ABOUT US
ARTISTIC LICENSE DESIGN INC. was founded in 1994 and originally operated from glam offices in downtown Vancouver, but with experience comes insight: now we invest in our people, not our office space.
We abandoned the big corporate gig in favour of maintaining a small group of ridiculously talented people who love what they do and are happily obsessed with good design and quality control. This win/win gives our clients a committed, nimble and consistent team throughout the project, and gives us flexibility and creative freedom.
Office hours are M-F, 9-5ish, and we connect with our clients in person, on site, or remotely as needed. We also exercise our talents in endlessly innovative ways using the latest technology, whenever the inspiration arrives or whatever the project requires: we research, we experiment, we invent; we crank it out to meet tight deadlines or slow it down to create informed solutions to complex problems.
Our size is integral to our success, and we plan to stay small because it works: we have more fun, build better long-term relationships, communicate more effectively with our clients and each other—so critical details don’t fall through the cracks—and you pay for our skill set, not our view overlooking the park. Read more about our people here
WHY US?
Admit it: most people don’t choose to be boring—but we’re willing to accept mediocrity if it buys us reliability. That’s why we drive Toyotas instead of Lamborghinis. But what if they only made reliable Lamborghinis—that you could actually afford?!
We asked the same questions and reinvented our design delivery process. Consider the possibilities of “what if?”:
What if you hired a design team whose work excelled as much as it innovated? What if that team created dynamic space and solutions—specific to your needs—that were as beautiful as they were practical? What if good design was integral to their approach and not just veneer?
What if you worked with a consistent team from inception to occupancy and could genuinely trust their advice? What if the design delivery process was fun, inclusive, collaborative and made easy to understand, even for the uninitiated? What if you could dodge any big, scary surprises and your project was completed on time and (gasp!) within budget?
The answer(s)? ARTISTIC LICENSE DESIGN INC.
Think of the corporate implications: What if improving or expanding your work environment improved your firm’s productivity and efficiency? What if your space gracefully transitioned and integrated staff working remotely with in-house staff? What if you could add “sustainability” to your corporate values? What if your company culture thrived and your profit margins increased? What if everyone actually liked coming to work?
What about the residential implications? What if you didn’t have to abandon function and glamour for affordability? What if your home really felt like your castle? What if the results were beautiful, low-maintenance and timeless? What if your space uniquely suited you and yours, and not every other wanna-be on the planet? What if your residential redesign improved your quality of life and increased your resale value?!
Our award-winning team has been around a long time. We know what works, what doesn’t, and we know why. And we’ll tell you the truth. We also know building codes & regulations; local industry specifics; proven construction methods & procedures; reputable trades & suppliers; energy efficiency & environmental sustainability, and how to integrate kindness and the human element into everything from the use of natural light to life safety systems.
Go on—have your cake and eat it too!
Call, email or book your first appointment. We can’t wait to meet you.
OUR RATES
Sure, we’re highly competent and crazy-qualified, but we’re not interested in putting our name up in lights or building our next vacation home. We just love what we do and want to work with good people. That’s why we’re a consulting firm only and are not affiliated with any construction firm or supplier, so we charge for our talent and expertise, not to cover big-firm overhead and profit margins.
Fees average 10-15% of construction costs for small projects and less for larger projects. We forecast our fees before you commit and only exceed estimates at your request for changes or additions, or with your prior approval.
Services are billed hourly or per-square-foot, subject to the project’s Scope of Work. Our rates are competitive across the industry and are invoiced by skill level needed for the task, so you won’t pay Senior rates for Junior work. Plus, all fees are confirmed in writing based on a detailed Scope of Work specific to your project, so you’ll be informed and involved every step of the way.
