The first thing an architect needs to be able to start designing is a base plan to work off.
Design is obviously the fun part. Field measuring is not, but we try to be efficient with our process and use it as a time to meet Clients and get an affirmation of what they want to do with their space.
Step One - Field Sketch of the Existing Layout
If you don't have existing plans, even basic realtor ones, our first step is to orient ourselves and quickly sketch the existing layout. This does NOT need to be pretty or accurate, just informative and, eventually, detailed with notes.
Using scratch paper-loaded clipboard, we sketch the base we need to work off. We note some basics such as the wall make up. In Northern California, that is usually 2x4 exterior and interior walls. Newer houses have 2x6 walls and always watch out for CMU block walls.
Step Two - Room by Room Measurements
We usually start from the top of a house to the bottom or from the furthest point from the front door, and work our way back from inside to out.
We use a laser measure to take the room dimensions and note them in one color. Then measure the length, height, and sill-height of all the windows and doors, plus their distance to the nearest wall - and note them in another color (blue for us). We then take the floor to ceiling height and any additional detail, such as overhead beams or level changes.
Step Three - Stairs and Stoops
If it's a two-story home, we use the stairs to ascertain the floor thickness. This, combined with the floor to ceiling heights will get you the height of the home. We go into the attic if possible and check the joist dimensions and height to ridge beam. We also try to peak into the crawl space under the house - if it has one.
Taking photos of an extended tape measure can be a quick way to capture dimensions of certain components such as stair treads and risers, posts and beams, and exterior elements. If there is an exterior building material applied horizontally, take a photo of the extended tape measure beside it and a photo further back so that you can simply count the material members to capture approximate heights.
By approximating as many things as we can, we start to build a complete picture that stitches together.
Step Four - Outside and Cross Referencing
While architect do not do Land Surveys, we can still get a lot of useful information outside which we can cross reference with County's Assessor's Maps. We always check the dimension from the house to the property fences - which are usually can accurate enough indication the actual boundary.
For the interior, we use Cubicasa 3D scanning to get as cross reference. This is only a back up though, as the technology is just not as accurate as we need it to be just yet. We also try to overcompensate with photos.
The more information you gather, the more likely our base model will be accurate and that the questions we ask during the design phases - are educated ones.
Step Five - Investigations with the City
We check to make sure what you want to do is allowed by the City or County's zoning code, and we determine the constraints by which our eventual design will need to be bound.
Deliverable - As-builts and Constraints
We produce a set of as-built drawings upon which are layered any physical constraints of the site along with any bureaucratic constraints imposed by the local jurisdiction.
Then the fun can start - Design!
Our Toolkit
Here is our toolkit for the field measure:
tape measure; old school but ever dependable - the one linked functions particularly well for surveys as the blade self-locks as you extend
laser measure; we recommend a rechargeable one with internal battery as they seem to hold their charge dramatically longer
multi-color pen for field notes; this makes your otherwise messy field notes more discernable and a chunky pen with a clip is just easier to hold as you move around
thick black marker for rough sketching
clipboard; don't rely on there being furniture
scratch paper or notebook
smartphone for the camera and for useful 3D scanning apps
comfortable shoes - this is still a tiring exercise
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