pre-Purchase Evaluation: How the McMillans' team identified rock outcroppings, drainage issues, and utility challenges before buying—while Ben and Jane's emotional purchase missed everything

✅ Discovery Phase Reality: Why Ben and Jane's attempt to skip discovery work and rush into design led to compounding mistakes and massive cost overruns

✅ Professional Selection Impact: How hiring the "cheapest" designer cost Ben and Jane $150K+ in change orders, versus how the McMillans' investment in qualified professionals paid exponential returns

✅ The $89,000 Utility Surprise: What happens when you don't verify utility connection costs before buying (spoiler: Ben and Jane found out the hard way)

✅ The $35,000 Rock-Blasting Shock: How skipping geotechnical soil testing led to foundation nightmares that proper planning would have prevented

✅ Budget Checkpoint Strategies: The exact moments when the McMillans paused to validate costs—catching problems before construction—while Ben and Jane discovered surprises constantly

✅ Design Process Differences: How complete specifications eliminate change orders versus how vague plans create constant unexpected costs

✅ Construction Phase Reality: Day-by-day comparison of smooth progress versus crisis management

Real Example: Two Timelines Compared

Month 6 - The McMillans: Completed schematic design, validated budget with contractors, moving into design development with clear cost understanding

Month 6 - Ben and Jane: Finally found a contractor willing to take their inadequate plans, about to discover first major surprise (solid rock foundation)

Month 12 - The McMillans: Moved into completed dream home, hosting housewarming party, exactly as planned

Month 12 - Ben and Jane: Ran out of money, project sitting incomplete, windows delayed, architect gone, marriage strained

Month 18 - The McMillans: Enjoying their home, already recovered emotionally and financially from the investment

Month 18 - Ben and Jane: Still dealing with incomplete construction, trudging through mud, trying to figure out how to finish

The Law of Attraction in Construction:

The McMillans invested time in planning → They finished 6 months...

Understanding architect fee structures for home building is the difference between a dream project and a financial nightmare. The design agreement you sign with your architect might be the most important financial decision you make in your entire construction or remodeling project—yet most homeowners don't even know there are different types of architect fee structures.

You've probably heard horror stories about design fees spiraling out of control. Or maybe you've seen social media posts where someone brags about getting their plans for dirt cheap. Here's the truth: Both scenarios usually result from choosing the wrong type of design agreement.

In this essential episode, I reveal the three main ways architects charge for home building services: hourly rates, fixed fees, and percentage of construction cost. You'll discover which payment method protects your budget based on your project type, experience level, and priorities.

Beyond understanding the three fee structures, you'll learn the critical questions that separate fair deals from financial disasters, the real cost of "cheap" design (hint: it's way more expensive in the long run), and the red flags in architect agreements that signal potential problems.

🎯 In This Episode You'll Discover:

✅ The three architect fee structures explained: hourly, fixed fee, and percentage of construction cost (7-12%) ✅ Why most homeowners have no idea these different agreement types exist ✅ How hourly billing works and who benefits most (experienced homeowners who are decisive and efficient) ✅ Fixed fee payment milestones tied to schematic design, design development, and construction documents ✅ The truth about percentage of construction cost fees—and why the "inflation myth" is wrong ✅ Which fee structure matches YOUR specific project type and experience level ✅ The decision framework to choose the right architect agreement for your situation ✅ Nine critical questions to ask before signing any design contract ✅ Red flags that indicate potential problems in architect agreements ✅ Why "cheap" design plans cost you thousands more during construction ✅ Real examples of what happens when homeowners choose wrong ✅ How quality design fees protect you from budget disasters and construction problems ✅ The complete guide to protecting your investment through smart design agreements

📍 KEY TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction: How do architects actually charge for their work? 03:15 - The elephant in the room: Horror stories vs bargain design 06:30 - The three types of design agreements homeowners should know 09:45 - Method #1: Hourly Rate Fee Structure Explained 13:20 - Who should choose hourly billing and transparency benefits 16:40 - Method #2: Fixed Fee Agreements & Payment Milestones 20:15 - Budget certainty and when fixed fees work best 23:30 - Method #3: Percentage of Construction Cost (7-12% Explained) 27:45 - Busting the myth: Do architects inflate budgets to increase fees? 31:20 - Who should choose percentage agreements (large, complex projects) 34:50 - The Decision Framework: Matching fee structures to your situation 38:15 - Nine Critical Questions to Ask Before Signing 42:30 - Red Flags in Architect Agreements 45:20 - The Real Cost of "Cheap" Design (It's Not What You Think) 48:40 - Conclusion & Next Steps: Making informed decisions

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

📖 The Awakened Homeowner Book Section 2.200 includes detailed design agreement examples, sample contract tables, consultant coordination breakdowns, and fee structure comparisons

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1MDRPK7

• All Platforms: https://books2read.com/u/bpxj76

📚 The Tale of Two Homeowners (Free Story) See the dramatic difference between an informed homeowner and one who learns the hard way https://the-awakened-homeowner.kit.com/09608e1727

🎧 Related Episodes:

• Episode 22-25: The Complete Design Process (Schematic Design, Design...