Medical Office

Why do I need an architect to design my medical office interiors?

Martinkovic Milford Architects considers all aspects of your medical office design to create the best experience for you, your staff, and your patients. We can help you navigate the challenges unique to medical architecture and design, including codes and permitting, contractor bidding, construction costs and project schedule. We work with you from initial office concept to office layout to the selection of finishes to help insure the best medical office design and buildout.

What is my new medical office going to cost?

Costs vary by market. In urban markets like New York and San Francisco, the build-out costs for a medical office space begin at about $80 per square foot. If you have intensive needs for infrastructure like plumbing, medical gas, or radiation shielding, costs can escalate to $150 per square foot. Non-urban markets tend to be less expensive. While construction costs can be shockingly high, Martinkovic Milford Architects has extensive experience in keeping medical office build out costs on track.

How long will it take to design and build my new office?

Creating a medical office from scratch usually takes 8 to 14 weeks to design and another 8 to 16 weeks to construct, depending on the size and complexity of the project. We typically budget an additional 2 to 4 weeks between design and construction for permitting and contractor bidding. If your schedule is compressed, we can likely make adjustments to the typical design and construction process to meet your deadline.

Do you provide medical office "space planning" services?

Absolutely. We often call it "schematic design," and it's an essential step for the best medical office design. A thoroughly considered space plan is critical for maximizing office efficiency, controlling build out costs and taking advantage of design opportunities.

What if I'm looking to build multiple locations?

For a medical office rollout, Martinkovic Milford Architects will establish design standards for a prototypical medical office, determining your space requirements and getting the look and feel just right. Based on the prototype, we will prepare construction documents for each location, and will coordinate necessary permits. Additionally, we can help streamline the design, bid, permit and construction process, and we can drive down the construction costs by leveraging economies of scale.

How much extra does it cost to build green?

It's up to you! We are happy to include green building materials and energy-efficient fixtures into any design-these kinds of initiatives are part of our basic fee and will not substantially increase construction costs. A more ambitious approach, such as aiming for LEED certification, will require additional architectural fees and construction costs. When contemplating the costs and benefits of eco-friendly design, remember that sustainable restaurant design will ultimately save you significant utility costs and will greatly enhance the experience of your building.

What is the design process like?

There are four sequential phases of design. In pre-design, we define the project's scope and gather all relevant information. Schematic design is when we tackle the overall layout of the medical office space, and in design development we focus on the details, including the finishes and fixtures. The final product is the construction documents, which is essentially the instruction book for building your medical office, and contains all of the decisions made in previous phases. It also contains the documentation necessary for acquiring the building permits, and describes any another special instructions to the contractor.

What other advice can you lend?

Find your voice: Before embarking on this adventure, think about the image you want to project through the medical office design, and how see yourself as being different from your competitors. With a clear understanding of your objectives, we can help you craft a vision for the new medical office.

Take the patient's perspective: Walk yourself through an entire visit, in your patient's shoes. Consider such concerns as comfort and privacy, look and feel of the environment, and patient amenities. How can you provide your patients with a superior experience?

Plan a contingency: Expect surprises during construction, they always occur. Set aside a healthy construction contingency - we typically recommend about 10% of the construction budget. Also maintain a schedule contingency - we suggest 10% and at least 2 weeks.

How do I get started?

It's simple - give us a call. We're eager to hear about your project. We can discuss design, fees, budget and schedule. If it seems as though Martinkovic Milford Architects is a good fit for you, we will then submit a formal proposal for the work.

Give us a call at 415-346-9990 or email us