Services

The practice offers services for a range of residential commissions, from ground-up houses to the careful transformation of existing homes. The current work is centered on projects of limited scale for select clients, approached with the same attention to proportion, detail, and craft as a full residence. Typical projects include:

New custom houses
Additions that expand and harmonize with existing structures
Kitchen and bath renovations
Master suites and other private rooms
Interior reconfigurations that enhance daily living

Whether modest in scale or comprehensive in scope, each commission is undertaken with the intention of creating architecture that is enduring, harmonious, and suited to the lives of those who inhabit it.

From First Conversation to Finished Home

A house of lasting quality does not come into being all at once. It is the result of a disciplined process, carried out in phases, where each decision builds on the last. At Richard Nichols Architect, I guide clients through all phases of architectural services. This framework ensures clarity, protects quality, and provides confidence that the house we design together will be realized as intended.

Two Service Options

Clients may choose between two levels of service, depending on their needs and the stage of their project.

The "Foundational Principles" package is offered as a fixed-fee, standalone service, with no obligation to continue with with full architectural services. It provides clarity at the outset through guided conversations, a feasibility study, and an initial design study, culminating in a concise principles document. This option is well suited for clients who want to test possibilities, define direction, or gain confidence before moving further.

Full Architectural Services encompass the complete five established phases of architectural design and construction. This path begins with Foundational Principles and continues through the five phases detailed below. It provides comprehensive guidance from the first sketch to the finished house.

The Foundational Principles Package

Every commission begins with listening. In this phase, we hold structured conversations together to understand not only what you want in a house, but how you live, how you gather, and how you imagine your future in it. These conversations are supplemented by a questionnaire and the review of images and references that help clarify preferences and direction.

From these discussions, I prepare a longer written document describing the house and property in depth — its sense, function, purpose, approximate size, hierarchy of spaces, and the importance of each element. From this, we distill a single page of Foundational Principles: one sentence that defines the project, expanded into a short paragraph that sets its direction. This distilled page becomes a touchstone throughout the process, ensuring that every design decision and later adjustment remains aligned with your vision.

In addition to the Foundational Principles document, I carry out a feasibility study. This consists of a zoning and code analysis, coordination and review of surveys and soil samples as needed, and a rough initial budget for the complete project.

The Full Architectural Services Package

Full Architectural Services encompass the complete five established phases of design and construction. This path follows from the Foundational Principles Package and continues through schematic design, development, documentation, bidding, and construction administration. It provides comprehensive guidance from the first sketch to the finished house.

1. Schematic Design

This phase establishes the broad form of the project. Guided by the Foundational Principles, I develop conceptual sketches that explore spatial organization, massing, and the relationship of the house to its site. The objective is to establish the essential character of the project with clarity before refining details.

2. Design Development

With the concept established, the design advances in resolution. Floor plans are refined, elevations are developed, and the architectural character becomes clear. At this stage, materials and details are considered in greater depth. The design becomes tangible enough to imagine daily life within the house, while still flexible enough to adapt as needed.

3. Construction Documentation

The developed design is then translated into precise technical drawings and written specifications. These documents communicate every essential aspect of the design — proportions, assemblies, finishes, and details — so that builders and craftspeople may carry out the work faithfully. The quality of these documents is the foundation for the quality of the built house.

4. Bidding and Procurement

With construction documents complete, I assist you in obtaining proposals from qualified contractors. I review bids for completeness and accuracy, provide recommendations, and guide you toward a fair and clear contract. This phase ensures that expectations are fully established and formalized before construction begins.

5. Construction Administration

This is the phase where design becomes reality, and where the architect’s role is indispensable. I remain engaged throughout construction, visiting the site, reviewing progress, and confirming that the work reflects both the design intent and the contract agreed upon with the builder. When questions arise — and they inevitably do — I provide clear guidance so that solutions align with the Foundational Principles established at the outset.

Without the architect’s oversight, even small deviations can compromise the integrity of the design. My role is to ensure that the home built for you is the home we designed together, that it is executed as contracted, and that any necessary adjustments continue to serve your vision. In this way, the design and the agreement are both protected, and the result is a house that fulfills the standard set from the very beginning.

A Considered Path to a Lasting Home

This process is not simply administrative. It is the framework by which ideas are discovered, refined, and built into enduring form. By moving carefully through each phase, you gain not only a well-designed house, but confidence that it will be faithfully executed. The result is a home shaped by life, grounded in tradition, and crafted to endure.

use for headshotx0H4A2208 copy_edited.jpg

Richard Nichols, AIA, NCARB, is a residential architect with more than a decade of experience delivering high-end projects across the Northeast. His work includes new estate residences, historic renovations, and award-winning commissions recognized with the Stanford White Award, Palladio Award, and AIA Connecticut awards. Prior to founding his own practice, Nichols served as Project Architect at firms known for excellence in traditional design, managing complex, multimillion-dollar projects from concept through construction. He is trained in both traditional and contemporary architecture, with a focus on proportion, craft, and livability. Nichols applies the same rigor to every commission, regardless of scale.