A Spotlight on Residential Architecture
In our last blog we shared the exciting news of an incredible new build we are working on and what commercial architecture is. In this blog, we will be focusing on what makes Residential Architecture different and what defines it.
In our last blog, we were so excited to share with you one of our current projects and to hone in on what Commercial Architecture is and what defines it. This week, we are going to continue in this vein but discuss what Residential Architecture is and how it is defined. When it comes down to the dictionary, residential property is occupied by its owner. This is a client who purchased the land and had the home built, or who bought the dwelling itself. This is a single-family home, a duplex, or an apartment building. A commercial building is, as we talked about last week, a property that was built specifically to generate a profit either by capital gain or rental income. Residential architecture does share some comparison to its commercial comrade. The procurement procedure is very similar, insurance, regulations, and solving any kind of dispute that might arise during these processes or once construction has started are all very similar to Commercial Architecture. But once a residential build is past this point, it becomes a different animal.
Who Lives There
Residential buildings have much smaller floor plans that accommodate everyday living needs. Commercial buildings vary in size and can be huge. They usually need much sturdier framing and a lot of the time will have a much more complicated design. The commercial building is being built for many people and many businesses to be housed under one roof. Residential buildings are built for just one family.
To Build a Home
Residential construction relies very heavily on cost-effective materials sustainable for its smaller floor plans and smaller size. A lot of the time, more inexpensive but very sturdy timber are what make up the frames of residential buildings. On the other hand, commercial buildings being much larger and taller, and needing to accommodating more people, need steel framing for a sturdier structure. Steel is way more expensive than it's timber counterpart. Homeowners usually can't afford to have steel framing for their homes.
Signing The Dotted Line
One large difference between Commercial and Residential architecture is who buys them. Residential builders usually work with one client with their specific demands regarding their personal choices for their families, or what a developer wants a neighborhood to look like. Commercial construction works and deals with many more people through its construction. It involves a team of shareholders within an organization that has laid out their goals and has a specific budget laid out and is working a much higher rate.
How Much?
Commercial construction buildings are much bigger projects that run on a very tight and strict schedule. When it comes to residential projects, this is not always the case. Building a home can be stretched out for months even if they aren't as large or as demanding as their commercial counterparts.
We hope you've learned a little more about Commercial and Residential Architecture. We do offer both to our clients in and around the Lowcountry and love to help dreams come true for anyone who walks through our doors. Stay tuned for our next blog as we venture into an exciting topic, dealing with buildings that are a little older than what you would usually think we would deal with!