Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Common House Questions

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

Greetings Michael!!
I'm Rob, of the Sharingwood Cohousing Group and also of the Puget Sound 
Cohousing Network
Our projects are very similiar in nature with detached, individually 
designed houses.  We are in the midst of our commonhouse planning right 
now so let me answer your questions as best I can. I hope you can come 
to the March 19th gathering at Winslow where maybe we can talk in person.

In general we are designing our commonhouse in phases. The first phase 
will hopefully get started this summer and will consist of a "great 
hall" concept with food service for 80, an entry and a kids room.  As 
our second phase of development happens, we will add the second phase 
of the commonhouse which will house things such as an expanded kids 
space, teen space, excercise room, office, etc.

We are currently "borrowing" a basement out of one of the existing 11 
houses as our interim commonhouse. We have been eating dinners together 
4 nights a week for the last 2 years.

REFERENCE QUESTIONS (RE: THE COHOUSING COMPANY OR OTHER
CONSULTANTS/FACILITATORS)
1.  Did you use the services of The Cohousing Company?
No. They were deemed too expensive.
2.  Did you use the services of other consultants/facilitators
    from outside your group?
Yes, we hired Rena Klein, a Seattle Architect.


4.  What services did the they provide your group?
She did the original concept design for the commonhouse.

6.  Were you and your group happy with these services?
By and large yes, although our parameters changed and we ended up 
discarding most of her work.
7.  Did you feel that the prices charged were fair for the services provided?
        Were they worth it?
We paid her for 6 revision cycles. SHe delivered a concept, floorplan 
and model after 4 revision cycles for $2,000. This seems to be 
standard.  We have a resident contractor/designer who was going to take 
the concept drawings and do the working drawings needed to submit to 
the county for permits, although we didn't do that because we went to a 
different design concept.
8.  What did they do that you would not or could not have done yourselves?
Nothing yet. In our new revision we have:
Done a thorough use programming (Borrowing from the Matrix approach 
done by Songaia)
Done a prioritization using a vote system where we gave each member 20 
stickers and they placed them on the full list of ideas. Those that got 
more than 4 votes each are what got into the plan.
Done a concept drawing and model. Using the talents of the residents.
Done two revisions of above drawing and model

We are now looking for an architect with specific food service design 
to collaborate with us on the design of the food service.
9.  Is there anything that you wish that they had done differently?
No. We were operating some major false assumptions which gave us a 
design that was not usable.  We should have been more carefull in 
analyzing our assumptions first.

GENERAL QUESTIONS (RE: COMMON HOUSE)

9.  How many households are there in your group?
Currently 12, will expand to 29 as our second phase comes together.

10. Approximately how many children? How many adults?
Currently 10 kids, 23 adults
11. How do you do common meals? How often?
Common meals are done in a interim commonhouse which is a basement of 
one of the existing houses. 4 nights a week, Mon-Thursday with Friday 
being left over night where some gather to eat up the weeks left overs.
12. How many adults are around the community during week days?
       (vs. at work)?
10 out of 23

13. How is your common house located with respect to the property
       and housing?
The planned commonhouse will be in the center of the first phase of the 
community.

14  How large is your common house (approx. square feet)?
First phase is planned at 1200  (30X60). Second phase is planned to be 
two stories and could add another 1200-1600 feet.

17. Is your group willing and able to share the plans?
Yes, when they are finalized.
18. Did you use any other professional services in designing your
       common house?
We are looking for an architect with food design experience and another 
with sound engineering experience.