Building a new home is possibly one of the most exciting, but also one of the most difficult things you will do in your life. It’s not only about investing a large sum of money, but also about investing in your future quality of life and realising your dreams of space that you will call home. But how do you go about choosing the right architect for the job in order to ensure success and the best outcome possible and so, develop a fruitful architect-client relationship?
Trust your architect
Many clients base their choice of architect on fee only. You may have interviewed a few architects and received quite a varied range of quotations. But which one should you choose? David Peerutin, Design Director, says that service is one of the most important aspects you should consider along with cost. Every client is different and unique and every project has different nuances. Ask your architect how they will manage this process with you and realise that they are professionally trained to design, develop and manage the whole construction process from start to finish. Choose an architect that you feel has the ability to understand your needs and then watch the magic unfold.
What should you expect?
· Your architect will likely use 3D software to represent your project during the design phases, however make sure that you fully understand the design before signing it off as later changes can be costly.
· Based on experience, while your architect may assist you with an approximate cost for the size and type of house you would like, only a registered quantity surveyor is qualified to accurately determine the cost of each and every component.
· Despite the best intentions from all parties however, expect the process to be bumpy. The reality of realising your dream will be different to the expectations in your head. The building construction process can be stressful and messy but this is part of the journey. Paint, finishes and furniture have an influence on the experience of a space that only becomes evident once the dirty work has been completed.
Understand that challenges will happen, but if you trust your architect and the professional team, they will assist you in resolving these in order to achieve the best result.
Understand that challenges will happen, but if you trust your architect and the professional team, they will assist you in resolving these in order to achieve the best result.
A word of warning
Avoid shortcuts because you will pay for them later not only in cost but in a compromised result. When it comes to architectural fees, always remember that exceptional quality may cost you more, but in our experience higher fees is usulaly as a result of more resources, a higher level of staff dedicated to the job, or more documentation production which would ultimately help the success of a project.