Finding An Architect
So, you have a vision of transforming your existing home or building a new one? Here’s why using an architect will help to elevate your project.
Why choose an architect?
Architects (the good ones!) have the skills, empathy and thoughtfulness to deeply listen to clients and translate their needs into something beautiful and functional. They are able to balance form, space, light and interior furnishings, and be both creative and innovative to ensure that the materials and building methods will work within budget and time constraints. They have a deep understanding of engineering, construction, and health and safety regulations so that the pretty building they have designed won’t blow over or burn down.
Every day architects speak the language of structural engineers, party wall specialists, builders, building control, health and safety specialists, interior designers, lighting specialists, and landscape architects without having specialised in any of those fields.
Put simply, if you want beauty and function, and need a translator to act as a conduit between yourself and a host of specialist suppliers and consultants - use an architect.
How to find an architect?
Most of our clients come via word of mouth recommendations, so get in touch with your friends and family who have done recent projects with the help of an architect and ask them to share their experience with you.
You can also do a quick online search for architects local to you. Lots of our local clients come from a simple ‘London architects’ or South London architects’ search.
You can also use apps like Houzz or search the directory on the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) website.
What to look out for?
You’re not obliged to use a chartered architect to design your home or take you through the local planning process. But, if you choose to, and are paying the money for the services of an architect, it will make sense to look up their credentials. Chartered practices will be registered on the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
Go and see real projects. This will show you how the architect brings designs into reality and shows how they work with real clients.
The relationship between a client and architect is key. You need to be sure that you have been heard and that the architect can take on board your needs and translate it into a space that works. This is especially true when your project is complex and requires deeper consideration when navigating local planning regulations.
How fees work?
We use two fee structures, which are pretty typical with most architectural practices, either as a percentage of the contract value i.e. the build costs, or on a time basis, which means that we’ll apply an hourly rate for the time it takes to complete the project.
Fee proposals are often broken down according to the stages (Survey and Brief Development, Feasibility Study, Planning Permission, Technical Design and Construction) and you will usually not need to commit to using the architect for all stages. It’s important to be very clear on what is and is not included in your fee so you go forward with your project with your eyes wide open.
Summary
When you search for your architect, remember to check their previous built work and go and see examples if you can, ask for references and try and get to know them. This person is about to be part of your life for the next few months and when forming any new relationship, trust is key.