Questions to Ask When Hiring An Architect
When building or remodeling, an architect can come in handy. An architect can help you decide the best and safest way to approach a project.
“Typically, architectural fees can be anywhere from 3% to 15% of construction costs and take 3 -12 months to go from conception to final drawings for permitting and construction,” says Marc Frame of TexMod Architecture.
An architect can create a plan for a finished product that is safe, and aesthetically pleasing. If you are in the market for an architect, there are several questions you need to ask before making a decision on the architect that is right for you.
Start off by asking your potential architect if they are registered. This is important because it takes six years of school to become registered. A registered architect will have a master’s degree in architecture, have around 2,000 hours of internship, passed nine exams and do yearly education.
Once you determine that they are qualified, you need to find out what their work process is like and how they charge for their work. An example of a workflow might be that they gather information from the client, prepare a concept design, meet throughout the project to talk about progress, and take changes during the meetings into consideration in the final drawing set. If there are changes to the plans, do they charge the client to make each change? It is always nice if the architect knows what construction costs are and they can price out the design as you go along.
Ask for examples that they can show you photos or you can drive by in person. You will also want references and make sure that the architect has experience with the type of project you are going to be completing. Always remember to ask if the principal, project architect or intern will be working on you project. If all of them are working on it, ask them how the communicate with each other to keep all in the loop of what is going on.
These are the most important questions to ask an architect, but you also want to make sure you are compatible. Frame suggests asking, “Do the personalities of the architect and client mesh? Is it going to be a mutual working relationship with respect both ways? When conflict arises, will the two parties be able to work things out?”
