1. We’ve outgrown our current facilities. What do we do?
2. How can we find out more about your company and services before obligating ourselves?
3. Do we need to hire an architect?
4. What kind of Architect should we hire?
5. Does Goodman design and build churches anywhere other than in the Midwest?
6. Are there any limitations on the size of church or the denominations with whom you will work?
7. Have you had any experience with church connected daycares or schools?
8. What are the fees for your services?
9. If we decide to hire Goodman, can we pick and chose which services we want?
10. In your Services section you say that you will do a Master Plan. What is a Master Plan?
11. What is a Feasibility Study?

1. We’ve outgrown our current facilities. What do we do?
Churches in your situation need to move quickly so that this growth can be maintained and not hindered by lack of space. In order to make wise decisions and be good stewards, you will need a complete analysis of your current facilities, property, attendance history and projected growth, finance, etc. Phase I of our services includes this analysis.

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2. How can we find out more about your company and services before obligating ourselves?
We will come to your location for an initial complimentary visit at no cost or obligation to you. At this initial meeting, we provide you with more information and answer any questions you may have. Another purpose for this meeting is to help us understand your needs and wishes so that we can prepare a customized proposal for you including services to be done and the fees for those services. After meeting with us and then receiving our proposal, you will be able to make an informed decision. We are also happy to provide references.

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3. Do we need to hire an architect?
Since a church is considered to be a commercial, public building, all States require that a Registered Architect design and approve construction documents for new facilities and for additions. Building permits will not be issued unless construction documents have been signed and sealed by an Architect. Even in rural areas with no building codes, the State law still requires an Architect for the safety, welfare, and protection of the public.

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4. What kind of Architect should we hire?
An Architect who does commercial design would be better suited to design a church than Architects who primarily do industrial, military, or residential work. Within the realm of commercial architecture there is a broad spectrum of projects including business parks, malls, restaurants, schools and religious structures. An Architect, who devotes most of his time to designing houses, would probably not be the best choice for designing a mall. Likewise, an Architect who primarily designs office buildings would not be the best choice to design a church. You would want an Architect with years of experience designing churches. Over the past forty-three years, Goodman Architectural Services has designed and built hundreds of churches. As is evident by the fact that over 95% of our projects are churches and church-related facilities, we specialize in churches.

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5. Does Goodman design and build churches anywhere other than in the Midwest?
Yes. As you can see on the map, we do work all across the United States.

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6. Are there any limitations on the size of church or the denominations with whom you will
work?
No. We welcome and have had experience with projects of all sizes. We work with a variety of denominations as well as with non-denominational churches.

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7. Have you had any experience with church connected daycares or schools?
Yes. We have done church daycares, pre-schools, elementary and high schools. We’ve also designed several Christian colleges.

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8. What are the fees for your services?
We continually compare our fees with those of other architectural firms across the country to assure that our fees remain very competitive. Generally, we find that our fees are at the lower end of the scale.

Each Phase of our Services has a separate fee. The fee for Phase I (Preliminary Design) is a flat dollar amount that is based on the size and complexity of the project. One half of the fee is paid upon signing the contract with the balance due at the completion and acceptance of Phase I.

The fee for Phase II (Construction Documents) is a percentage of the construction cost. This fee is billed monthly, usually over 7 to 8 months.

The fee for Phase III (Construction Management & Construction Observation) is a percentage of the construction cost. This fee is billed monthly over the course of construction.

After our initial complimentary meeting with the client, we send them an Architectural Agreement that includes fees specific to their project.

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9. If we decide to hire Goodman, can we pick and chose which services we want?
Yes and No. You can choose whether you want Goodman to build (Phase III: Construction Management) the facility or whether you just want them to do part or all of the Construction Observation and have someone else build it.

However, if you hire Goodman to design your facilities (Phase I), Goodman must also develop the Construction Documents (Phase II). Since legally the Architectural firm that creates a design owns the design, another firm cannot do the Construction Documents from a design that is not theirs.

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10. In your Services section you say that you will do a Master Plan. What is a Master Plan?
A Master Plan is a written and a schematic drawing depicting your current site and facilities, parking, trees, etc. and showing the location of future expansions. The plan also shows phasing of future expansion, for example: when the worship attendance reaches 400, expand the sanctuary and add classrooms.

Master plans allow churches to maximize the utilization of their site, save time and money, and it gives them a tool to use for annual planning, fund raising, etc.

We receive many calls from churches who are now "land locked", and who may have had enough property before building, but because they did not have a Master Plan, the original building was placed in such a way on the site that additions are difficult or impossible. Also, costly demolition may have to be done in order to accommodate an addition that was not considered in a Master Plan before construction began.

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11. What is a Feasibility Study?
A Feasibility Study is a complete analysis of your current site and facilities, your growth potential, and your financial capability. We gather information from you that allows us to calculate your need for worship, classroom, and other space. We look at your growth history and project your future growth. Then we can calculate the amount of square footage you will need in each area and can estimate the cost for building.

Sometimes a Feasibility Study will reveal that a current site is maximized and that relocation should be considered. With each Feasibility Study, we will present recommendations for you to consider.