See what a late answer costs the schedule.

How the simulator works

1. 01.

   Run the project

   Start the clock. Real decisions from the Atlas come due on dates worked back from their lead time. Leave one unanswered and it starts costing days.

2. 02.

   Or ask what if

   Try an indecisive client, slow payments or a long-lead surprise, or set how late each decision comes in.

3. 03.

   Float absorbs a little

   Every milestone has a few days of float. Past it, the milestone slips, and so does every one after it.

4. 04.

   See what it costs

   Waiting decisions show what they block. Missed locks name the rework. Add a weekly carrying cost to price the delay.

See what moves

1. Survey, geotechnical, zoning, EGLE screen (if late: Footprint redesign; loss of months)
2. Design and permit set (if late: Re-permit and re-engineering)
3. Long-lead order (if late: Framing delays or reframing)
4. Excavation and footings (if late: Concrete cutting or lost ceiling height)
5. Slab and foundation walls (if late: Sawcutting slab; trench drains relocated; floor build-up mismatches)
6. Floor and wall framing (if late: Structural rework; visible soffits)
7. Blocking (if late: Opening finished walls)
8. HVAC rough (if late: Visible relocations; hood mismatches and code issues)
9. Plumbing rough (if late: Open tile or wall; new valve body)
10. Electrical and low-voltage rough (if late: Patching drywall; visible relocations)
11. Insulation and drywall (if late: Reopening walls)
12. Cabinet shop drawings (if late: Remake; rework of panels and cutouts)
13. Interior doors and trim (if late: Reorder or field modification)
14. Tile and stone (if late: Demolition of tile; waterproofing warranty voided)
15. Cabinets and countertops (if late: Refabrication; lost stone lots)
16. Paint and flooring protection (if late: Respray; floor damage)
17. Trim-out and fixtures (if late: Return trips)
18. Final inspections and certificate of occupancy (if late: Occupancy delay; loan conversion delay)
19. FF&E and art install, punch, closeout (if late: Damage and double handling)

• Lot and site: Zoning and overlays: Which zoning path does the design follow?. Design built around a height or coverage assumption the township measures differently. [VERIFY LOCALLY: Zoning height, coverage and waterfront overlays are set by each township or city.]
• Setbacks, dunes and erosion: HREA status: Is any part of the parcel in a designated High Risk Erosion Area?. An HREA permit applies to construction anywhere on a designated parcel, so a landward site does not avoid it. [VERIFY LOCALLY: Confirm whether EGLE or a local ordinance administers Part 323 for this parcel.]
• Setbacks, dunes and erosion: Critical dune determination: Is the parcel in a mapped Critical Dune Area, and is the map current?. Assuming an older map is current; a parcel can gain or lose regulated status. [VERIFY LOCALLY: Confirm mapping and which agency administers Part 353.]
• Lot and site: Existing vegetation: Which trees and dune vegetation are preserved?. Removing stabilizing vegetation can violate permit terms and destabilize the slope; mature trees cannot be replaced. [VERIFY LOCALLY: Vegetation removal limits in critical dune areas are permit-specific.]
• Insulation and air barrier: Energy performance target: What overall energy target is set?. Target set after glazing and walls are drawn is expensive to meet. [VERIFY LOCALLY: Michigan residential energy code status is in litigation; confirm the edition used for permit review.]
• Energy code: Above-code program: Decide whether to pursue a voluntary certification. Program checklists add ventilation and ducting prescriptions that affect ceilings; confirm before design development.
• Lot and site: Solar and lake orientation: How are primary rooms oriented when lake view and solar access conflict?. West-facing glass walls overheat at sunset and receive the worst wind-driven weather; retrofitting shading is costly and visually compromising.
• Ceilings: Heights: Ceiling height by room and storey. Height drives stud, drywall, door and trim sizes everywhere.
• HVAC: Primary system type: Choose the whole-house heating and cooling architecture. This choice sets shaft sizes, mechanical room area and exterior equipment locations, so changing it after schematic design ripples through floor plans.
• Roof form and pitch: Roof pitch: What pitch do principal roofs take?. NRCA recommends a longer ice-dam membrane extension below 4:12; some materials cannot be used at low slopes.
• Appliances: Fuel strategy: What fuel serves cooking?. Local gas-appliance restrictions and propane tank siting can force a late redesign.
• Closets: Primary closet size and layout: What size and how do people flow?. Measured wardrobe inventory is often skipped; hanging length falls short.
• Garage storage: Garage depth and bay count: Do bays fit the actual vehicles and storage?. Large trucks and storage systems overlap in a shallow bay.
• Wine cellar: Cellar scope and capacity: What capacity and whether display or storage?. Under-sized cellars are hard to expand after enclosure.
• Flashing and gutters: Gutter style: Which gutter system is used?. Gutters shorn off by sliding snow on steep metal roofs.
• Trim, soffit and fascia: Window and door casing: What exterior casing profile is used?. Casing depth must be planned with window position and any rainscreen.
• Trim and millwork: Crown: Crown location, size and profile. Crown on out-of-level ceilings needs scribing.
• Sound insulation: Media room: Room-within-room for media. Bass isolation is hard to achieve after framing.
• HVAC: Supply outlet type: Select the supply register family by room tier. Decorative grilles often have less free area, so the substitution must be checked against Manual D or rooms get noisy.
• HVAC: Floor register detail: Specify flush floor registers in hardwood and tile. Floor outlets conflict with radiant tubing layout and with hardwood plank direction.
• HVAC: Radiant floor scope: Decide where radiant floors go and whether they are primary or comfort heat. Radiant raises floor buildup, affecting door undercuts, thresholds and stair rises at finish transitions.
• Trim and millwork: Language: Overall trim language. Trim language must be consistent to read as intentional.
• Sound insulation: Targets: Interior sound targets by room pair. Sound targets not set early result in reactive fixes.
• HVAC: Radiant floor assembly: Match tubing method to finish floor. Nailed hardwood over tubing risks punctures; wide-plank flooring may need a glue-down system approved for radiant.
• Ceilings: Treatment: Ceiling form by room. Coffers on low ceilings compress the room.
• Floor plan: Wall thickness: Where to thicken walls for depth, pockets or niches. Thickened walls consume floor area and shift every dimension on the plan.
• Windows: Operation types: What operating types go where?. Casements catch high wind on exposed elevations and can strain hardware.
• Kitchen layout and work zones: Island footprint: What are the island's length, width and number of pieces?. An island longer than available slabs forces a seam in the most visible surface; oversized slabs may not fit the delivery path.
• Countertops: Counter material: Which material for each run?. Marble etches and quartzite labeled by yards may actually be marble; test before purchase.
• Roofing materials: Metal roof specification: If metal, what gauge, panel and finish?. Galvanic contact between dissimilar metals, such as copper or lead with zinc-aluminum coated steel, causes corrosion.
• Insulation and air barrier: Thermal bridging at glazing and balconies: How are structural thermal bridges managed?. Condensation and cold spots at steel or cantilevered joists through the envelope.
• Decks, porches and patios: Deck surface: What is the deck surface material?. Heat-absorbing or brittle surfaces underperform in sun and in shoveling.
• Ceilings: Coffers: Coffer grid, depth and material. Grid that misses windows or lights exposes the layout.
• Interior doors: Jamb: Jamb type. Thick plaster or double-board walls need custom jamb widths.
• Energy code: Governing code path: Confirm which residential and energy code editions apply on permit date. VERIFY LOCALLY: a Michigan Court of Claims order issued July 7, 2025 paused the 2021 residential and energy rule sets scheduled for August 29, 2025; current status was not confirmed for this catalog.
• HVAC: Duct design: Size and route duct by Manual D before framing is drawn. Undesigned duct gets forced into soffits at framing, lowering ceiling planes the interior elevations assumed.
• HVAC: Register location plan: Fix each register on the reflected ceiling plan or floor plan. Floor registers land under sofas and beds when set from a stock layout; compare against the furniture plan before rough-in.
• Lighting: Coordinated reflected ceiling plan: Consolidate every ceiling device on one drawing. Without a single RCP, downlights, speakers, grilles and smoke alarms collide and create a scattered ceiling; a coordination walk at framing catches the rest.
• Windows: Window installation depth: Where do windows sit in the wall depth?. Moves in window position change every sill, jamb and flashing detail.
• Door and cabinet hardware: Hinges: Hinge type, size and count. Undersized hinges on tall doors sag.
• Fireplaces: Firebox interior: Firebox interior finish. Light refractory stains over time.
• Windows: Screens: What screens are specified?. Motorized screens need head pockets and power planned in framing.
• Tile: Edge: Tile edge treatment. Many large-format tiles have no matching trim.
• Appliances: Gas supply sizing: Is gas line and meter sized for total load?. High-BTU cooking plus spa or generator can exceed the utility service.
• Backsplash: Range wall detail: How is the range wall composed?. Niches behind hot burners collect grease; the wall stack must accommodate the plumbing and duct.
• Toilets, bidets and bath systems: Bidet choice: Standalone or integrated bidet?. A washlet added after finishes means a visible cord; outlet rough-in costs little if planned.
• Closets: Valuables storage: Is there a safe or locked jewelry drawer?. Heavy safes need framing plans; the delivery path can defeat installation.
• Sinks, faucets and water: Pot filler: Is a pot filler included?. In-wall pot filler plumbing on a tile wall has no easy repair; a shutoff must be accessible.
• Garage storage: Car lift and overhead storage: Is a lift included?. Lifts require slab thickness that must be known before the pour.
• Toilets, bidets and bath systems: Toilet type: What toilet form?. Wall-hung carriers need 2x6 or deeper chases, and tank access must not be blocked by tile.
• Kitchen layout and work zones: Kitchen lighting layers: How is task, ambient and accent light layered?. Pendant centers set before the island is final end up misaligned; undercabinet drivers need accessible locations.
• Lighting: Decorative fixture junction boxes: Dimension each chandelier, pendant and sconce box from final decor. A pendant box set before dining table size or island layout is final sits visibly off-center.
• Wine cellar: Cellar door and glass: What door?. Single pane display glass fogs and overloads cooling.
• Siding, masonry and stone: Masonry sill and cap details: How are stone sills, caps and weeps detailed?. Flat caps hold water and freeze; staining under sills is permanent.
• Electrical: Device coordination on elevations: Coordinate wall boxes with casing, paneling and millwork. Boxes that fall in panel joints or behind casing are unfixable after finishes.
• Wine cellar: Vapor barrier and insulation: What envelope?. Wrong side barriers produce condensation in the wall.
• Wine cellar: Racking: What racking?. Loaded racks are very heavy and need slab or floor check.
• Backsplash: Backsplash height: Does it stop at uppers, run to the hood, or to ceiling?. Full-height stone at the range needs hood mounting coordination before template.
• Countertops: Cooktop cutouts: How is the cooktop mounted?. Thin stone rails at cooktop cutouts crack under heat cycling.
• Built-ins and cabinetry: Construction: Construction type. Inset work demands tight tolerance through humidity changes.
• Built-ins and cabinetry: Media: Media wall design. Enclosed AV overheats without active ventilation.
• Built-ins and cabinetry: Mudroom lockers: Mudroom locker design. Damp gear inside closed lockers grows mildew.
• Built-ins and cabinetry: Closets: Closet system approach. Closet system finishes rarely match house woodwork.
• Built-ins and cabinetry: Seating: Window seats and banquettes. Banquettes conflict with floor registers.
• Cabinetry: Upper cabinet height: Do uppers stop at standard height, go to ceiling, or vanish?. Ceiling-height runs need scribes; out-of-level ceilings show as a varying reveal.
• Space Planning: All rooms: Decide how to prove the plan before ordering. Owner rejects scale after a non-cancellable order
• Space Planning: All rooms: Verify delivery path for each oversized item. Custom sofa cannot physically reach the room
• Upholstery: Frame: Specify frame material and joinery. Racking or creaking frame within a few years
• Snow, ice and lake-effect conditions: Winter site maintenance plan: Who handles roof snow, ice and drive clearing?. Unmanaged roof snow leads to damage; contractors book up before the season.
• Commissioning: Lighting aiming and programming: Reserve time for aiming and tuning at finishes complete. Programming done before furniture and art leaves scenes wrong and adjustable accents unaimed.

Sample project. The lock order and rework come from the Residential Design Atlas. Weeks and float are planning estimates, not a published standard.

Walk the decisions firms make every week

Go/no-go gate for a construction-led studio

Should the firm take this project?

1. Is the project type in scope (new build, major remodel, boutique commercial)?
   • Yes
   • No: Refer out.
2. Are plans still changeable, and are selections on time against the builder's schedule?
   • Yes, on time
   • No, selections overdue or plans fixed: Continue only with a reduced scope or a rush premium.
3. Are the construction and FF&E budgets stated and above the firm's minimum?
   • Yes
   • Unknown: Hold for a budget conversation before any site visit.
   • Below minimum: Decline or refer out.
4. Are all decision-makers, including a spouse or out-of-state owner, on the call?
   • Yes
   • No: Reschedule with all decision-makers present.
5. Are builder and architect identified and receptive to a designer-owned selections schedule?
   • Yes
   • No or unknown: Identify the team and confirm the selections role before proposing.
6. Do travel and site-visit economics work (for example Chicago or Traverse City)?
   • Yes
   • No: Reprice travel or decline.
7. Is imported cabinetry and upholstery exposure known, with need dates?
   • Yes
   • No: Assess tariff and lead-time exposure before proposing.
8. Does calendar capacity meet the requested start?
   • Yes: Go: offer a paid site visit or programming phase.
   • No: Offer a later start or decline.

Six-factor lead score

What does the lead's score indicate?

1. Total of six criteria scored 1-5 (budget readiness, timeline readiness, decision-maker alignment, scope clarity, trust and seriousness, design fit), maximum 30.
   • 24-30: Proceed to concept proposal.
   • 18-23: Nurture.
   • 12-17: Educate first.
   • Under 12: Low intent.

Fee model for a construction-led studio

Which fee structure fits this engagement?

1. Is scope fully definable at signing (one room, furnish-only, plans final)?
   • Yes: Flat fee with a stated revision count, defined end date and an hourly rate beyond it.
   • No
2. Is it a new build or major remodel with a schedule the firm does not control?
   • Yes: Phase-based hybrid: flat or capped for programming, concept and design development; hourly for construction-phase coordination.
   • No: Hourly with an estimate and monthly reporting.
3. Will the firm purchase product?
   • Yes, client accepts margin: Cost-plus at a disclosed rate.
   • Yes, client is price-transparent: Net pricing plus a procurement or management fee, or hourly procurement.
   • No: Consulting or specification-only agreement, ideally non-purchasing-agent.
4. Is construction value large and reliably known, and is a percentage fee being considered?
   • Yes: Percentage of construction or FF&E is possible but rewards spending and needs a defined cost base; generally the weakest fit where transparency is contested.
   • No
5. Does the job have high tariff exposure?
   • Yes: Prefer hourly procurement and short quote windows.
   • No: Keep the structure chosen above.

Delivery model and the designer's position

How does the delivery model set the designer's role and risk?

1. Who holds the construction contract?
   • Owner holds separate architect and GC contracts, documents complete before bid
   • One entity designs and builds
   • Owner holds a cost-plus contract with a builder
   • Owner holds trade contracts directly
   • Builder owns the project for sale
   • Existing home
2. Design-bid-build.
   • Continue: Designer is owner's agent or architect's consultant; GC alone directs trades. Main risk: bid excludes or allowances under-carry finishes.
3. Design-build.
   • Continue: Designer is in-house or sub-consultant, selecting inside the builder's budget; design-builder directs trades. Main risk: loss of independent voice and scope trimmed to margin.
4. CM or cost-plus (A110 or A103-style; GMP optional).
   • Continue: Designer is an early collaborator as budget iterates with selections; builder directs trades. Main risk: open book exposes every selection cost, and drift.
5. Owner-builder.
   • Continue: Designer often drifts into de facto coordinator; owner directs trades. Main risk: unlicensed-contracting exposure if directing or paying trades, and no single warranty. Verify with counsel.
6. Builder-led spec.
   • Continue: Designer is builder's consultant writing a package to a price target. Main risk: little authority, speed-driven.
7. Remodel.
   • Continue: Designer is separate or in-house, field-verification heavy; remodeler directs trades. Main risk: concealed conditions and phasing while occupied.

New design issue in the field

How is a field issue resolved?

1. Does it affect code or structure?
   • Yes: Send to engineer or architect by RFI; designer does not answer.
   • No
2. Does it change design intent?
   • Yes: Designer proposes an answer through the GC.
   • No
3. Any cost or time effect?
   • Yes: Change order signed before the work.
   • No: Confirm in writing in minutes.
4. Any owner preference to decide?
   • Yes: Owner decides within the stated window; if missed, GC logs schedule impact.
   • No
5. Dispute over fault or cost?
   • Yes: Parties meet, then use the contract's mediation or arbitration clause.
   • No: Close and record.

Late selection

How is a selection missing its need-by date resolved?

1. Is a substitute available within lead time and without dimension change?
   • Yes: Approve substitute.
   • No
2. Is float available?
   • Yes: Expedite if cost is accepted.
   • No: Resequence, or accept a dated change order for delay.

Quote expiry and tariff price variance

What happens when a vendor price moves?

1. Is the quote still inside its validity window (as little as 48 hours in cited practice)?
   • Yes
   • No: Requote before client approval.
2. Has the price risen more than 10%?
   • Yes: Notify the client.
   • No
3. Client decision
   • Proceed
   • Replace: Substitute product and restart specification.
4. Is a tariff or surcharge on the vendor invoice?
   • Yes: Show as separate pass-through line tagged to the PO and vendor invoice; keep records in case of refund.
   • No: Proceed to PO.

Receiving and damage claim

How is an incoming shipment handled?

1. Do cartons match the bill of lading or packing list?
   • Yes
   • No: Note the shortage on delivery paperwork.
2. Visible damage after photographing and opening?
   • Yes: Note on delivery paperwork; photograph; keep packaging.
   • No
3. Concealed damage found within 24-72 hours?
   • Yes: Alert carrier or vendor immediately.
   • No: Log as received and release to storage.
4. Likely cause
   • Carrier: File carrier claim with photos, packaging, proof of value, receipt, bill of lading and invoices.
   • White-glove contractor: Claim against the white-glove contractor; fault chains are complicated.
   • Manufacturing defect: Vendor remake or field repair.

Designer's seat on the builder's platform

How should the designer be set up in the builder's software?

1. Which platform?
   • Buildertrend
   • CoConstruct (phasing out)
   • Procore or other
2. Decide before setup
   • Internal user: Full selection authoring; role-based financial exposure. Confirm in writing.
   • Sub or vendor: Fixed limited permissions; not customizable.
3. Who hired the designer?
   • Builder-side: Builder-side user: edit specs and selections; admins can hide financials.
   • Client-hired: Client-side login: comments, sees pricing and change orders, consumes a client slot.
   • Treated as trade: Trade partner: limited specs and selections, no Questions or Messages.
4. No designer role confirmed.
   • Continue: Agree one owner for a shared selection schedule, and record access in writing.

Who buys it

Who should purchase this item?

1. Is the item permanently installed?
   • Yes, by the trades
   • No, loose furnishings: Designer-purchased is workable (A151-style).
2. Will the builder procure it?
   • Yes: Builder procures, protecting warranty and schedule.
   • No, owner or designer furnishes: Write an explicit interface: warranty, receiving and reinstall responsibility.

Michigan contracting boundary

Does this scope push the firm toward builder licensing and lien issues?

1. Does the firm contract or offer to build, alter or improve a residential structure?
   • No, design only; construction contract stays with a licensed builder: Appears less exposed. Counsel to confirm.
   • Yes or unclear
2. Does it subcontract trades, run built-in installation, hold construction money, or bundle installation into its price?
   • Yes: Risk rises under MCL 339.2401 and 339.2412. Resolve with counsel before finalizing templates.
   • No: Counsel to confirm.
3. Does the contract also cover affixed built-ins or fixtures?
   • Yes: Lien rights may reach only part of a mixed contract; include MCL 570.1114 statement and written-change discipline if counsel says it applies; collect goods funds before ordering.
   • No, furniture only: Furniture appears outside improvement; do not rely on a lien. Collect goods funds before ordering.

Who permits this parcel

Which agencies govern this parcel?

1. Identify jurisdiction by parcel, not mailing address.
   • Done
2. Is the parcel in a High Risk Erosion Area or Critical Dune Area?
   • Yes
   • No
3. EGLE pre-application meeting before fixing footprint and driveway.
   • Done: Treat EGLE approval as a design constraint.
4. Earth change of 1 acre or more, or within 500 ft of a lake or stream?
   • Yes: Obtain soil erosion permit, then building and trade permits.
   • No: Obtain building and trade permits; confirm any local soil erosion rule.

Which contract form to start from

What base contract should a non-architect firm use?

1. Is the firm an architect?
   • Yes: AIA B152-2019 family is drafted for this role.
   • No
2. Counsel available to adapt a designer agreement?
   • Yes: Start from the ASID Residential Package, use AIA documents as structural reference, and add tariff, client-funds and Michigan terms.
   • No: Obtain counsel before relying on low-cost templates; none showed Michigan or construction-led tailoring.

Studio software stack

Which systems should the studio run?

1. Does the firm need POs and accounting in one system?
   • Yes: Studio Designer or Design Manager, plus CAD (Chief Architect or equivalent) and a light PM tool.
   • No, accounting stays separate: Programa, plus CAD and a light PM tool; its accounting integrations were not confirmed.

Run the simulator on one of your own projects.

Request a walkthrough