10 Things Architects Wish Their Clients Knew About Building

What are the requirements necessary to call yourself an architect?

In the United States, architects are licensed professionals. Five years of study is the minimum length of time to earn a Bachelor of Architecture. After that, candidates must apprentice to a licensed architect to create a total of eight years (in New York State) of combined study and practice. This total can vary from state to state. Some states allow the substitution of experience for a degree but the total number of years of experience required varies from eight to thirteen.

Once candidates qualify by a combination of education and experience, they can take the Architect Registration Exam (ARE), the national licensing exam. The current exam has six divisions. Each section of the exam is allotted 4-6 hours for completion. Most architects take two to four years to pass all the parts. Applicants may apply for a license after passing all sections in the exam. Only after receiving a license to practice architecture have they earned the right to call themselves architects.

To keep their licenses, architects must also attend a certain number of training classes every year. It is a complex job. Keeping abreast of technology is crucial.

Most architects develop specialties. Some practice as high-end residential designers or as hospital, school, or commercial designers. Those in large firms often oversee one or two aspects of a total project.

Your research into choosing an architect could include a combination of word of mouth, observing construction projects in your area, internet research, and considering recommendations from your builder if you have already selected one.

An architect is like an orchestra conductor. A conductor might not play every instrument, but he needs to know what each can do, how they work, and the skill level of the musicians. Architects need to be familiar with the ways various city or town planning boards, zoning boards, and building departments operate. Other critical aspects of the job include project budgeting, bidding, and general knowledge about each trade. Masonry and concrete, framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, hardscaping, millwork (trim and cabinetry), flooring, tile, paint and other finishes, windows, doors, and hardware are all instruments played by knowledgeable contractors in the architect's concert hall.

Ideally, an architect is there to create a great design that matches your specific needs and dreams, to help you navigate the building process, and help you get the quality for which you are paying. It is serious work, but it should be fun as well.

The following items are things that will help you and your architect create a great project experience. There is a linear process for turning your dreams into reality.

1. Have a realistic picture of what you want to build, what you can afford, and how you will finance the project.

This advice sounds basic, but a modest kitchen redo in 2021 with cabinets, countertop, flooring, new appliances, electric and plumbing starts around $50,000- $75,000 in New York. Check on what standard builder houses of the size you are contemplating are selling for in your area. It will not be cheaper than that. If you are looking at new appliances, are you thinking about a model from a big box store or a high-end manufacturer? Look at some prices.

2. Have a survey if any exterior site work is a part of the project.

Whether you are planning to build from scratch or have an addition to an existing structure in mind, the architect will need access to your survey. Every municipality has its own rules about how far the building structure must be set back from the lot lines and the road. There will also be rules about how high the dwelling can be, how many buildings can be on the property, the allowable maximum or minimum square foot coverage of residence, driveways, pools, and walkways on the property.

There may be additional restrictions such as easements, right of way, the locations of wells and septic fields. On a town or city lot, it is essential to know the location of gas and water lines. How to channel stormwater runoff is also becoming an issue in certain states. In some localities, a wetlands designation may restrict the location of a building.

Your architect can present the project to your local planning or zoning board to petition an exemption if the design requires deviation from municipality restrictions. Reasonable exceptions may receive permission if caused by circumstances outside your control.

3. It will not happen overnight.

Forget HGTV. You may be able to complete a small project such as replacing bath fixtures and tile over the course of two or three months with good planning however, a large project such as a whole house renovation, a new residence, or a building rehab will average over one year to design, permit and build. A high-end residential build with custom work will be closer to two or three years, and commercial projects with complex permitting can take even longer.

City or town boards generally meet once per month to consider proposals for new work. Meetings can add one or two months to the process, depending on the timing of your project. It may also take time to locate and hire a reliable contractor in your area.

4. Your project will follow a set project template with six basic parts.

Think in terms of a structured design process. Start with the big picture and work your way down to the details.

Schematic Design-

This is the time to communicate your needs for the project. What do you want to build? Does your project need to conform to any cultural or environmental requirements? An example of a cultural requirement is Feng Shui placement. Some environmental requirements may include orienting the building to maximize natural light, creating a pleasing viewshed, ensuring privacy in a crowded area, and minimizing traffic noise. You may wish to incorporate a high level of sustainability into the design.

Your architect will have good ideas and advice, but some of the best projects happen when the client is involved. Let the architect know if there are specific people you want to use on the job. Maybe you know a good electrician. Perhaps there is a talented artisan you would like to hire for a specific part of your project. You might be planning to hire an interior designer or a landscape designer to help you complete your project. The architect can work loosely with these professionals to create a more seamless job.

Have a sense of how you want to use your space, including furniture placement. Will your bed fit between the windows? How big is it? How much space do you need for a TV wall? How do you like your desk placed in a room? Will there be curtains, shades, or shutters installed at the windows, a specific collection that needs display space? Do you own an extensive wardrobe or large artwork? Do you need a home office? Bring these requirements to attention in the beginning. A general idea is enough at the beginning of the project.

You may have seen a project to use as a springboard. Bring some photo references and explain what you like about them.

Prior to beginning a whole-house renovation, the entire structure will be measured and the existing plans will be drawn before any other action is taken. If you are adding a room, perhaps only areas adjacent to the project will be measured. If new construction, the location of the projected building footprint will be staked out on the site with your surveyor, giving an idea of the orientation.

The architect will work on some initial sketch ideas and present them to you for discussion and revision.

Design Development-

Next, the plan you choose to develop will be refined by the architect and drafted by staff members. Details are reviewed and selected, such as tile, flooring, plumbing fixtures, and other finishes. At this point, there may be some revisions, but overall, you should be happy with the direction the project is taking.

The level of drawing that interior work is taken to varies from project to project, partially depending on client preferences and partially on how much custom work is involved. It may be that only wall elevations of the kitchen and bathrooms are needed. In a complex high-end custom project every room may be drawn.

Construction Documents-

The architect will issue a finished set of stamped and signed documents to be approved by the building department. Blueprints (today most often plotted on a printer) are contract documents. These prints will include floor plans, elevations of the building exterior, schedules listing the doors and window types and sizes, wall and floor construction details, basic electric plans and much more. The building inspector will review them to make sure they fall within all of the municipal, state and federal requirements. Many projects also include a written project manual that identifies all of the items included in the work scope.

Bidding and Contract Negotiation-

If you have not chosen a builder in advance, the architect can help you bid out your project. Typically, two or three general contractors review the project, do a walk-through, and produce a bid for the owner.

The architect can help compare the project bids, verifying that each contractor understands the scope outlined in the construction documents. It is best when all the submitted bids are within the same range. A very low bid creates suspicion of the ability of the contractor to complete the job.

You will also meet all the candidates. Ultimately the choice should be the person you feel is most capable of doing a satisfactory job, and with whom you feel the most rapport. Remember, you will be living and working with them for several months.

You will be hiring the contractor you choose to work for you. It is fine to request and review references and completed projects before you hire. The architect prepares the contract documents for you and the contractor to sign. The architect will be working with the contractor who constructs your project, helping to complete your job smoothly.

The architect also works for you and is there to help you negotiate problems on the job. A good working relationship between the owner, the contractor, and the architect makes it easier to resolve issues that inevitably crop up.

Occasionally clients with law or contract experience will manage the bidding phase on their own. This can be negotiated out of the architect's contract if you are qualified to do it and have the time.

Construction Administration-

The architect plays a less active but essential role in the project during construction. The contractor submits requests for payment to the architect. They are reviewed, ensuring satisfactory work completion. The architect then signs off for you or your financial institution to release payment. The architect will also be visiting the site one to two times per week to review the progress and discuss solutions to problems that might have cropped up with the contractor.

5. Architects have typical fee structures.

Do not be afraid to discuss the fee structure with your architect. Architects can quote their fees in several different ways. The most common and probably the best value for the client in most cases is a percentage of the construction cost. Design fees can be anywhere from 10-15% of the construction cost for an architect and more for an interior designer. If your project comes in at $350,000 when bids come in, plan on paying the architect $35,000- $47,000 in addition to the physical construction cost. The structure for this type of contract can include a not-to-exceed clause. It will then contain a specific range of services by the architect.

Some architects are willing to work for an hourly rate. They will provide you with a rate sheet listing the hourly rate for architects, draftsmen, and administrative staff on the project.

Architects can also provide a cost breakdown by job phase. For example, a budget for measuring and drafting existing structures, the cost of attending board meetings to present your project, bidding the project out to contractors, and helping analyze the bids and selecting one, design and development, and necessary site visits. A large percentage of an architect’s fee is paid out before construction begins unless they are heavily involved in the interior design or are project managers on the job.

6. If you do not understand, let your architect know.

If something on the drawings puzzles you, or you do not think a room will function based on your needs, do not be afraid to ask for an explanation or request an alternate sketch layout. You may not be familiar with some standard industry abbreviations or vocabulary. It is OK to ask. Your architect wants you to understand your options within a design project.

7. Do your homework.

When an architect specifies a building component, go to see it. Windows and doors are often a large part of the budget. Find out the pricing. The cost doesn’t need to be a surprise. It is much easier and less expensive to change things on paper than during the building process. You can work with salespeople individually or pay your architect to go to showrooms with you. Either process is fine. Often architects have trusted salespeople they have worked with, but sometimes clients introduce the architect to great sources they know of.

So go to see the windows (and get the best you can afford), try out the faucet, look at the tile. Ideas often get better between the beginning of the drawings to the time the contractor gets them.

8. Expect the unexpected.

Most jobs run smoothly with a few minor hiccups along the way, but occasionally projects run into more major holdups. Maybe there are no footings under your current foundation, or unexpected rot in the walls or the roof needs repair. Perhaps there are buried gas or oil tanks. Or, as happens on the occasional commercial project, you have stumbled on a forgotten burial site. Whether big or small, your project contract will not cover problems outside the contract limitations. Allow some cushion for things that can go wrong. A 10% contingency built into the contract can help alleviate your financial burden in these cases.

9. Pay your architect promptly.

Architects should be billing you on an agreed-upon schedule during the project. The invoices will vary depending on how much work it was necessary to do during that time. The architect is paying staff before billing you for completed work. Don’t make them beg, cajole, or plead for payment. Just pay them. If you have a question about the bill, address it right away.

The same goes with the contractor on the job. Contractors submit payment schedules with breakdowns regularly that represent progress they have made on the project. The architect usually reviews payment schedules and approves them, however, the bank or a client with contract law experience might want to take it on. Building professionals also talk to each other. If you withhold payment for a legitimate reason, fine. If not, it will get around.

10. There is an old saying.

The building trade is like a triangle in which you can only travel along two sides. One side represents time spent, one represents cost, and one represents quality. You can never travel all three sides of the triangle.

Quick and cheap construction will not yield a quality job.

A high-quality, reasonably priced job takes time.

A good quality job done fast will cost a lot more.

Remember, above all, an architect is there to help you get the best quality for your money. Whether you are building your dream home or still thinking about it, I hope these tips will make your project more enjoyable and run more smoothly.

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Thanks for reading my article.

I draft and design for a small firm specializing in medium to high-end residential architecture, historic restoration and renovation, and main street multi-use renovations (commercial street frontage with apartments above). There is always more to learn.