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Featured Architect Articles

"Turning to Outdoor Architecture to Add Living Space" More homeowners are looking beyond the interior of their homes to the space outside when they need to add extra living space. Hiring a good architect to help you formulate a plan for your vision can make it possible to create a space that adds functionality and style to your home, not to mention perceived value at sale time.

"Why Hire an Architect?" Many homeowners fail to realize how complicated a home remodeling project can become until they are lost in a sea of design challenges, building codes and squabbling contractors. Hiring an architect to oversee the process from start to finish makes a great deal of sense, whatever the remodeling project may be.

Choosing the Right Architect for Your Remodeling Project

Every architect has his or her own unique sense of style and vision, which shows through in every aspect of his or her work. There is no "one size fits all" approach in architecture, so choosing the right one for your project may seem like a daunting task. What appealed to your neighbor may be hideous in your eyes, so it important that you find an architect to work with who will take your personal ideas and turn them into a reality you can live with.

First Do Your Homework
The first step in any remodeling project is to define what you really want to achieve. You don't need to come up with all the answers; after all that is what you are hiring an architect to help you with, but you do need to have the basics decided so that you can hire the best person for the job. You also need to be clear about what budget you have to work with and how you intend to pay for everything.

Asking around amongst friends and relatives for a recommendation can be a good way to find an architect for your project but, if none of them have any suggestions, turning to a network that specializes in helping home owners find the right person for your remodeling project can be a great help. To be included in such a network architects have already undergone a screening process to ensure that they are properly licensed and insured, which will save you a lot of time.

Chemistry is the Key to SuccessYour shortlist should contain at least three or four local architects. Once you have this, you can begin contacting them about your specific project. A personal interview with the architects you are considering is essential. This person will be in and out of your home for weeks or even months, so the chemistry between the two of you has to be right. Their work may look wonderful in the brochures but if an architect rubs you the wrong way from the beginning, the whole project may be doomed.

A larger firm may have a number of architects on staff so at that first interview make sure that you are meeting with the individual who will actually be working on your project. If you are not, reschedule the meeting so that you can.

Playing Your PartThe architect you eventually hire will be there to help turn your vision into reality, so it is important that you stay actively involved every step of the way. If your architect dismisses one of your cherished ideas out of hand make sure he or she explains why before an argument ensues or resentment sets in. It may be that they have very good reason for doing so, for instance your budget may not run to some of the changes you have in mind, and if this is made clear you will be able to work together to find a good compromise.

By Melanie Rivera

Architects are where home and remodeling design begin. An architect can design a home from scratch by using your ideas and seeing the land the home will be built on. Architects usually can provide layouts you may not have thought about yourself. It is equally important to employ an architect when performing any significant remodeling to your home. You may know that you want to move a wall or enlarge a room. But only an architect can help you determine what dimensions the new room should be, what structural and engineering requirements will need to be met, and how it will affect other aspects of your home, such as heating and cooling, etc. Architects are trained and licensed in engineering standards so they can ensure that the design of a home or a remodel will be structurally sound. Many architect firms have structural engineers on staff to assist in this capacity.

One of the biggest myths in the building and renovating industry is that an architect is a waste of money. The saying goes on to imply that, with the thousands of plans available on the market, why would you pay for an architect? The reason this line of thinking goes on is because few people actually realize what an architect does for a client. In the basic sense of the word an architect translates the dreams of the homeowner into workable plans for the contractor.

Architects are not cranked out of trade schools by the dozens they are university educated in both design and engineering. For each project he or she must configure a workable set of plans taking into consideration the building codes of the area along with the structural and mechanical concerns required for the building. In a renovation there is always the old clashing with the new. An architect must understand how the old building was constructed and what is the best method to mesh the two technologies together while maintaining the continuity of the design.

When an architectural firm is commissioned an architect is assigned to the project depending on the type of build or remodel and the experience. The property is scrutinized for the best possible structure. In recent times, with energy prices skyrocketing, new "green" themes must be introduced like the positioning of the building to gain the most heat advantage from the sun or, in warm climates, the best reflective possibilities to help the air conditioning system. These aspects save the homeowner in energy costs.

An architect also has to design according to the covenants of the area. Many neighborhoods have stringent rules like: brick-face fronts, paving stone driveways and clay shingle roofs. All of these concerns are taken into consideration when designing the home.

Architects are also involved in the hiring process. Since they design the projects they also have a good idea of the costs and problems that might occur during the building process if an inexperienced contracting firm is hired. Detailed plans are given to the contenders so that the bid will be fair.

During construction the architect is available to make inspections and, if necessary, to make alterations. This is can be very important if a client decides to change something during the process. In fact the architect is the client's partner even after the keys are handed over to make sure that the home or renovation does not have any problems.

And the cost? Many architectural firms work on a percentage while others have fixed costs. Consider this as an insurance cost that will make the build go perfectly. Because in the long run architects save you money.