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Tips on Hiring an Architect
By: Nazim Nice
Post Date: 2009-05-22
If you are planning on selecting an architect you've probably read the 20 things to ask an architect article published by the AIA by now. While this is a good list to start from, there are some additional questions and suggestions that are important to add to your selection process. Some of these suggestions are from insight gained from working in actual offices and interviewing with many potential clients. Other issues arise from knowing how a well run office functions and the computer technology that is used by the top firms. So here's the list:
1. Schedule a trip to see the architect's office.
An architect's office can say a lot about their design aesthetic and creativity. Unfortunately many first meetings with a client will be at the project site, so you may not have an opportunity to see the architect's office. Consider scheduling a visit at the architect's office a few days after the initial meeting.
2. A disorganized and messy office might be a red flag.
An architect has to organize hundreds, if not thousands of pieces of information, and a disorganized office might be a big red flag. However, don't confuse artist creativity with disorganization. Models or model building supplies, trace paper and sketches can be a sign of a creative architect, but project information is normally stored in binders and filing cabinets. Large piles of paper are probably not a good thing.
3. See if the architect is using 3D software.
The most sophisticated architects use software that creates a 3D Building Information Model or BIM. A house or project designed in BIM is completely or almost completely designed in 3D. In addition, in many cases the software can help eliminate errors in coordination of drawings since the 2 dimensional drawings are all 'extracted' from the 3D model. The software also keeps track of building components like sizes of each door and window, and when a dimension is changed in one drawing, it is automatically updated in another. This can be a real help in reducing errors.
4. The foundation of an architect's experience is his education.
While attending a good college or university can help assure your architect has a good foundation, usually a better indicator is how an architect did in the school they attended. From my experience in school and teaching, only 10%-20% of students are really talented designers and very few students got significantly better as they went through their education. To get a sense of how someone did in school, ask about design awards they may have won or exhibitions they may have participated in.
5. Know who you are going to work with.
If you are hiring an office with several staff members, find out who will be working with you. Many times the person you are interviewing with won't actually be doing much design work on your project. If the person you are going to be working with isn't in the initial meeting, ask to visit the architect's office (see #1) and be introduced to the people who will be on your team. Ask to see the credentials of those team members as well.
6. Architects need to communicate with drawings and words.
Look at the architect's drawings and ask questions about them. It may be challenging to read or understand drawings if you haven't done this before, but if you can't understand them after an architect explains them, then either the drawings are not very good, or the architect has a hard time communicating - both may be a serious warning sign.
7. A construction drawing set is not complete without specifications.
Architects communicate with both drawings and words. Bathroom fixtures, light fixtures, decorative finishes, levels of quality and other information that is easier said in words than in drawings are communicated in written specifications. If the architect doesn't assemble specifications, then you'll likely be answering many questions during construction and may be hit with change orders.
8. Look at the architect's website.
A nicely designed, clearly organized website can communicate that an architect is organized and can assemble information in a clear fashion. If the architect doesn't have a website, this may be a sign they are not up to date with other aspects of his or her practice.
9. Ask how well the architect works with buiding departments.
When you or your architect submits your permit drawings to the building department, they review the submitted drawings and issue a correction notice. A good architect can easily get a residential or small commercial project through the building department with no revisions or one round of revisions. Since each round of revisions takes time, fewer rounds of revisions means you get your permit sooner. A delayed permit could hold up construction. If you're trying to meet a tight construction schedule, this could cause a lot of problems..
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