Frequently Asked Questions
CAPACITY ONLY WORKS WHEN IT IS CONTROLLED.
Every Phantom engagement is supported by a defined onboarding process, file standards, communication cadence, version control, issue tracking, internal QA, capacity planning, security expectations, and formal handoff.
You are not hiring an anonymous set of hours. You are engaging a managed delivery system.
Getting Started
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An embedded architectural project-delivery studio. We give architecture firms flexible design and production capacity — design development, documentation, BIM, and visualization — without the cost and delay of a permanent hire.
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A freelancer is one person with no backup, QA, or process behind them. A staffing agency places headcount and steps away. Phantom is a managed team: onboarding, standards intake, internal review, and a single point of accountability for the work — closer to an embedded extension of your studio than a placement.
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A small, clearly bounded scope — one drawing set, model, DD package, or visualization — with a fixed fee ($1,500–$5,000), a fixed schedule, and a defined review cadence. It's built so you can evaluate quality and communication before any larger commitment, typically over 1–4 weeks.
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No. Every relationship starts with a single bounded pilot. There's no obligation to continue, and firms only move to a recurring arrangement (Studio Support, Project Partner, or Embedded Studio) once the pilot has proven fit.
Working Together
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No — that's the standard we hold ourselves to. Phantom develops the work inside your templates, drawing conventions, and design standards. Our job is to extend your studio's output, not introduce a competing design voice.
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We're Revit-forward and integrate into whatever CAD/BIM environment your studio already runs. During onboarding we confirm software versions, templates, families, and file-sharing conventions before any production work begins.
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A structured cadence set during onboarding — typically a standing check-in plus async updates through your preferred channel. You get a single point of contact responsible for the engagement, not a rotating cast of contributors.
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Phantom is a distributed team, so coverage can be matched to your working hours during onboarding. We'll confirm overlap windows for reviews and live coordination before the engagement starts.
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You do, fully. Your firm retains the client, authorship, and project leadership at every stage. Phantom operates behind your studio, not alongside it in front of the client.
Quality & Trust
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Every deliverable goes through internal review before it reaches you — checked against scope, technical coordination, and presentation standards. Version control and issue tracking are part of every engagement, not an add-on.
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Vetted design and technical professionals — architects, BIM specialists, and visualization artists — who go through a portfolio review, an experience interview, and a skills assessment before joining a project.
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Yes. Engagements are covered by confidentiality terms, and file access, sharing, and storage follow the security expectations set during onboarding. We're glad to work under your firm's own NDA.
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No. Phantom provides design development and production support under your firm's direction. Your firm remains the architect of record and retains professional responsibility for the project — we don't imply licensure or stamping authority..
Pricing & Logistics
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Pilots are fixed-fee. Ongoing support (Studio Support, Project Partner, Embedded Studio) is a monthly rate scaled to the capacity and scope you need — not hourly billing with an unpredictable total.
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That's what the tiered structure is for. Firms typically start with a pilot, move into Studio Support for recurring overflow, and scale up or down as project load changes — without a renegotiation each time.
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Then it did its job — it's a low-risk way to find out before any larger commitment. There's no obligation to continue past the bounded scope.
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Submit a short project brief through Start a Pilot. We'll confirm fit, scope a bounded pilot, and get you a fixed fee and schedule before any work begins.