The questions you’re actually asking

Who owns the work?

Deliverables, source-file transfer, presentation rights, ownership, and usage rights are defined in the accepted written scope and agreement. Pilot file treatment is also defined in that record.

Will my client ever find out?

Direct end-client contact is excluded unless the accepted written scope authorizes it. Publication, credit, and portfolio use follow the signed agreement. Where a firm allows anonymous reference, it is described without identifying the firm or its clients.

Do you use AI?

We use whatever tools produce the best result, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. What you’re actually worried about is unreviewed output reaching your client — and that’s the thing we don’t do. A named designer is answerable for everything that leaves this studio.

What if I don’t like what comes back?

Two revision rounds are included in the fixed fee. If we’ve genuinely missed the brief, that’s ours to fix, not yours to pay for. Scope changes are different — those get a written change order you approve first.

What tools do you work in?

Yours. AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Lumion, MyDoma — in your templates and title blocks, so nothing needs reformatting before your client sees it.

Will you sign an NDA?

NDA review is available before confidential project information is shared.

What about licensure and stamped drawings?

You remain the firm of record — the client relationship, licensure, and permits stay with you, and we produce under your direction. Where a jurisdiction regulates the preparation of construction documents, we scope that with you up front so the arrangement fits your state’s rules.

Are you going to be booked when I need you?

We’re a team, not a freelancer — capacity is why we exist. Retainer firms get reserved monthly capacity; per-project firms get an honest answer about timing before we quote.

Are you a virtual design assistant service?

No. Astratto is a virtual design studio rather than an individual assistant: white-label production support, including CAD-based drawings, renderings, sourcing, and FF&E spec sheets, with a senior designer answerable for everything that leaves the studio. Firms that need more than ad hoc freelance help use Astratto for on-demand, per-project production without hiring.

How fast can you turn something around?

It depends on the project, and we’ll tell you specifically before you commit. What we won’t do is quote you a generic “48-hour” promise that quietly excludes everything you actually need.

Where are you located?

We’re fully remote and have been since 2015, working with firms across the US.

What does it cost?

A fixed fee, quoted per project, with two revision rounds included — so you can quote your own client with your margin intact. Real number after one short written exchange. See pricing.

A question we didn’t answer?

Ask Michelle directly through the contact form — she reads and answers every enquiry herself. Start a Project →