Service overview
Every practice we design begins with a walk through your day. We look at where patients check in, how staff move between operatories, and where sterilization sits so it never becomes a bottleneck. We map that flow first and build the architecture around it, which is why our plans tend to fit more chairs into less leased square footage.
Architects, engineers and the construction team work under one roof, so what gets drawn is what gets built. Equipment specifications, plumbing rough ins and lead shielding are coordinated before the permit set goes out, not discovered in the field at framing, when a change order costs ten times as much.
How we work
Five stages, one team, and a drawing set that carries straight through into construction
You finish with drawings a contractor can bid from, a landlord will sign off on, and an equipment schedule your reps can order against. No second architect, no gaps between disciplines.
Common questions
01
How long does design take?For a 4,000 sq ft project, plan on six to eight weeks from kickoff to a permit ready set. Landlord review and jurisdiction plan check add another three to six weeks, and we file both in parallel wherever the county allows it.
02
Can you work with a space I've already leased?Yes, and we do it often. We'll start with an as built survey and a code review so you know early what the shell will and won't support: ceiling heights, panel capacity, existing plumbing, and whether the landlord's work letter covers any of it. If the space genuinely can't carry the practice you want, we'll tell you before you spend money on drawings.
03
Do you handle permits and jurisdiction review?We prepare and file the full permit package, respond to plan check comments, and track the application through approval. We work regularly in Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, Montgomery County and DC, so we know which reviewers ask for what.
04
How is dental and imaging equipment coordinated?Your equipment rep's specs come into the drawing set early: chair utilities, vacuum and compressor lines, panoramic and CBCT shielding, and the electrical loads each unit needs. A physicist's shielding report is folded in before permit submission so imaging rooms pass inspection the first time.
05
What does design cost, and when do I pay?Design is quoted as a fixed fee based on square footage and scope, typically 6 to 9% of construction cost for a practice project. It is billed in three phases (concept, design development and construction documents) so you can stop after any one of them. Practices that go on to build with Sabetco have the feasibility phase credited back.
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