Set up in person interviews. Meet them, tell them the scope of your project, ask what type of information you need to gather. This is mostly about getting a feel for who they are and how they work and if it's someone you want to work with. Find out how their fee structure works, if they have builders they prefer to work with. Ask if they can share pictures of finished work that is in the scope of what you are looking for. Not everything will be on their website. I can dig up a suggested list of questions if you'd like.

Thanks. Good advice. Yes, all the pictures on web sites are much bigger projects. Of course no one posts pics of the jobs that went wrong! Guess I’ll just call a few and get started.

It can be difficult to get a good architect on smaller projects. Be clear as to the scope of the project when you call. We had an architect design a large addition to one of our previous houses. Years later, we added on office space to our detached garage. Our original architect did the garage/office plans for us. He made it clear he only did so because of our prior business with him.

If you run into problems getting an architect, consider using a draftsman. That's who we chose when we did a 500 sf addition and kitchen remodel. No regrets.

30 years ago we hired a local builder for a 2 story, 1000 sq ft addition to our home. This meant knocking out a load bearing wall in our kitchen and doubling the size, enlarging the dining room and adding a library on the first floor, and on the second floor we added a 5th bedroom/bathroom and enlarged the master bedroom and bathroom.

Following our builder's recommendation we hired a local engineering firm to handle all the architectural designs including a custom designed hidden support beam for the load bearing wall. It was definitely simpler and less expensive - especially since we weren't trying to overhaul the entire house.

A few years after that we added a pool and a screened porch and deck and also hired an engineer.

Have you selected a builder yet? That might be a resource to help you pick.

I wonder how you find an engineer or a draftsman.

We talked to people in the neighborhood who had done remodeling. Do you participate on Nextdoor? Might be a good place to start searching.