Hiring an architect

Mike Lucey

Todd, why not start a 'sort of' competition here? We could call it, 'Do a Doodle for Todd's Abode'! Of course you would HAVE to sweeten the pot with some sort of prize or prizes! You know ... a couple of dozen iPhones or iPads should do the trick nicely or maybe a collection of Rubies!

All joking aside! I think many architects and designers here would like to do a doodle and you may even get a few good ideas! However some sort of a brief, plot info (plan -orientation, neighboring buildings etc), accommodation requirements (room sizes) would be needed.

I didn't mention 'style' and you have indicated your inclinations on this ... 'Casual Cottage'!

Mike

tim

I hired an architect (John Gower of BC Mountain Homes) to help me get started on a good path and to help sort out some space layout issues I couldn't see a solution to. Because I was doing the general contracting and all the detail design (I have engineering and design degrees so I felt happy to do all that) I didn't need a full scale architect on-team and John was happy to consult on specific issues. That was, of course, much cheaper than having him do all the design, manage the project etc - which is just as well considering the project and the budget.

I have to say that I really don't like the concept of paying a % of the project. It doesn't seem like a good way to start building trust when the fee goes up as the costs expand. Now perhaps if one agreed a budget and a basic fee plus say 50% of the money saved from the budget? Maybe that would just encourage budget inflation.

Whatever route you take, enjoy the process and don't let the stress get to you! I didn't actually feel stressed at all, other than physically - I have damaged my shoulder rotator cuff (again), my elbow, my hip joint (again), my previously broken wrist joint and so on. But I had a blast while doing it and the house is simply fabulous. Oh, I lost about 40lb and gained a lot of muscle as well which beats paying for a gym membership.

TIG

The way ancient Roman architects worked was that they agreed the budget for the building with the client.
They will receive 10% of that as their fee.
As the building work progresses if it unexpectedly costs more than the budget, then the client pays the justified additional costs up to 10% above the original budget.
BUT thereafter the architects pay for the additional overspend - i.e. it is deducted from their fee.
So after 110% the architects start to spend their own money, and at 120% they start to lose money!
This method means that the architects' fees are fixed, and they have an incentive to control the budget in the client's and their own interest...

honoluludesktop

So, reward the Architect on the basis of keeping cost down, not on his design, creativity, and skill? Maybe for a warehouse, but not your home. You get what you pay for.

Mike, just a personal prejudice on my part, but a Internet design competition for a house won't attract talent, or produce meaningfull Architecture. Mies said that God is in the details. Great buildings begin, and end with the plan, and building sections. Elevations are like decorations on a cake, less to do with substance. Good plans come out of colabration with the Client's vision of family, and the Architect's understanding of house.

honoluludesktop

I didn't realize that the standard 10% fee dated back to Roman times.

The situation is different for Todd. In the US, Architects are rarely general contractors, and do not designate the sub-contractors for a project. We consider it a conflict of interest for Architects to have control of the construction money. I understand it different in Europe. Guess its just a cultural bias.

todd burch

@honoluludesktop said:

So, reward the Architect on the basis of keeping cost down, not on his design, creativity, and skill? Maybe for a warehouse, but not your home. You get what you pay for.

I'm thinking that's why you hired him in the first place maybe?

@honoluludesktop said:

Mike, just a personal prejudice on my part, but a Internet design competition for a house won't attract talent, or produce meaningfull Architecture. Mies said that God is in the details. Great buildings begin, and end with the plan, and building sections. Elevations are like decorations on a cake, less to do with substance. Good plans come out of colabration with the Client's vision of family, and the Architect's understanding of house.

I see it as a fun thing.

toxicvoxel

Some thoughts you may want to consider:

1.] Focus on developing a cost efficient design and develop a clear cost structure with the architect at the outset instead of focusing on saving on architect's fees.
If you find an architect willing to work for substantially lower fees chances are that he will not be generous with his input and what you save on fees may invariably translate into a less efficient design both in terms of initial cost and long term running costs.( I remember a client of my old business partner who came back after rejecting our fee to show me the plans that he had done for about 20% of our quote. When my partner did the cost calculation on the floor space taken by the long corridors in this design and showed him comparable circulation space in our designs he realised that what he had saved on our fees would eventually cost more in the cost of the building.)
2.] Make sure that you know who is actually designing the home. Is it the architect you interface with or a junior in the back-office doing the real 'design' work? From this point of view consider the size of your project relative to the general workload of the practice. A very prestigious practice may relegate your project which may be relatively small relative to their other commitments to junior staff. Find a practice where the size of your job is relatively substantial when compared to their other projects and preferably one that specialises in home design. Sometimes a practice may have a specialist designer who actually does the design work. If so ask that he be involved in discussions relating to the brief so that the message is not lost between the bloke doing the interface and the design department.
3.] Ask the architect to do one or two workshop meetings where you bring as much information and examples of what you like for discussion before any design work is done. This will help (and force) the designer to focus on your needs before embarking on a design which may not be satisfactory. These discussions often help you understand your own needs and priorities. Develop a clear written brief before instructing the architect to proceed taking special note of your requirements in terms of fittings and finishes as this aspect often causes cost overruns because they are not clearly defined. This way you will have a way against which to measure the performance of the architect (and your own expectations) in the event that there is a dispute or you are unhappy with the design. He may charge a few hours for this but it may be the best money you spend on the whole project.

If the architect feels that he cannot accommodate any of the above [2 & 3] find someone else.

Daniel

Todd, even more advice...

Make sure you understand exactly what the architect will provide for his fee (for instance, typically architect's do not pay any building review or permit fees. Also, some architects might consider selecting interior fixtures, materials, colors as a separate interior design service). It's a good idea to break this down into different phases (programing and schematic design; design development; construction documents; etc.).
Make sure you and your architect agree to how many revisions you can request and when. We've had some trouble on occassion with this in the past, where clients make constant changes (after they've already approved a design); this can eat into an architect's fee and lead him/her to asking for more money.
If you have a specific style or other aspect of the design in mind, make sure you tell the architect up front, so he doesn't waste your or his time designing something you will not approve.
Try to speak with the architect's previous clients, if possible. Try to find out how well he/she worked with the clients. You want a team player, not an autocrat. Did his/her designs meet the projects' budgets, and if not, why?

EscapeArtist

Not trying to usurp this thread, but to add our recent experiences. Just spoke to two architects the other day and they were exact opposites. One was very artistic, inspired and expensive. The buildings were all in that beautiful, modern, lots-of-glass, exposed hardware and off-site custom laminated and varnished woodwork. He "starts at $275 a square foot". Wow. He didn't seem too interested in what we wanted, only in converting what we wanted into something he wanted to be featured in a magazine. Not even close to our style. We like Bernard Maybeck. He's interested in influences. We are more literal. Too bad. We liked his motivation and design philosophy. The second architect seemed to have little inspiration as to design but was much more factual about the nuts and bolts of constructing a house like we wanted. He was interested in the designs that we had come up with on our own, which was not true for the first one. This portfolio was more mundane. Going to try to see if we can talk to one or two more just to see a few other perspectives.

david_h

One more word of advice. . .

Hire me.