Choosing and Working with an Architect

Architects are required to be licensed by the state, so you should ensure that any architect you consider is properly licensed. An obvious but potentially risky way of finding an architect is to select one from your local business directory. You can ask friends and colleagues who have used architects to give you a recommendation, or you can research the architects who worked on projects that are similar to yours or projects that you think are successful.

You may wish to contact the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects for a list of local architects. While the AIA is not a licensing body, it does maintain a code of ethical standards and rules of conduct for its member architects and architectural firms.

Ask to see a portfolio of the architect's work and take the time to visit some of his or her completed buildings and talk to those clients before you make your decision.

In general, the architect will take these steps, modified as needed to meet your objectives:

• Discuss your requirements for the building and help you to prepare a brief overall plan for meeting these requirements.
• Visit the proposed building site and evaluate its feasibility for meeting your needs.
• Investigate regulations applicable to your project and apply for needed permits and planning approvals.
• Tell you about the contracting services, utility requirements, and other factors that will be required to complete the project.
• Assist you in selecting vendors to bid on the project, preparing bid documentation, reviewing submitted bids, and choosing vendors.
• Prepare a timetable and a budget for construction.
• Develop designs, working drawings, models, engineering plans, etc., as needed.
• Visit the site during construction to monitor progress, supervise construction vendors, oversee expenditures, and ensure that your objectives are met.
• Providing a set of drawings of the building in its completed form.

Architects generally invoice for their services either hourly or as a percentage of the construction costs of the project. Architects working by the hour can often provide an estimate of the total fee based on the number of hours they think they will need to complete your project.

Once you've appointed your architect, you will discuss your requirements for the building, budget, timetables, and fees. To prepare for this discussion, you should have your objectives for the building clearly formulated in your own mind. In addition, you should be fully familiar with the building site, including its exact boundaries, rights of way, and any other factor that would affect construction. Once the architect understands your objectives, he or she will write an overall plan for the project.

The architect will visit the site to evaluate how it can accommodate your desires for the building. If a site has not yet been identified, the architect may be able to advise on appropriate locations. The architect may prepare a sketch proposal as an initial point of discussion and agreement with you.

The architect will then undertake a feasibility study to provide you with alternatives for spatial arrangements and elevational treatment and to make recommendations as to whether you will need a structural engineer, landscape architect, or other consultants. Remember that the architect will have to comply with building codes, health and fire prevention regulations, requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other laws and constraints.

The architect will organize meetings and surveys with all the other professionals involved in the project, which will enable cost estimates and outline proposals to be prepared. Be aware that changes to the plans may be necessary as part of this detailed planning process. You will be making decisions on quality of workmanship, materials, and so on at this stage, which will affect your project costs.

When planning and building approvals have been obtained, the architect will prepare detailed design drawings. The number of drawings will depend on the size and complexity of the project; they will be used by the contractors at the bidding stage and then on site during construction.

The architect can now prepare production information and tender documents to be sent to contractors bidding for the work. The architect will provide advice regarding the suitability of bids submitted.

Once the project is underway, the architect should visit the site at regular intervals to inspect the work being carried out. He or she will convene site meetings (you may wish to attend or read the meeting reports later) and will generally administer the terms of the building contract, give advice on maintenance, and arrange for drawings of the building pinpointing plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems.

The architect should regularly submit detailed billing statements to keep you fully informed of the costs throughout the various stages of construction.

The choice of architect should not be made on the basis of fee alone, but on the overall value of service. Select the architect who you think will do the best job; if the person is a good fit with your project, fees can always be negotiated.

You will save time, money, and anguish if you carefully choose an architect with demonstrated ability to perform quality work on time and on budget. If you are considering a larger architectural firm, don't decide until you've meet the individuals who will work on your project, to ensure that you will be compatible.

American Institute of Architects: www.aia.org