When choosing an architect or designer to work with for your project, no matter what size or scale, asking the right questions can go a long way in making sure you’re making a smart choice.
After all, different architects like in any trade have different processes, specialities, client bases and standards as a whole. Finding the right match can save you a lot of time and regret in the long run, and for something as important as your property or your business, for such a small number of questions, you really can spare some heartache.
These are some of the questions that we would recommend as a national architectural firm that has won awards for our work:
Have you got Experience With similar Projects?
Experience in working with the type of project you have in mind can be a huge asset. It goes without saying. If they have undertaken work similar to yours, they will know what they are up against, have accurate information for you, and be able to give you some ideas and inspiration too.
While it isn’t always a deal breaker, especially if you have a particularly unique project, it is something that can really help you make up your mind confidently if you have seen the work done on someone else’s property.
Do You Charge for Initial Meetings?
Any designer or architect worth their salt knows that there’s only so much info that you can get from a call or some pictures. Initial meetings are where ideas can be discussed and both parties can get on the same page to get a clear understanding of the road ahead. Or, if parting ways is the right choice instead.
Some firms will charge huge fees for this in case they aren’t able to carry out the work and thus lose money on travel and time, but for the most part, a good firm should be happy to offer it for free. Especially so if you move forward with the project. While of course it depends on the length of time needed for discussion and the complexity of the situation, but having an idea about fees before you start is a big help in making the decision easier.
Do You Outsource to Other Designers?
A fantastic question to ask your future architect or designer is if they do their own drawings. A lot of larger firms or more expensive architectural teams will often outsource their drawings to other freelancers or agencies. Especially for building regulations drawings that take so much time and detail without the creativity that planning or concept drawings require.
Often, this work is sent to smaller studios, freelancers or even abroad for lower costs and higher profit margins. That may even be at the expense of the quality of workmanship that takes place. While it;s not necessarily a deal breaker, again, it can give you an idea about what you’re actually paying for and the level of care the company is willing to give for their work.
Have you worked in the Area?
While this isn’t always applicable, sometimes, having a local architect can be a big help in getting things done. While smaller projects won’t generally see the benefit of this, larger projects may well be suited to a local designer.
Why? Well, because of the network they have and the experience or rapport they may well have with the local planning authorities in the area. They may be more in tune with what will and what will not fly, but at the same time, it;s also possible they have a bad rap too, so take that one with a pinch of salt.
How Does Your Pricing Work?
Pricing structures can often make or break an architectural quote if you know what it is to look out for. Many firms will have a standard breakdown of fees for their initial surveying and drawings, their planning work and their building regulations, but often, that won’t include some of the extras that a project needs to be as successful as it actually should be.
If the firm isn’t willing to tell you this breakdown, or if the pricing seems massively weighted in one direction, it may be worth going into this further with them. Find out if they will be doing the work themselves, why they differ from competitors, and generally make sure that they are worth the money they are asking for.
How Long Will My Project Take?
Like any project in the trade industry, architectural professionals will differ in their workload. Depending on the firm’s efficiency, size, and seasonality too, they may not be able to squeeze you in for quite some time. If that is going to be the case, it’s better to know this sooner rather than later.
Asking how long a project will take is often answered with a time to wait before work can even start. After that, it goes into the firm’s operations about initial drawings and survey availability, and then planning and building regulations. Key things to look out for here are a firm’s understanding of local planning department or building control delays (as they know their stuff), as well as overpromising. At the end of the day, the process generally takes a few months at least after all is said and done.
Do You Recommend Builders?
Finally, any reputable architectural professional is likely to know some builders in the area that they can suggest to undertake projects. While it might also be the policy that they don’t do that to protect their own reputation, if they do, it can really help speed up the build process and give you some confidence that they can trust you to do the lot.
Always keep your wits about you, but again, by asking questions like these to potential architects and designers, you should get a good feeling about what you’re getting into. Ultimately, you should find the perfect architect to make your project come to life perfectly and give you all of the positives that come along with that. After all, that’s the beauty of architecture.
