How to Work With an Architect
Architects blend beauty, function and structural integrity into a breathtaking package. Here's how to get the most from your collaboration
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
Whether you're planning a simple addition to your house, a comprehensive remodel or a brand-new structure from scratch, the services of an architect can be a worthwhile investment in a home tailored to your specific site, taste and lifestyle.
Architects must earn a bachelor or master of architecture degree and complete a three-year internship that culminates in a rigorous multiday exam. The internships are managed through the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB); all U.S. states and territories participate. Plans drawn up by architects are required to bear their license number, and they can be held liable for their projects' structural integrity.
Architects must earn a bachelor or master of architecture degree and complete a three-year internship that culminates in a rigorous multiday exam. The internships are managed through the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB); all U.S. states and territories participate. Plans drawn up by architects are required to bear their license number, and they can be held liable for their projects' structural integrity.
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| What an architect does: Architects design buildings and often oversee their construction. When to hire one: Architects work with their clients to develop unique home designs that meet the requirements of a building site, as well as their clients' needs and lifestyle. If your plans involve building from scratch or altering your home's footprint, building codes may require that an architect sign off on plans before construction starts, so check whether this is true in your city or state. What it will cost: Architects' fees vary widely according to the project type, location and many other factors. Although fees may be hourly (anywhere from $50 to $200 or more), they're more often based on a percentage of total construction costs (often around 10 percent, depending on project and region). Some architects will draw up a set of plans for a flat rate. |
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Seek architects from reputable sources. Houzz lists thousands of architects and designers in its professional directory. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), an architects' trade organization, also provides a directory and a referral service. A contractor you've chosen or have worked with in the past also may be able to recommend architects who would be a good fit for your project.
As with hiring any professional, schedule a first meeting to get a feel for whether the pro suits your style, needs and personality. Look at his or her online portfolio or ask to see photos of past jobs. Request references and be sure to follow up on them. The design and building process is fraught with unexpected events, so you'll want to hire someone who has a strong track record and with whom you get along and communicate well.
Keep in mind that different architects specialize in different styles and types of projects, so be sure you choose one who has experience with structures similar to the one you're planning.
As with hiring any professional, schedule a first meeting to get a feel for whether the pro suits your style, needs and personality. Look at his or her online portfolio or ask to see photos of past jobs. Request references and be sure to follow up on them. The design and building process is fraught with unexpected events, so you'll want to hire someone who has a strong track record and with whom you get along and communicate well.
Keep in mind that different architects specialize in different styles and types of projects, so be sure you choose one who has experience with structures similar to the one you're planning.
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| Do your homework. At the initial consultation, the architect will have a long list of questions about the ways you'll want to use your space and the aesthetic and other goals you'd like it to satisfy. Be prepared to answer these thoroughly and thoughtfully. It can help to provide photos of homes or architectural features that appeal to you. Make sure your ideas and the architect's match. After getting your input about the project, the architect will draft a set of sketches to begin bringing your vision to life. Take your time reviewing these sketches and discuss anything that doesn't jibe with your wish list for the space. It's much, much easier to make changes at this stage than it is when the plans are firm and construction has begun. After the sketch stage, the architect will draw up final, concrete plans. These often include a list of specified materials and other nuts-and-bolts items. Don't be shy about asking for help. Architects' plans can be challenging for the untrained eye to decipher. Be sure you understand the details and ask your architect to explain any aspects that you find confusing. See how to read a floor plan Also, the process of gathering building permits can throw homeowners for a loop; your architect should be able to assist you and relieve some stress on your end. And an architect can ensure that the contractors' work stays true to the plans for the space. Seek input about fixtures, finishes and surfaces. If you aren't working with an interior designer, ask your architect for guidance about paint colors and surface materials, as well as other features such as lighting. He or she likely will be able to offer good suggestions that will help the space to flow both visually and functionally. Encourage site visits during construction. It will add to the bottom line, but having your architect on hand to be sure the plans are carried out correctly can save time, headaches and money in the long run. Tell us: Architects and homeowners, please share your tips below! |
Ideabook updated on May 19, 2013.
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Secondly, do your homework:
1. Have some sort of a program that generally establishes your parameters (i.e. design style, size, a list of spaces and functions, examples of what you like, levels of quality, top end budget, etc., etc..). The client who walks in with a faucet and tells the Architect/Designer design me a house around this, makes good commercials, but it's not reality.
2. Be selective and reasonable with choosing your design professional. Design professionals are not a one size fits all, nor are they magicians who can pop out just any design. If your wants are a New England Cape Cod chances are you're not going to be totally happy with the ideas of someone who leans toward Modern Minimalist.
3. Communication is the key. For communication to work there has to be both talking AND listening, otherwise you just have noise. If you're not talking and listening to your Designer, there is no communication. If your Designer is not talking and listen to you, again there is no communication. I liken it to a marriage. Show me a couple who don't communicate and I'll show you a couple headed to divorce court.
4. Be realistic, good design is a process, it is an evolutionary journey of ideas that are formed, massaged, eviscerated, discarded and regurgitated. They are tumbled like pebbles in the surf and bounced around inside our minds, until they come together in a harmonious mosaic of perfection.
Keep in mind, this should be one of those exceptional exciting events in your life. For most it's a one time event........enjoy it, have fun with it, embrace it for what it is..... an opportunity to achieve something incredible and unique. Your designer will appreciate it......if they don't. You don't need to walk........you need to run.
The part about sketching is correct. We sketch and sketch. Most architects take their work thru six phases. The client should approve each phase before the next one begins. This is not a hard and fast rule and one can jump back to a phase as needed. I think of the process as a journey from Willington NC to LA. One can take I 40 the whole way, except for brief exit in Memphis. Or one can take the back roads and spend weeks exploring or months exploring. So much depends on the client, how organized they are, how much preperation they have done, have they built before, how quickly can the architect can do their work. Iand a big one, what level of work has the architect been asked to do. I have seen two weeks to ten years, no kidding.
The phase are as follows:
Conceptual Design, the big idea. This usually happens for me In the interview. In a lot of cases the client brings the big idea to the interview.
Schematics Design follows, this is loose sketches but to scale drawings capturing the clients wish list. There can be several rounds of this type of sketching.
Next, Design Development, refinement of schematics and usually to 1/4" sale. At the end of this phase the team is pretty committed that this is the design that will be built. One can say the architects work is about 30% complete.
Construction documents follows, this is where the architect creates the documents (specifications and drawings) that the builder and trade partners will build the house from. This set of instructions can be very elaborate or very brief depending on many factors.
Next for me is bidding, sending the documents to several prequalified and invited builders for pricing. Out of respect for the building community, I like to keep the group to 3 builders. They do a whole bunch of work preparing a thurough bid. As does thier group of trade partners. Then we evaluate the bids for the building communities understanding of the project requirements.
The bids usually reflect how complete the documents are. This is where the clients can be at great risk in accepting a bid that is based on little information. The builders have to fill in the blanks and make many assumptions. Some will read work and cost into thier bid as that is how they will build whether instrcuted or not, and others will not read scope and cost in a compeditive process unless instructed. The scary part is the assumptions will leek out during construction and be fine or not. Bottom line is the client is in the position that they will not get what they thought or end up paying for it as a change order. This is where I say. The architect does not save the owner money, we just try to identify what the house is really going to cost when we can do something about it.
The last phase is Project Administration, working for the owner and helping the builder and trade partneers interpret the plans. Architects are not quality control. That is the builders job. We are on board to help insure the plans and specifications are followed and the investment in the documents is achieved. And depending on how thurough the documents are the Architect can be ask to continue to provide design direction during the constuction. At the end of many months or years of hard work we all get to celebrate a job well done.
The thing I love about helping a client achieve a home is the client, architect and building community are working as team to achieve one of the greatest acheivemnts in one families life.
1. No bidding. Unless you ask other design-builders to submit proposals you have nothing to compare to. Since design is part of their package, all design-builders have something in mind but until they are hired and the designs are on paper, you don't know what you're getting. Architects put a lot of detail in their contract documents (for permit & bidding) so that, if five bidders are submitting prices, those are all for exactly the same quality and quantities of products.
2. Shortcuts during construction. Since the designer and the builder are the same entity, there is a danger of the builder taking shortcuts and their own designer never knowing about it. In contrast, an architect will visit the construction site weekly and compare payment applications to the actual progress and the newly installed materials to the intent on the contract drawings. If there's something wrong or the progress doesn't match reality, the payment application does not get certified and the owner is protected. Every penny saved on the jobsite is pure profit for the design-builder and unless the owner is very experienced, they may never realize they got less than what they paid for.
Also - I would like to note that the author of this article makes a general assesment regarding fees for architects. Note that the fees charged by architects greatly depend on the size/scope of the project (is it a bathroom remodel or a whole house) and may even depend on your region of the country.