What do you want from an Architect?

  • Added:
    Jan 04, 2013
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    1879
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Whether you’re planning a landmark home on a green field site or a simple extension to your existing house chances are you’ll need the services of an architect. As well as helping you to negotiate the demands of planning permission and building regulations, an architect can add creative flair to a job and help make the most of the space available. They should be able to advise you on making a house work for your needs and help avoid problems like awkward spaces, dark corners and a lack of storage space. Additionally they can help you select materials and fittings to suit the design.

Are they Register

When selecting an architect make sure that they’re registered with the ARB (Architect’s Registration Board) and ask around locally to see if other people have had experience of the firm and are happy with their work. Personal recommendation is always a good indicator. It’s important to find a practice that knows the local area too as they’ll be able to advise you on particular factors and conditions in the region.

Look to for firms that have worked on similar types of project to your own. Some architects specialise in certain styles of building so make sure that the one you choose understands what you want. It’s worth contacting two or three firms to get quotes and discuss your requirements. This will give you an idea of what they’ll be like to work with before you sign up.

How you use an architect is up to you; you can get them just to handle the design or you can have them manage the entire project from start to finish. The latter will be more costly – typically between 8% and 12% of the project budget – but may well be worth it in terms of having an expert on hand to ensure everything is running smoothly and to deal with any unforeseen problems.

Don’t be Brief

It’s important to establish a clear brief at the start and draw up a contract to ensure both sides know exactly what’s involved. This will help to avoid disputes arising later on. If you employ the architect to manage the build he’ll check the work and sign it off before you pay which can help avoid problems with the builder. It will usually put the builder at ease too, knowing that they’re dealing with a professional.

Whilst employing an architect may seem expensive, over the course of a building project it can actually save you money by helping you avoid problems and keep everything on track. Of course you can employ architectural consultants that provide many of these services and more, especially when searching locally for such as architects in Lincolnshire.
 

Author's Profile

Jon Mathews is a frequent contributor for Building by Design and has written many articles pertaining to all things regarding architects, building by design, and planning, especially on such subjects as providing architectural design & consultants services for the residential market.


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