Scope of work requires hiring an architect first.

We have an engineer in our area that specializes in residential work. He will look at a project, create the plan, do all of the blueprints for the project and provide the required engineering letter. Much better price than architects and provides much more information and help than local architects. Much more detailed plans as well. You may want to see if there is anyone like this in your area. May look at your local builders association website or NAHB.org site.

In most case for any structural addition to be approved in our area a stamped AIA certified architectural plans are required by each of the municipalities building department. There are naturally many benefits by using a certified architect because in some cases your project may require variance and presentations to your Zoning Boards as well as Architectural Review Board and hence an Architect is more suited to accomplish these tasks. Our suggestion to our clients is for them to work with a cohesive and a tenured team that includes a licensed contractor and a certified architects, in that way from the start the contractor and the architect are working together to ensure that the ultimate design is priced within the specified budget requirements set by the Client. Another advise is to make sure that the Architect's service fees are a fixed price for the project and not structured based on the construction cost. Otherwise as the construction costs are increased the Architectural fees are also increased which really defeats the fiduciary responsibility that the selected Architect has to the client who hired them in the first place.