Is it worth hiring an architect for your new residence?

The decision of whether to hire an architect can be a difficult one.

You are probably thinking:

“I don’t need an architect. Architects are too expensive and I personally love design. I know a builder that says he can handle it, he has a draftsman that he uses and it’s all included in his price.”

How do you know if it is worth hiring an architect? 

The answer to this question will depend on what your needs are and what your budget allows.

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of hiring an architect to design your personal residence and when that choice is most appropriate.

When to hire an architect

If you are in need of an architectural design and want to make sure your house is designed reflective of your personal desires, then hiring an architect will be worth your time and money. You’ll get exactly what you want.

Licensed architects follow their own specific design process. The design phase of a project addresses the owner’s style preferences, current building codes, and ultimately produce detailed drawings and floor plans to ensure builders know exactly what they are required to build. 

If you have specific construction requirements due to geographic location or desire a specific aesthetic style, an architect is best suited and in some cases necessary.

A professional architect will also provide project management services - making sure that contractors stick to the architectural design agreed upon, delivering the project on time and keeping the budget in check.

As with all things, you get what you pay for.

Consider these three important factors:

1. Builders build. Architects design.

2. Architects have architecture degrees, laboriously sweating through years of schooling, resulting in a career in architecture.

3. Paying an architect upfront to design it correctly, usually outweighs the pain of ending up with a poor design or a building that costs much more to fix after the fact.

If there are specific construction and design requirements that cannot be met by the builder alone (e.g. if you’d like something site specific and beyond a builder’s standard comfort zone), an architect is essential.

Architects are well-versed in creating beautiful spaces that make the most of what is available in the local region, for each client's budget. When you hire an architectural firm that is knowledgeable about a specific area, they know what the building's users will need, want, and expect.

If you are not experienced in building and cannot judge or supervise the builders closely, an architect is key to keeping things on track during construction. Architect’s backgrounds include knowledge of construction methods and materials and are often able to anticipate problems before they become expensive issues.

If the budget for your project is small, you can avoid unexpected costs down the line. An architect can help create a master plan to design your scopes of work in phases over time.

In reality, the upfront cost of hiring an architect may end up being less expensive than other alternatives. Trying to save a poorly designed building can be incredibly expensive - far more than simply paying an architect's fees to get it right the first time.

If an architect's fees are intimidating, maybe take a different perspective. The value of our talent can far outweigh the cost of our fees. Starting from the design and visualization stages through construction, an architect can save you money by reducing change orders and representing you the owner, throughout the permitting and construction phases. 

Let builders do what they are good at: building. 



Let architects do what we are good at: designing.

So, is it worth hiring an architect?

If you answer yes to any of the following, then clearly, it is worth hiring an architect.

• Do you want exactly what you want without compromise?
• Do you want a site specific, sustainable design with a long-term life cycle approach?
• Do you prefer a design that is true to the chosen aesthetic, proportion and scale?
• Do you prefer a modern, contemporary or true to selected style design?
• Do you need drawings that are completed by someone who will consider options for engineering challenges such as material capacities, wind loads, seismic capabilities or ADA compliance?
• Do you prefer a level of quality, design and attention to detail that is above average?

Should you hire an architect or contractor first?

If you want your project to ultimately be a success, stay on budget, and be delivered on time, then it is best to hire an architect as early on in your project as possible.

By hiring an architect early in the process, there is a much higher potential for project cost savings.

The earlier you hire an architect, the more time available to make changes before construction starts and potentially decrease final costs. Once a project moves into the construction phase, even the smallest of additions or changes to architectural plans can dramatically change the cost of the build. 

Now that you know if hiring a professional, registered architect is a good choice for you or not, the next step is figuring out how to sort through potential architects and choose the right architect for you. 

We hope reading this blog has helped you understand the true value of hiring an architect to reduce your next project's long-term costs and see that the upfront expense is completely worth it in the long term. 

We take deep pride in our commitment to our clients. We don't want to just be any architect, we want to be YOUR architect.

Learn more about our unique approach to architecture services. If you'd like to discuss an upcoming project, give us a call at  (941) 894-6888, or to share your thoughts, email barron@theschim.com. 

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter, Methods and Madness, for more insights, information, and visual stimulation for all things architecture and interior design related. 

~Barron Schimberg, AIA, LEED AP