The Architectural Feasibility Study — Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Coastal New England
Most architects begin with design. That is the wrong place to start.
Before you commit to a full commission, you need to know three things with confidence: what your site will actually support, what the regulatory path looks like, and what the project will realistically cost to build. None of these can be answered with a sketch. They can only be answered by analysis.
The Feasibility Study is that analysis. It is the first formal engagement between this practice and a prospective client, and it is designed to produce one outcome: clarity.
What It Includes
Site analysis — solar orientation, prevailing winds, viewsheds, topography, vegetation, existing conditions
Regulatory research — zoning, setbacks, Conservation Commission jurisdiction, Wetlands Protection Act, historic district overlays where applicable, FEMA flood zone analysis
Preliminary massing studies — initial three-dimensional explorations of what the site will support
Construction budget assessment — a realistic cost-per-square-foot range based on current market conditions, your program, and site complexity
Permitting timeline — a clear-eyed assessment of the approval path, hearing schedules, and likely duration
A written report — delivered to you, summarizing every finding, with recommendations for the path forward
What It Produces
A document that puts you in command of your project before any design commitments are made. You will know what is buildable, what is permitted, what it will cost, and what the timeline looks like — before the design fees begin.
If we proceed to a full commission, this document becomes the foundation of the schematic design phase. Nothing is lost. Everything carries forward.
Investment
The Feasibility Study is priced at $15,000–$25,000, depending on site complexity and project scope. The fee credits in full toward any subsequent commission. You are not paying for a study. You are applying toward the project.
Who It's For
If you have owned the land for years and are finally ready to understand what it will actually allow — this is for you. If you have been through a preliminary conversation with another architect and want an independent assessment of where things stand — this is for you. If you are serious about building and not yet ready to commit to a full commission because you do not yet have the full picture — this is exactly for you.
Projects at this practice typically involve construction budgets of $1.5M or more. If that describes your project, the Feasibility Study is the right starting point.
How It's Different
One note on how this study is different from feasibility work produced by design-build firms: there is no builder in the room. The analysis is produced by an architect whose only interest is an accurate picture of what the project requires. No construction margin is being estimated into the budget assessment. What you receive is what the project actually costs to build — not what it costs to build profitably for a firm that also holds the construction contract.
How to Begin
Schedule an introductory call. We will talk about your site, your timeline, and what you are trying to accomplish. If it is a fit, I will send a scope letter for the study and we can get started.
Not ready for a call yet? The Legacy Blueprint ($997) is the right starting point — a complete guide to commissioning a custom home that will prepare you for every conversation that follows. The fee credits toward the Feasibility Study.