Whether you want to build a new home, renovate an older home, or add on to an existing structure, you’re likely going to work with a residential architecture firm.
But before you begin the process of finding the best residential architect for your home, it’s important to determine what you’re looking for--in terms of style, budget, and timeline--and figure out whether or not a potential architect can offer what you need. Here are a few things to look for in a residential architect.
Service levels
There are a few types of projects that residential architects are typically hired for: custom homes, remodels, and additions. Getting clear on which project you are in the market for will help give you a starting point when looking for an architect. It’s also important to decide how much work you want to take on yourself as many architects offer different levels of service for each project.
CoXist, for example, is a full service architecture firm which means we work with a homeowner throughout every stage of the process. From realizing the vision to helping select contractors to being the liaison during the construction phase, our team will handle the project from beginning to end.
There are also architecture firms that offer partial services. In these cases, they may provide you with a drawing of the house plans and it will be up to you to navigate the interior and construction aspects.
When considering which level of service is right for you, ask yourself how much time and energy you’re willing to dedicate to the process. Building or renovating a house is essentially like taking on an additional job. The value a full-service architect brings is in taking on the oftentimes stressful and time consuming aspects of the process so you don’t have to. When you hire a full-service architect, you’ll still have the overall say in the process but even better than that, you’ll save yourself time, energy, and potential headaches--which will far outweigh the cost of an architect.
Style
Once you’ve determined your project and the services you’re looking for, you’ll want to check out an architect’s work to see if they have similar vision or taste. For example, if you envision your dream home to have a Spanish or Mediterranean design, then you most likely won’t be interested in working with an architect whose portfolio is full of modern and contemporary homes.
When looking for a residential architect, it’s also important to look at the scale of their past projects. If a firm appears to specialize in renovations and you’re looking to build a new home, then you may want to inquire about their experience working on custom homes.
Relationship
This may go without saying, but you want to find an architect that you actually like! From the moment you share your vision to the way you communicate throughout the construction process to the completion of the project, you should feel like you and your architect are on the same page.
At CoXist, we believe the most important thing an architect can do is to listen. The process of building or renovating a home is personal. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you’re receiving a space that will not only function to fit your needs, but enhance your way of living. As a client, you want to feel like your architect is listening to your wants and needs and working within those parameters rather than telling you what you should do.
When interviewing a potential architect, it’s also a good idea to ask them for references. An architect will gladly share past projects with you as well as client testimonials that can provide insight into the experience.
Budget
When it comes to the cost of an architect, every firm structures their pricing differently. While you won’t know exactly how an architect prices their services until you speak with them, it’s important to understand that there are many variables built into the price. The price is especially dependent on the level of service they provide. As a client, it’s important to understand exactly how the project fees will be broken down, whether it’s a fixed fee, hourly fee, or whether or not the pricing includes overseeing the construction process.
The most important thing you can do when choosing the best residential architect for your budget, however, is to clearly communicate what you’re looking for. This helps both parties understand the scope of the project, especially when it comes to pricing. If the architect understands what the project will entail and how much involvement you want them to have, they can better present a price that’s tailored to your needs. As a homeowner, understanding the value that an architect can bring to the project, especially when they are a full-service firm, can help justify the costs associated.
Timeline
Lastly, once you’ve found a residential architect you may want to work with, you’ll want to figure out your ideal timeline and determine whether or not it aligns with the architect’s timeline. Keep in mind that if you’re building a custom home, it’s a good idea to be flexible with your proposed completion date. In general, a new home can take a year to design.
It’s natural to be eager about completing your new home and it may be tempting to want to speed up the process. But faster is not always better. Throughout the construction process, everything has a cause and effect. Rushing through any stage of the process can result in issues arising down the road. And not only do construction delays slow down the whole timeline, but construction issues are also expensive to fix.
At CoXist, we tend to spend more time at the beginning of the process to ensure that once we’re in the construction phase we can prevent problems from arising.
As a homeowner, it’s important to trust the process and, more importantly, trust that your architect is taking all of the necessary steps to ensure that you end up with your dream home.
Image by Jake Holt.