I’ve never worked with an architect before. How do we start?
The first step is to schedule a phone call with me. During this initial consultation, I’ll look up your property data and you can tell me about your needs, wants, ideal budget, and schedule. We can also chat about your family and all the particulars of your project. If we both feel that we might enjoy working with each other, then we schedule a site visit. After doing a site walk with you and delving deeper into your vision, I will provide you with a detailed proposal.
Why do I need an architect? Can’t I just work out the design with my builder?
A good architect understands how to balance proportions, composition, circulation, and transitional spaces. A builder’s strengths lie in construction means and methods. Most reputable builders won’t work on a project that doesn’t have a designer or architect on board. They understand that having a well thought out design and complete set of construction documents is necessary for a project to stay on budget and on schedule—and to get a beautiful end product.
The number of decisions, small and large, that need to be considered, documented, and communicated in a timely manner is really quite daunting. A homeowner is often not qualified to do this effectively on their own. Another thing to consider, is that the added property value in a well designed and well executed space often pays for the architectural fees and beyond.
When you see an image of a beautiful home, you see the end product. I see all the steps it takes to achieve such a lovely space.
I’m not sure what I can afford. Will you help me figure out different options?
Absolutely. I always provide multiple design options and if appropriate, I try to scale them as “small, medium, and large” options. Many of my projects also take phasing into consideration.
What is your fee?
All of my work is billed hourly. I use percentage of expected construction cost as an estimating tool for my proposal, but I do not base my fee on a percentage system. The amount of hours that I estimate for your project will be affected by lots of variables. I will provide you with a proposal after a site meeting.
I have collected images of spaces that I love. Do you want to see those?
Yes I do! Architects are visual people and it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words. I love to see images of spaces with an overall style or ambiance that you love, and also images of cool details or storage solutions that you’d like to incorporate. Anything from digital image collections on Pinterest or Instagram, to images torn out of a magazine, to a snapshot of that house in the neighborhood that you love. I don’t get possessive about my designs and I don’t believe in oversharing or overstepping when it comes to brainstorming about the architecture of your home. The more I know about you, the more tailored your design. Great ideas come from all team members and design is a collaborative process that narrows from the general to the specific as the project progresses.
How long will my project take? How much will it cost?
These sorts of questions can only be answered by investing a little bit in design. Although I can give you ballpark figures for comparable projects, an accurate estimate is not possible without design drawings.
I always recommend progressing the design to the creation of a “Pricing Set” of documents. These drawings will provide us with a viable solution that is developed enough to do quantity take offs and calculate costs. But, you won’t have gotten to the point where you’re paying for structural engineering, permitting, or fully detailed construction documents.
We will use the Pricing Set to find a contractor that is the best fit for your project, and get an estimate that is within about 15% accuracy of the final contract price. The other benefit to doing estimating and contractor selection earlier in the design process is you can secure a spot on a contractor’s schedule in a very busy market.
How do I find a talented and trustworthy builder?
I will help you. Part of my business is having a network of talented and honest craftspeople that I can recommend. Over time, I’ve gotten to know the strengths of each company and can recommend a builder that will be a great fit for you. I am also completely open to expanding my network and working with someone that you bring on board.
I hear getting a permit and working with the city is hard and takes a long time. I don’t know how to do that, can you help me?
You should not concern yourself at all with permitting. This is part of the reason why you hire a professional. I am very experienced in dealing with the city. I know the types of permits required for different types of projects and the amount of time we should allow for approvals while staying on schedule. I will be the lead on that process while you get to sit back and do the fun things—approve designs and select materials.
Will you just draw up this plan I found online and get a permit for me? Then, I’ll take it from there.
The short answer is no. Although there are exceptions, as a general rule, I only take work where the client wants to have a collaborative team dynamic with their architect and contractor from the beginning of design until the day construction is complete. I find this process produces the best result and is the most rewarding.