Frequently asked questions · CONIKA
Rendering and visualization
What is an architectural rendering?
A digital image showing how a project will look before it is built. It is not an edited photo or a drawing: it is a 3D recreation with its own light, materials and surroundings.
What is architectural visualization?
The craft of showing a project before it exists: renderings, animations and walkthroughs. It is not the decorative part of a project, it is what gets approved, sold or presented.
How much does an architectural rendering cost?
In Colombia, between COP 500,000 and COP 2,500,000 per image, depending on the project, the level of detail and the studio. The price depends less on size and more on how much judgment the image carries.
How much does CONIKA charge for a standalone rendering?
USD 125 per image, with a minimum of six. If the project is already under way with us, one extra image costs USD 100.
How long does a rendering take?
A single image usually takes 3 to 10 working days; a package or an animation, longer. Urgency can be paid for, but rushing a rendering almost always shows.
What is a rendering for?
So that someone can understand and feel a project before it is built: to sell, to present to a client, to enter a bid, or to settle the design.
What is the difference between a rendering and a physical model?
A model shows form and scale. A rendering shows the light, the materials and how the space would feel lived in. For selling, the rendering says more.
What do I need to have a rendering made?
The drawings or the model of the project, references for the style you are after, and what you will use it for. The clearer you arrive, the better it comes out.
Does a rendering look like reality?
A good one does, but its job is not to copy reality: it is to show the best real version of the project, without inventing what will not be built. Promising something that later does not exist is the fastest way to lose a client.
Why do some renderings cost more than others?
Because what you pay for is decisions: the time of day, the light, the materials and the judgment behind the image. That is what separates a generic image from one that sells.
What is a virtual walkthrough or an architectural animation?
The project in motion: a video showing how the space is walked and lived. It costs more than a still image because it takes more work, and it communicates a great deal more.
Do renderings help sell a real estate project?
Yes, and usually they are the first thing that sells it. The buyer decides in the sales room with the image, months before the project exists.
Can I use a rendering for a bid or tender?
Yes. Whoever evaluates chooses what they can picture; a clear rendering helps them understand your proposal instead of letting it go unnoticed.
What software is used to make renderings?
It depends on the stage: modelling (ArchiCAD, Revit, Rhinoceros, SketchUp), rendering (Blender, D5) and post-production (Photoshop, Premiere Pro), with AI support for textures and realism. But the software does not make the rendering, the person who knows what they are looking at does.
How do I choose a rendering company?
Judge the portfolio, not the list of services: look at whether the images differ from one another, how many revisions are included and who directs the project. Be wary of anyone promising the cheapest and the fastest at the same time.
Is 3D rendering of a house the same as an architectural rendering?
Yes. "Rendering", "3D rendering" and "3D image" are different names for the same thing: a digital recreation of the project, made before building it.
What is the difference between a rendering and a BIM model?
BIM is the model of the project with all its technical information: dimensions, materials, structure. The rendering is the final image drawn out of that model, meant to show, not to build from.
Can I order only the rendering if I already have an architect?
Yes. Visualization is handled independently: you send us your architect's drawings or model and we make the rendering without touching the design.
Do I need drawings to order a rendering?
Yes, or at least a model or a clear sketch. Without that, any rendering is an invention rather than a representation of your project.
How much does 3D modelling cost if I already have drawings but no model?
USD 250. It is the step before rendering when you only have two-dimensional drawings and need the three-dimensional model.
How many images does my project need?
It depends on the use. A house is resolved with few; a project for a sales room needs several. More images is not better; the right ones are.
Are revisions included in a rendering?
They should be, and it is worth asking before you pay. A set number of adjustments is included; changes that rewrite the project are quoted separately. It is agreed from the start.
What is the difference between exterior and interior renderings?
The exterior shows the facade and the surroundings of the project. The interior shows the spaces lived in from within. A project meant to sell almost always needs both.
What is a photorealistic rendering?
A rendering made to look like a real photograph, with the light and the materials worked out in detail. Not every rendering aims for that: some are deliberately more schematic.
Fees and pricing
How much does it cost to have an architect design my house?
It depends on the scope and on how far the project is taken: a house resolved down to the last detail does not cost the same as a general idea. The rate is published below and it is the same for everyone.
How is the price calculated?
It is estimated per project, according to its scope and its complexity. The exact figure goes in your Dossier, after The Conversation.
Why does the price per meter go down on a larger house?
Because the work does not grow at the same rate as the area. Settling the judgment behind a 200 m² house costs nearly the same as a 400 m² one; what grows is the development, not the decision.
Does that price include construction?
No. It is the design fee. The build is separate money, paid separately, and in the vast majority of projects we do not carry it out ourselves.
So how much does it cost to build the house?
We hand you the exact quantity of materials so you can get it quoted, and as a reference: in Colombia, in 2026, finishing a house runs from COP 2.4 million per m² in a basic build to over COP 4.8 million in a high-end one.
Why do you publish the price when no one else does?
Because price is the first question anyone has, and hiding it only draws out the conversation. We would rather you know if it fits before we talk.
Is the price negotiable?
No. It is published and it is the same for everyone. What changes the number is scope, not negotiation.
Is there a discount for deciding quickly?
No. Lowering the price for a fast decision would defeat the point of publishing it.
Do you charge a percentage of the construction cost?
No. We charge per square meter of design, with a base fee. A percentage of the build rewards a more expensive build, and that does not sit right with us.
How is it paid?
In stages, and it depends on the service. Architectural design: 50% to start, 30% after The Table I and 20% before Delivery. Site accompaniment: 40% to start, 30% after The Table I, 20% when the build begins and 10% at closing. Visualization: 50% and 50%. It is all in the contract, and you see the contract in your portal.
Do you ask for an advance?
Yes. The first installment is 50% on design and visualization, and 40% on site accompaniment. That is what reserves your slot for the month.
Can I pay in installments?
It is already paid in stages: between two and four installments depending on the service, and each one is tied to a delivery, not to a date on the calendar. If you need something else, it gets discussed on the call.
What currency do you charge in?
The fee is set in dollars and invoiced in pesos at the rate on the invoice date. To see today's dollar, and any other currency: xe.com/currencyconverter
Does the price include VAT?
It is spelled out in the quote, which you see in full in the portal before signing anything.
What happens if the project grows partway through?
If the area or the scope grows, the increase is quoted before it happens. A charge never shows up that you have not already seen.
Do you charge for the first meeting?
No. It is forty five minutes on a video call and you walk away with your exact number.
Do you discount for several identical units?
Yes, and it is a strong one: the first unit at 100%, the next four at 40% each, the following five at 30%, the next ten at 20%, the following thirty at 10%, and 7.5% from there on. Sixty identical units cost what ten do.
Is your price expensive or cheap for the market?
The published reference fee for architectural design in Colombia in 2026 is around COP 23 million, and fees in Bogotá and Medellín tend to run higher. Ours comes in below that, and it is published.
Why are you cheaper than a studio in Bogotá?
Because we operate from Pasto and work remotely. The cost structure is different, not the judgment.
If you are cheaper, are you worse?
Thirty houses designed with the same process. What comes down is the cost of operating, not what you get.
What you get
What exactly do I receive?
Your house drawn room by room with measurements, the images of how it will look inside and out, the 3D model to walk through it, and the package your builder or foreman needs to put it up.
Do I get drawings I can build from, or just pretty pictures?
Drawings you can build from, with measurements. The images are part of the deliverable, not the deliverable itself.
Does it include engineering?
No. For a house we deliver the architecture. Plumbing, electrical and structural are developed and signed by the engineer you hire.
Does it include structural engineering?
No. We deliver the architecture; the structural calculation is done and signed by a structural engineer.
And who signs off the engineering?
Your engineer, who also develops it. We deliver the architecture coordinated so they can work over it.
Do you deliver in BIM?
Yes. That is what lets your engineer work over the same model instead of a flat drawing.
What formats do I get?
DWG, PDF and IFC. IFC is the open BIM format: any professional can open and follow the project without depending on us or on a particular program.
How many images does the project include?
It depends on the package; the quote states it exactly. If you want more, each extra image costs USD 100.
Can I order just the images, without drawings?
Yes. Standalone renderings at USD 125 each, minimum six.
Do you make video walkthroughs?
The standard deliverable includes the navigable 3D model. Video is quoted separately.
Do you do interior design?
The project defines spaces, measurements and general finishes. Decor and loose furniture are discussed separately.
Do you do landscaping?
It is discussed project by project. It is not in the base package.
Do you help me choose materials?
Yes. The project defines finishes. What we do not do is buy them or manage the purchase.
Do you give me quantities and a construction budget?
We deliver the quantity of materials, without prices. With that list any builder or hardware store can quote you within a day, and you can compare between several. We do not put prices on it because they change by city and by month, and an outdated budget from us would push you into a bad decision.
Design and construction
Is it worth hiring an architect?
If you are going to build once in your life, yes. It is not an aesthetic expense: it stops you paying for a house that later does not work for you.
How do I choose an architect?
Look at whether their work shows a way of thinking or just a set of good-looking projects. Talk to them before hiring. And pick someone who tells you what you need to hear, not only what you want to hear.
Should I buy a house or design one?
Designing gives you a space made for the way you live; buying is faster and more predictable. Neither is "better": it depends on what you are putting first, time or fit with your life.
What mistakes do people make when building a house?
Deciding out of fear, copying the neighbor, choosing finishes by fashion, and leaving visualization for the end. Most mistakes are not technical, they are failures of judgment.
Can I see my house before it is built?
Yes. That is what visualization is for: renderings and walkthroughs that show the project with its light and its materials before a single brick is moved. It is the cheapest way to correct.
What is exposed concrete?
Leaving concrete as the final finish, uncovered. It is not a way to save: doing it well costs more, because every imperfection stays in view. Done well and kept well, it ages well.
What is schematic design?
The first formal version of the design: plans, elevations and volume, before the definitive drawings. It exists so decisions can be made and adjusted before investing in technical detail.
What is the difference between an architect and a civil engineer?
The architect designs the space and how it works. The civil engineer calculates the structure holding it up. On a serious project, the two work together.
What is an architectural renovation?
Changing an existing building in its layout, its finishes or its structure, without starting from scratch. It requires understanding what is already there before proposing the change.
Do I need an architect or an interior designer?
The architect designs the space and its structure; the interior designer works on what goes inside a space that is already built. If the project starts from zero, begin with the architect.
Process, timing and remote work
How long does it take you to design a house?
It depends on the project and how settled the decisions are. Your project's schedule reaches you in writing in your Dossier, before you sign anything.
How long does it take to design a house, in general?
There is no single number: it changes with the size and complexity of each house. What does not change is that your schedule is in writing before you sign, not partway through.
Will I know how long it takes before I hire you?
Yes. The first conversation defines the scope of your project, and with it your schedule, which reaches you in writing in your Dossier before signing.
Can it run longer?
Yes, and it is on you: the meetings you push back and the progress you take a while to approve. The schedule you receive at the start is the one that holds, unless you move it.
How many projects do you take on a month?
Two. That is the slot that lets us give each project a real schedule, not a generic one.
What does the process look like, step by step?
A forty five minute conversation, which defines the scope of your project. With that we build your Dossier: your figure and your schedule, in writing. Then the agreement is signed, the design runs with two decision points with you, and you receive drawings, images and the 3D model.
How many times can I change the design?
Two decision points: one big one, at the start, and a detail one before delivery. Adjusting costs nothing. What is quoted separately is changing the area, the program, or the concept already approved.
What if I do not like what you propose?
That is what the two decision points are for. And you will not see the finished house all at once: you watch it take shape, and correct it along the way.
When do I see the first image?
During the design, not at the end. Progress is visible on your portal, according to your Dossier's schedule.
Do I have to visit your office?
No. The whole process is remote.
How many meetings are there?
As many as needed, all by video call. The first one is forty five minutes.
How do I know where my project stands?
In your portal. That is where you see the phase, the quote, the contract, and you have a chat with us.
Do I have to stay on top of it all the time?
No. But every week you take to approve progress is a week your date slips, not ours.
Can you design my house if I live in another city?
Yes. Designing does not require being on site: it requires the right measurements and talking with you. Both are handled remotely.
How do you survey the lot if you are not there?
With the topographic survey or the property documents, plus photos and video you send following a guide. If needed, we coordinate someone on the ground.
What if it is already built and needs to be surveyed?
That is the as-built survey, part of a renovation: USD 4 per m², from USD 250. We do it in Pasto, Colombia, which is as far as we travel to measure. Outside Pasto you provide it, as DWG, IFC or a surveyor’s drawing.
Is it not risky to hire an architect I have never met?
That is why everything is written and visible: the quote, the contract and the project phase are in your portal from day one, not in a lost email.
How do I know you will not leave me hanging?
You see your project's phase whenever you want and you have a direct chat with us right there. You never have to ask where things stand.
Do you sign a contract?
Yes, and you see it in full in the portal before you pay anything.
Can I reach you on WhatsApp?
Not for a first contact. Write to us by email and one of the two of us answers, not a help desk. WhatsApp is for once the project is under way.
What are your hours?
Colombia time. If you are in another time zone, the video call is coordinated around it.
Licences, signatures and permits
Do you sign the drawings?
Yes, we sign the architecture in Colombia.
Are the drawings I receive signed by an architect?
It depends on where your project is. In Colombia they are: the final architectural drawings are signed by Sofía Solarte, architect and co-founder of CONIKA, with a current professional license, and that is included in the price. Outside Colombia they are delivered unsigned and unstamped, because a Colombian license has no validity in another country; there you need a professional licensed where your project is to review and sign them.
Do your drawings work for getting a building permit?
In Colombia, yes: we sign the architecture. The engineering is supplied and signed by the engineer you hire.
Who signs the plumbing and electrical?
Your engineer. We deliver it developed and coordinated with the architecture. In Colombia we can also quote you those signatures if you do not have anyone.
Do you handle the permit application for me?
We deliver the complete package ready to file. The process before the local permitting office is handled by whoever you designate.
How much does the permit cost?
It is a separate cost, charged by the permitting office or authority, not by us.
What if I am outside Colombia?
We design all the same. But the signature that files a permit has to belong to a professional licensed in that country: we design and your local professional signs. We say it upfront because it is the part no one else spells out.
Can I build without a permit?
That is not our call to make, and we will not recommend it. Our job is to hand you the project that can actually be filed.
Do your drawings meet seismic code?
The design is made to meet the code in force, and the structural engineer of record signs off the calculation.
Renovation and remodelling
How much does it cost to have an architect design a renovation?
Less than a new house of the same size: the design carries 25% off. It is the design fee; your foreman still does the build.
Why does a renovation cost less than a new house?
Because the structure, the envelope and the siting already exist. A 25% reduction applies to the design fee.
What is an as-built survey and why is it charged separately?
It is measuring and drawing what already exists, with the real measurements and not the ones on the drawing you were given. USD 4 per m², from USD 250, and only in Pasto, Colombia: someone has to be on site. Outside Pasto you provide it. Without it, you cannot design over the existing building.
What if I already have drawings?
We work from yours and the adjustment is smaller.
Can I renovate just one part, like the kitchen?
Yes. A targeted intervention is quoted as such, by its scope and not by the size of the whole house.
Does this work for apartments?
Yes. It is in fact the most common case in Bogotá and Medellín.
Do I need a permit to renovate?
It depends what you touch. If structure or the facade is involved, almost always yes. We tell you before starting.
Can I keep my own foreman?
Yes, and it is what we recommend. He knows how to put up a wall; we tell him which one. It works out better for both of you.
Am I not taking work away from my foreman?
The opposite. You take away the guesswork and leave him the build, which is what he actually knows how to do.
About the lot and the land
I do not have a lot yet, can I start?
We can review a lot before you buy it. Designing, on the other hand, requires a lot that is already settled.
Do you help me choose the lot?
We review the ones you are considering and tell you what fits on each. It is the conversation that saves the most money, and it happens before you have spent any.
What documents do you need for the lot?
The deed or certificate of tradition, and the topographic survey if it exists. If it does not, we tell you how to get one.
My lot slopes, is that a problem?
No. It is almost always the reverse: a well-resolved slope is what gives the house its view and takes the neighbor out of it.
Do you design country houses?
Yes. It is a good share of what we design.
Construction and the build
Do you build?
No. The build is carried out by a builder you hire and who answers for it. In Pasto we offer Design + Site Accompaniment: beyond designing, we go to the site, review materials and make decisions there, to protect the intent of the project while it goes up. Outside Pasto we hand over the finished design and you coordinate it with your own builder.
Why don't you build with your own crew?
Because doing both forces a choice between the design and the margin on the build. We would rather hold a single interest: that the project turns out right. Where we accompany the construction, the work is architectural, and we gain nothing from how the build goes.
Can you recommend a builder?
We can tell you what to look for in a construction quote. Who carries it out is your call, always. In Pasto we can also accompany you through the construction.
Do you do construction oversight or supervision?
No. Construction supervision and technical inspection are separate roles, with their own legal liability, and the client hires them. What we do offer in Pasto is architectural accompaniment: we go to the site, review materials and make decisions there to protect the intent of the project.
What if the builder does not understand the drawings?
The package carries what is needed to put it up without guessing. And if a technical question still comes up, we are the ones who answer it.
What if the build blows past budget?
That is why design comes first, and why we hand you the material quantities: you can have the entire build quoted before you buy the first bag of cement. What sends a build over budget is starting it without knowing how much is needed.
CONIKA
What does CONIKA do?
We design architecture for clients who are going to build their house, and we do architectural visualization (rendering, animation and walkthroughs), which can also be ordered on its own. In Pasto, we also accompany the construction through Design + Site Accompaniment.
Is CONIKA a marketplace of architects?
No. We do not list architects and we do not broker between parties. We do every project ourselves, from beginning to end, as a studio and not as a platform.
Does CONIKA only work in Pasto?
The studio is based in Pasto and works remotely: we design in Colombia and beyond it, whatever the city. The only thing that calls for proximity is site accompaniment.
Does CONIKA have architects in Pasto, Nariño?
Yes. The studio was born and operates in Pasto, Nariño, and works remotely on projects across Colombia and beyond it.
How many projects have you done?
More than thirty houses designed.
Why don't you show photos of finished construction?
Because the studio is young and the build is carried out by each client's own builder, far from our sight. We prefer to say it plainly: what we show you is the project as delivered, not a photograph we did not take.
Are the images made with artificial intelligence?
No. They are our own architectural visualization, built on the project's 3D model. It is one of the studio's disciplines and it is also sold on its own.
Who are you?
A studio of architecture and visualization in Pasto. The names and the professional license are published, and on the first call you speak directly with the person who will draw your house.
Are you professionally licensed?
Yes, and that is why we can sign the architecture in Colombia.
What does the process look like once I hire CONIKA?
A conversation to understand the project, the signing of El Compromiso, which sets scope, timing and payment terms, and from there the project moves in phases, with notice at each one.
Can I follow the progress of my project?
Yes. Every project has a private portal where you see the phase, the documents and the dossier as it grows, and where you can walk through your house in 3D before it exists. There is no need to ask for status reports: the status is always in view.
Does CONIKA sign a contract? What guarantees are there?
Yes. Before starting, El Compromiso is signed: an agreement setting out the scope, the timing, the figure and the payment terms. It binds both sides equally.
Who owns the drawings and the renderings, me or CONIKA?
The project is yours to build: once, on your site, with no expiry date. The files are in your hands and you can pass them to your builder, to the engineers and, if you are outside Colombia, to the professional who adapts them to your local code and signs them. Authorship of the design stays with CONIKA, as with any work under copyright: that is why the same design is not built again on another site and is not sold on to a third party. CONIKA also keeps the project in its archive and shows it in its portfolio; if you would rather yours did not appear, that is agreed before signing.
Is CONIKA's design conceptual only, or can it be built from?
It can be built from. We deliver the complete architectural design: plans, sections, elevations and the final drawings. What it does not cover is structural calculation, contracted separately with a specialist, or the handling of the permit with the authorities, which is yours to file.
What happens if I do not like the final result?
The process is built so that it does not happen: you review progress at every phase, not at the end, and the number of adjustments is fixed from El Compromiso onward.
How do I start a project with CONIKA?
Book the conversation. Forty five minutes on a video call, at no charge, and it is where the scope, the timing and the figure come from.
Do you do renderings only, for other architects?
Yes. USD 125 per image, minimum six.
Payments
How are payments made?
From your own portal, through the payment gateway built into it. Credit and debit cards, bank transfer (PSE) and Nequi for clients in Colombia, in the installments El Compromiso sets.
Can clients outside Colombia pay?
Yes, with no restriction on the card. The charge is processed in Colombian pesos; the conversion to your currency is handled by the bank that issued the card.
Is it safe to enter my card details?
The details go straight to the payment gateway and never pass through CONIKA's servers.
When is payment due?
Each installment is requested on reaching the phase it belongs to, as signed in El Compromiso. No charge appears without your having seen it first.
Countries and cities
Do you design houses in Pasto?
Yes. It is our home base: Pasto, Nariño. This is where we sign the architecture, we work just as closely whether near or far, and it is the only place where we offer Design + Site Accompaniment.
Do you design in Medellín?
Yes, remotely. We sign the architecture in Colombia with a CPNAA license; the engineering is supplied by your own engineer.
Do you design in Rionegro, Envigado, Sabaneta, El Retiro or the Oriente Antioqueño?
Yes. It is one of the country-house regions where a project built to the lot and the slope pays off the most.
Do you design in Bogotá?
Yes, remotely, and across the savanna too: Chía, Cajicá, La Calera, Sopó, Tabio, Tenjo.
Do you design in Cali?
Yes, including Pance, Jamundí and Dapa.
Do you design in Barranquilla, Cartagena or Santa Marta?
Yes. The climate changes the design (cross ventilation, shade, humidity), not the way we work.
Do you design in Bucaramanga, Pereira, Manizales, Armenia, Ibagué, Neiva, Villavicencio, Popayán or Cúcuta?
Yes. Across Colombia we work the same way: remotely, and we sign the architecture.
Do you design houses in Mexico?
Yes, remotely. In Mexico the permit is processed by a Director Responsable de Obra (DRO) licensed in that municipality: we deliver the project and the images, and the local DRO signs and files it.
In which cities in Mexico?
Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Querétaro, Puebla, Mérida, Tijuana, León, San Luis Potosí, Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Playa del Carmen.
Do I need you to be registered with a professional college in Mexico?
Not to design. In Mexico it is not mandatory to belong to the Colegio de Arquitectos to practice, but several municipalities do require the DRO to be registered with one to authorize construction. Your local professional covers that role.
Do you design houses in Peru?
Yes, remotely. In Peru, membership of the Colegio de Arquitectos del Perú (CAP) is mandatory to sign drawings and any legally binding document: we design and your registered architect signs.
In which cities in Peru?
Lima, Arequipa, Trujillo, Cusco, Piura, Chiclayo, Tacna.
Do you design houses in Ecuador?
Yes, remotely. It is the market outside Colombia that fits us best: it is dollarised, so our fee in dollars reads directly, with no conversion.
In which cities in Ecuador?
Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta, Samborondón, Loja, Ambato, Vilcabamba.
Do you design houses in Chile?
Yes, remotely. In Chile the building permit is filed with the Dirección de Obras Municipales and signed by a professional licensed in the country; a foreign qualification requires recognition.
In which cities in Chile?
Santiago, Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Concepción, La Serena, Puerto Varas, Pucón, Antofagasta.
Do you design houses in Argentina?
Yes, remotely. In Argentina you have to be registered with the provincial Colegio de Arquitectos to submit any drawing to the authorities: we design and your registered architect submits it.
In which cities in Argentina?
Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, Mar del Plata, Bariloche, Salta, Tucumán, Neuquén.
Do you design houses in Uruguay?
Yes, remotely. Montevideo, Punta del Este, Colonia, Maldonado, La Barra, José Ignacio.
Do you design houses in Paraguay?
Yes, remotely. Asunción, Ciudad del Este, Encarnación, Luque, San Bernardino.
Do you design houses in Bolivia?
Yes, remotely. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre, Tarija.
Do you design houses in Venezuela?
Yes, remotely. Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Maracay, Mérida.
Do you design houses in Panama?
Yes, remotely. Panama City, Coronado, Boquete, Pedasí, Bocas del Toro.
Do you design houses in Costa Rica?
Yes, remotely. In Costa Rica drawings are processed through the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (CFIA) and signed by a professional registered there. San José, Escazú, Santa Ana, Guanacaste, Tamarindo, Nosara, Atenas.
Do you design houses in Guatemala?
Yes, remotely. Guatemala City, Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla.
Do you design houses in El Salvador?
Yes, remotely. San Salvador, Santa Tecla, Santa Ana, La Libertad, El Tunco.
Do you design houses in Honduras?
Yes, remotely. Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Roatán, La Ceiba.
Do you design houses in Nicaragua?
Yes, remotely. Managua, Granada, León, San Juan del Sur.
Do you design houses in the Dominican Republic?
Yes, remotely. Santo Domingo, Santiago, Punta Cana, Bávaro, Cap Cana, Las Terrenas, Puerto Plata.
Do you design houses in Puerto Rico?
Yes, remotely. San Juan, Dorado, Rincón, Ponce, Mayagüez. The permit is signed by a professional licensed in Puerto Rico.
Do you design houses in Spain?
Yes, remotely. In Spain the project needs the visa of the Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos and is signed by an architect registered there: we design and provide the visualization, and your registered architect visas and signs it.
In which cities in Spain?
Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Málaga, Marbella, Bilbao, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Zaragoza, Murcia.
Do you design houses for Hispanic clients in the United States?
Yes, remotely. In the United States the permit is sealed and filed by an architect licensed in that state; we do the design and the images.
In which cities in the United States?
Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas.
I live in the United States and want to build in Colombia. Can you help?
Yes, and it is the case where working remotely pays off the most: we sign the architecture in Colombia and you follow the project from wherever you are, without travelling.
Can I pay you from abroad?
Yes. The fee is set in dollars, so there is no conversion surprise.
Do you work across the whole Spanish-speaking world?
Yes, design and visualization are handled remotely from Colombia. The only thing that changes by country is who signs the local filing.
Do you charge more to design outside Colombia?
No. The fee is the same per square meter. What it does not include is the local signature where one is needed.
Do you find the professional who signs in my country?
In Colombia, yes, for the architecture. Outside Colombia, that is on you, and we deliver the project in whatever format they need.
Does the design change by country?
Yes, and that is why it comes up from the first call: climate, seismic risk, setback and height rules. The project is made for the place it will be built, not the place it is drawn.
What language do you work in?
Spanish. Drawings can be delivered labelled in English if the local filing process requires it.
Before you hire
Can I see built projects, not just renderings?
It is the right thing to ask for, and the answer here is direct: the build is carried out by each client's own builder and the studio is young, so what we can show you is the delivered project and what the client built with it. On the Pasto projects we hold direct records. And we can put you in touch with clients who have already built what we designed.
If you don't execute the build, how do I know your design can actually be built?
Because the project is drawn coordinated in BIM, which is where clashes show up before they reach the site. And because when a question comes up on site, we are the ones who answer that call.
Can I talk to your past clients?
Yes. Ask on the call and we put you in touch.
What is NOT included in the price?
Construction, always: even with site accompaniment in Pasto, the builder carries it out and charges for it. The engineering: plumbing, electrical and structural are developed and signed by your own engineer. Fees and paperwork for the permitting office or local authority. Soil studies and the topographic survey if they do not already exist.
Do I need a soil study?
To build, almost always. We do not do it ourselves: a laboratory does. We tell you whether your case needs one before we begin.
Do I need a topographic survey of the lot?
If the lot slopes or has an irregular shape, yes. If you already have one, we use it as it stands; if not, we tell you how to get one.
How much can a poorly planned project drive up construction cost?
Industry references put it at 10% to 25% in overruns. On a COP 400 million build, that is COP 40 to 100 million, several times what the full design costs.
How do you control construction cost from the design stage?
Through the design decisions, which are the ones that govern it: spans, heights, materials and how much earth has to be moved. And by handing you the quantities, so you can have them quoted before buying. What sends a build over budget is not the price of cement: it is redoing what was already done.
Should I get quotes from two or three architects?
Yes, and that is exactly why the price is published: so you can compare without having to ask us for it.
What if I already started with another architect and want to switch?
It can be done. Bring what you have and we tell you what holds up and what needs redoing, with the price before we start.
Do you work with energy efficiency, solar orientation and ventilation?
Yes, and not as an add-on: orientation, shade and cross ventilation are design decisions that are paid for every month afterward, on the utility bill.
What if you disappear halfway through the project?
You hold the signed contract and a portal where you see the project phase, with the chat in the same place. None of it lives in an email that can be lost.
Can I use the project to apply for a loan?
The drawings and the estimated budget are usually what a bank asks for. The application itself is yours to file.
Is it worth hiring an architect, or is a foreman enough?
A foreman builds whatever you tell them. What they cannot do is decide what fits your lot, what it will cost and how it will turn out. That is what is being bought here.
Isn't it cheaper to buy ready-made drawings?
It is cheaper right up until the drawing does not fit the lot, does not get the light right, or has to be redone on site. The expensive part is not the design: it is tearing down a wall twice.
What if I change my mind halfway through the design?
That is what the two included revisions are for. And the whole agreement is in writing before you pay a peso.
How much should my house cost in total?
As a reference, finishing a house in Colombia runs from COP 2.4 to over COP 4.8 million per m², depending on the level of finish. Against that, design is a small share: under 3% of what the build costs.
Why should I pay for design if the real money is in the build?
Exactly because of that. Design is under 3% and it is what decides how the other 97% gets spent.
Are you a real studio, or two people with a laptop?
A small studio in Pasto, with thirty houses designed, a professional license and a portal where you follow your project. We are few on purpose: that is why we take on two projects a month, not ten.
Why should I trust you with my house if I don't know you?
Because we are not asking you to trust us. The price is there before we talk, the contract before we charge, and the project phase in view every day. What this trade usually asks for on faith is written down here.
The images of your project
Does the design of my house include images?
Yes. Six hyperrealistic images of the finished project are included in the price of the design. They are not an extra quoted separately or an add-on that appears at the end: they are part of what is delivered, and they exist so you can see your house before it is built.
Can I see the house from the inside before it exists?
Yes. Beyond the six images, you receive the three-dimensional model to walk through. It shows things a drawing cannot: how you move from one room to the next, how high a ceiling actually feels, what you see through a window when you are standing there.
Does that model look the same as the renders?
No, and the difference is deliberate. The model is there to understand the space, not to present it: it carries generic furniture, which is enough to read the size of a room, but it does not have the lighting, the worked materials or the finish of a hyperrealistic image. That is what the six images are for, and those are made to be looked at and shown.
I want more than six images. Is that possible?
Yes, and they cost less than a standalone image, because the model of your house is already built: what you pay for is the new shot, not the work of raising the project again. Up to twenty in total can be added. If you need more than that, it becomes a commission for our visualization line.
Can I ask for a video or a walkthrough of my house?
Yes. Video and the 360 tour can be added to any design project and are quoted according to what you want to show and why. They are pieces from our visualization line, so there is no need to find another supplier or explain the project again: it is already modelled. You can see them in detail on the Visualization page.
What is the difference between the model you deliver and the interactive walkthrough you sell separately?
The included model is a tool for you to understand your house while it is being designed. The interactive walkthrough is a finished piece for showing the house to someone else: a buyer, a bank, a partner, the family. One is made to decide with; the other, to convince with. That is why one comes with the design and the other is quoted as a piece of its own.
I already have a design by another architect and only want the images. Is that possible?
Yes, and it is a very common commission. That comes through our visualization line, which exists precisely for it: no one's design is intervened, it is represented exactly as it arrives. You can order images, video, a tour or the model, depending on what you need to show.