Welcome to

Carl A. Karasti

Architectural Drafting and Design

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I am self-trained for the design and drafting work I am currently doing. Because of my construction background, I have an intimate working knowledge and understanding of how buildings go together and why they work or don't work. In addition, because I have paid close attention to how people live in their homes, I have developed a good sense of what is functional and what is not. Finally, I can also provide guidance regarding the aesthetics of your new home or cabin.

"What is most important to me is that you end up with
 the home you want and will be happy with."

My role usually begins with helping you decide what you want your new home to be like to serve your needs and fulfill your dreams as much as practically possible.  Initial concept drawings will then help further the process and perhaps suffice for a ballpark estimate from a contractor to see if your dreams and needs actually fit your budget.  Sometimes I also help clients decide where to situate their home and how to orient it on their site.  I always insist that my clients first have a building site before we start designing a home for them.  This is because there are so many environmental factors which are important to consider, such as light, heat, wind, views, the lay of the land, and direction of approach.

Once the design has been pretty much decided on, I can begin producing the more detailed drawings necessary to help you better visualize what your building will look like, and also help your contractors understand what you want and how to build your new home.

I generally won't make decisions for you or pressure you into certain choices.  Instead, I will try to help you understand your options and the ramifications of the various choices you might make.  If you ask me "What would you do in this situation?" I probably won't tell you .... for a couple of reasons.  First of all, it's unlikely I would find myself in your exact situation, so any reply about what I would do would be hypothetical.  Secondly, on one level, it doesn't matter to me which choices you make because I'm not going to live in the building -- you are.  I'll do my best to keep you from making bad choices by helping you understand the consequences of your choices.  We will be working on your custom home, so you will need to make the final decisions.  We will be working together, though, so I will help you through the process any way I can.  Other knowledgeable people such as excavators, masons, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and heating and ventilating contractors will also be involved in this process as needed.



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