Another vote for not judging too much based on web site alone. We really like our architect, and he has no website. He's been working as an architect in our city since before having a website was a thing, and he gets more than enough business through referrals from past clients, builders and designers with whom he has worked, etc. that he feels a website would be an unnecessary waste of time and effort.

It's not the website that concerns me. His real job gets his focus and energy. You get after hours. Even if he can do it in 50 hours (not likely) that's a lot of weekends and evenings. The comment about "why do you want to build something so big" implies pre-judgment.

Oh yes, I didn't mean not to judge the architect with whom the OP already met, but (s)he commented that others in town didn't have websites, which was a bad sign. My comment meant that some of them might be worth considering.

One of these day I will have a website. Eep.

BTW I meant to applaud you for wanting to work with an architect. Interview until you find one you really like and feel you can communicate with. Consider people as far as two hours away willing to commit to visiting the site prior to design and as much site observation as you need.

OK...time to ask...where are you located and where is your site? Why is it so hard to find experienced architects whose practice includes a substantial portion of residential design?

OP said earlier (s)he is in a rural part of North Central Pennsylvania.

Just throwing in my two cents here because we are also building on land at this phase....and the same s/f. We live in SW Missouri. The cost of living here is low.

That being said. We found that every builder has their own way of finalizing a house plan. Some use architects, some don’t. We did not feel comfortable with that, nor could we find a plan close enough to our wants to tweak slightly.

We went to the most commonly used architect in the area. I think they are actually a drafter. For the whole plan, not including 3D, it’s supposed to be $1450. So far we are in prelim 2, and we’ve paid $500. We have spent about 4 hours in their office.

I would look around & see who most use so you know they work well with builders. I hope that helps!

I always wonder at the website stuff. I don't even have a website and I've always been booked up. We'll ok, I wasn't in 2009 but that had nothing to do with not having a website.

Ok, to be fair, maybe the website comment wasn’t an accurate assessment, but in today’s day in age, the first thing I look for is an online presence. It’s also how I’m researching builders as well. Perhaps the building industry in general doesn’t need to stay current in this sense, but it’s how I conduct my initial research (generational thing, I suppose).

Jska482, your situation is exactly how our area operates. Most people just hire a draftsman, or use a design/build firm to do it for them.

When I toured the local home show last year, two of our bigger local architectural firms were there and had their work on display. They were all $800K+ homes in State College, Lewisburg, Danville, etc. Nothing local. I’m not sure if it’s that our market simply doesn’t support it (my $400K budget is actually on the high end for our area...median home prices...not built...are around $150K). Most of their portfolios consist of commercial work in our area (which is probably plenty to keep them busy since competition seems to be minimal).

As far as travel, I’m not really willing to do the 1hr+ drive thing with a little one and two parents working full time jobs (my wife works odd hours during the week and occasional weekends). It has to be local.

Now, you can find people like the one I interviewed who have an architectural degree, but aren’t licensed (he’s a licensed engineer with an architectural degree), who operate independently, but it sounds like from many on here that he’s not someone I should consider.

My wife does have a lead on an architect who works for one of the big two firms in our area who may be willing to do this on the side for us.

I also want to reiterate that I’m not here with the intent of bashing architects. I truly see their value since most of the new construction homes in our area look terribly designed (my wife and I want to avoid that). They’re mostly just big boxes with lots of front facing gables, or they’re some weird squatty looking 3000 sq.ft ranch with no windows on one side, or all garage facing the entry, etc.

My wife and I just struggle to find enough options locally that will meet our needs and help us stay in budget.

Ohhh haha Mark! I’m in Australia and guess you are referring to Falling Water ;-)

And actually, the website thing has kinda come full circle with me. About 15 years ago I thought about setting up one but never got around to it and now, I take a sort of perverse pride in NOT having one while being busier than many of my local colleagues that have fancy sites. I've only had one client bring it up during the initial contact...and btw, they wound up being very happy with their house!

I will agree with the OP. Our area is very rural and the couple relatively local architects just don't do much residential work at all- there just isn't enough residential work to support that business model. Most houses here are built by local builders that have 20 plans to choose from. That's why I also didn't choose someone local.

Doc, are you doing it remotely or traveling?

“...architects are over an hour away.” That struck me as funny. An HOUR! Holy cow! I, too, live in an extremely rural area. 1.25 hours from Kansas City, 1.5 from Des Moines. But we do have cars and paved roads here, and we’ll drive an hour to a good restaurant. :)

I believe if I had $400K on the line, I wouldn’t let an HOUR stand in my way.

Fair enough, littlebug. We, too, have paved roads in the east (gasp). Glad I could give you a little laugh. We all need that on a Monday.

I'm keeping it local for now. Remote might be a better fit for our schedules as well. Just my preference.

The architect will need to come to you to see the site. After that you will probably go to them during the design phase... plan on a couple of meetings at their office. If you can find someone local, great. If you can't find someone local, is this not worth a couple of half days to get right. This is a really big investment you'll live with for a long time.

To give everyone an idea of what I'm working with, this is your typical "custom" built new home in our area:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1523-Ridge-Rd_Jersey-Shore_PA_17740_M30298-99610

Okay then!

Summit,

Yes, if push comes to shove, we will travel.

Mgh-pa's photo is an excellent reason to find an experienced architect to design a custom home.

"... When I toured the local home show last year, two of our bigger local architectural firms were there and had their work on display. They were all $800K+ homes in State College, Lewisburg, Danville, etc..."

Are you considering the two local architectural firms? Penn State has had an architectural program since 1910. Are you considering any of the faculty or practitioners in State College? Keep looking...! :-)

Virgil, I hadn't thought of faculty, that's a good idea.

Mgh-pa's photo is an excellent reason to find an experienced architect

Let alone that dreary landscape view from the rear deck.

****

Of course, if you built something inspired by a typical Pennsylvania farm house, you'd be the one ridiculed on resale!

Pennsylvania farm house. Tom Nair photography.

Or go back another 100 years:

West Chester Pennsylvania, 1806 (with later additions)

@worthy,

I hear you. We have some of the worst views here ;)

Penn State has had an architectural program since 1910. Are you considering any of the faculty or practitioners in State College? Keep looking...! :-)

While Virgil and I agree on most everything else, he always posts "look at college profs".

Exceptions of course, both known historical (Gropius for example) and unknown but for the most part, I don't think the typical college prof has quite the "real world" grasp of that of a practicioner that's out there in the trenches everyday dealing with issues that are far removed from academia.

And of course, the reverse is true also. Outside of giving a "guest lecture" or two, very few excellent and typical real world architects would make a good choice for a full time professor of architecture.

Very few people can be everything to everybody well.

The Pennsylvania telescope farmhouses are some of my favorites. I wouldn’t ridicule that upon resale :)

If you like the work the architect you interviewed locally has done I’d give him a crack at designing with you. Commercial architects can be a fantastic resource and shouldn’t be wholesale discounted. That said, don’t be so wedded to one without interviewing with a few others remotely or within driving-ish distance. You’ll have a better idea of whether he is or isn’t a good choice through that process, more than snarky comments on a home website ;)

"...While Virgil and I agree on most everything else, he always posts "look at college profs"."

"...Exceptions of course, both known historical (Gropius for example) and unknown but for the most part, I don't think the typical college prof has quite the "real world" grasp of that of a practicioner that's out there in the trenches everyday dealing with issues that are far removed from academia..."

Actually, I think Penn State and the town of State College may be in the vicinity of the OP, so looking there is not so outlandish, whether for practitioners or faculty, or both.

And...believe it or not...many architectural faculty come to the faculty after many years of private practice. And a number of faculty maintain active architectural practices while teaching.

Of course, some faculty are in the theoretical and research worlds, but if one scratches the surface a little bit one may find that there's a lot of practical experience on faculties.

Just a thought to help the OP with the search if s/he prefers "local" and the local practitioners are limited. The point is to try to find a creative and experience person...

OP, if there are possibilities an hour a way, why not travel at least for initial meetings with them (maybe see if you can line up several the same day). All you're committing to for now is one day of travel. After initial meetings you should have a better sense of whether they're worth some more travel or not.

Actually, Penn State is a great idea. I didn't even think about it. We are working remotely mostly, with some meetings occurring at the property as well.

The realtor link that the OP posted was for a pretty "high end custom" for this area just so you all know. LOL :)

I heard Peter Bohlin may have some spare time. Call him to see if he can do your project, he does some nice stuff.

Realizing that Mark's suggestion was likely somewhat tongue-in-cheek, this is still a good interview to read. Peter Bolin talks about designing the perfect house.

I have a good Peter Bohlin story I should not repeat here.

Awwwww...!

Does a "name" architect get out of bed for anything less than US$250,000--plus a cut of the construction cost? (Hugh Newell Jacobsen starts at US$300,000.) And even then, their input is occasionally supervisory at best.

I think not, Worthy. What do Canadian architects--real architects--get out of bed for? :-) PS: I write this as I lounge in bed awaiting the money to roll in...

"PS: I write this as I lounge in bed awaiting the money to roll in..."

Virgil,

That is not architecture, it has a different name and may be older than time :-)

Architects can't build and builders can't Architect. If you want a realistic budget with no surprises, have them collaborate from the earliest design phases.

I am in awe of the repartee on this forum. Really!

Two strong candidates for Best Saying of 2017, right there!

What do Canadian architects--real architects--get out of bed for?

Say, Richard Landry, Quebec-born and educated architect to the wildly wealthy, who designs homes that sell in the tens of millions of Yankee dollars?

Richard Landry-designed Beverly Hills mansion currently on the market for US$45 million.

Or Oakville, Ontario-based Ferris Rafauli, the designer who employs architects to flesh out his visions for star cradles, most recently Drake?

Oakville, Ont. rear elevation

Randall Residences, Oakville, Ont. condominium under construction

Co-designed by Richard Wengle, arch. F. Rafauli.

Drake's 21,000 sf. Bridle Path digs under construction. Rafauli Designs

For the merely well-to-do, I've been quoted "builder prices" from name architects of C$150K minimum for 6,000 sf, plus a percentage of the construction cost.

Only C$150K? In Canadian dollars? A bargain. Think of the return on your investment...on what in the photos...a C$5-C$8MM market value development?

It's not crazy to find an architect that would do the job for $5,000. But, you have to be very disciplined about what you want and very clear about communication.

I know one very busy architect that designs very nice homes for less than$5,000. He has so many CAD plans in his personal database that he puts together to create the bulk of the project. He passes this database efficiency along to his clients.

Don't throw out your first guy just because he has a day job. He needs to eat. Ask to be given a list of his completed homes that you can drive past. He should have one or two that you can see inside. Hopefully, his clients are still speaking to him.

I would respectfully suggest that you contact ARG, ArchitectRunnerGuy. He does a lot of really good remote design. We all trust him and have seen lots of his work at this site. He even takes our criticism. He does good work, is efficient, talented, and likes his day job.

Only C$150K? In Canadian dollars? A bargain. a C$5-C$8MM market value development?

Yep, luxury now starts at a base C$5 millionwhere I am on the fringe of TO proper.But lot prices here form a higher proportion of the sale price than most places in the US/Canada--one half to two-thirds of the sale price. So for a C$5.5M. house, expect to pay C$2.8-C$3 million for the lot, plus C$122,950 in land transfer tax if it's a City of Toronto lot, half that outside the City. Say the home sells for C$5.5m. That's $220,000 in real estate commission + C$28,600 in sales tax (HST).Then actual construction costs, carrying costs etc.

By the time you add in all the costs, luxury home sales are rarely the bonanza outsiders--and that includes architects--think they are. So it's no wonder that even the largest tract builders, let alone most infill builders, have turned to architectural technologists and designers. Meanwhile, the big "name" architects--such as Lorne Rose, Richard Wengle, Richard Librach--work directly with moneyed homeowners or prestige condo developers.

Of course, there are a host of young guns working smaller projects with hipster clients unknown to this aging Baby Boomer!

For $5k, I got a pretty good architect who made all the changes I wanted but I had to lead. He took hardly any initiative from a design standpoint. In hindsight, I wish I had spent a few $k more to get more service.

Two different worlds: mainly coastal megalopolises and all the rest. Now, that our resident architects have glimpsed Paree, how ya gonna keep em down on the farm?

Strategery, that sounds less like needing "more service" than it was someone who lacked the creative bone. He could do competent drawings of whatever you told him you wanted. He could not do something you didn't even KNOW you wanted till you saw it - just based on your needs and expressions. Which is the difference between a technically competent individual and a creatively talented one.

"...For $5k, I got a pretty good architect who made all the changes I wanted but I had to lead. He took hardly any initiative from a design standpoint. In hindsight, I wish I had spent a few $k more to get more service..."

This sounds much more like a drafter or CAD-driver, than a licensed and experienced architect. So many folks post here and talk about "their architect", but often it turns out that it wasn't an architect at all. Which is because many folks can't tell the difference.

This sounds like another of those descriptions.

20 years ago I paid a designer $3K to design a house. This build I paid an Architect SIGNIFICANTLY more. I am still rather stunned that ya'll are getting real architectural services for this amount of money, i.e. <$10K. (And its not like I am in NYC / Toronto / LA)

I wouldn't judge an architect because they didn't have a website, but I would most definitely look down on any design professional who has a poor website.

It's one thing not to have a web presence, but to have one and not care about good design and proper function reflects on their attention to details and their demand for quality.