For years you've been dreaming of a bigger, brighter kitchen, a warm and welcoming home office, a backyard cottage, or the brand-new house of your dreams. You've perfected your Pinterest boards. You've established and understand your budget. It's time to figure out who to entrust with translating your vision to concrete, constructable reality. You could hire a skilled contractor to mastermind the whole project. A design/build firm offers both architecture and contracting services in a single package. Or you could call your cousin's brother-in-law, the one with a truck who's watched a lot of DIY videos on YouTube. However, hiring a licensed, AIA-registered architect not only has an immediate benefit towards the design and construction process, but pays dividends as time goes on.
QUALITY: No offense to your friend's cousin's brother-in-law, but an architect brings an immediate understanding of building systems, code regulations, a sense of beauty and proportion, and how these aspects interact.
GUIDANCE: With an architect you're getting an experienced professional who's in your corner and will guide you through the process of design, permitting, construction, and help with any issues that arise. They will serve as your advocate and, if needed, your proxy when interacting with contractors, engineers, permit reviewers, and more.
VISION: An architect can take your brief and goals for your project (everything from "new rec room" to "better vibes") and not only not only consider the practical steps necessary, but also envision the quality of the life your home can provide well into the future.
VALUE: An architect keeps an eye on the scope of the project and helps control costs of the project as a whole. In the long run, a house designed or remodeled by an architect shows a greater return on investment. Studies show that architect-designed homes go on to sell for above market value.
ENVIRONMENT: A good architect will understand how the construction will impact the environment, so you can get a green build. Additionally, higher-quality design ensures a longer-lasting building.
THE BIG PICTURE: An architect can work with you to create a master plan for your home by envisioning the completed goal and making practical plans for working in phases if needed. [plan for the future, Ability to plan for the future, Master Plan, so you can bite off chunks, work in phases, ability to envision the completed goal, advice on how to get there]
WHAT ABOUT THE COST?
It's important to be up front with your architect about your budget and listen to them when they indicate you may need to compromise either budget or project scope. With a good set of plans from the architect and a good contractor, controlling construction cost and value engineering will keep the project on budget. Typical architectural fees range greatly, with fees for new houses averaging less as a total percentage of project cost than remodels. Resale of properties with architectural design is generally better.
You can read more about our process here.