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About Hiring an Architect
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An architect doesn’t only design your dreams—he or she derails your construction nightmares. Creating a home will be one of the largest investments in your lifetime. Your architect’s job is to protect that investment as much as give it life. He’s your ally in ensuring that the construction process delivers exactly what you have envisioned and what he has so carefully designed. Famous architects have made history through their brilliant work as well as their eccentricities, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s demands to control every inch of design in the home, right down to the table settings, and Stanford White’s headline-making personal life (and death). But don’t get your heart set on achieving fame through an architect who brings celebrity to your address. Be happy to find a talented, hard-working and experienced professional who commits himself to your project. The work of architects lives on indefinitely, and perhaps more than any other service industry, they make their mark on people’s lives and on the city itself.
The architect is your guide through the entire building process—from refining your vision and defining your needs to documenting them in plans and specifications; from suggesting contractors to counseling on budget; from monitoring progress and quality of construction to certifying payment to the contractor; and from answering questions to settling disputes. He is working on behalf of your interests, not those of the contractor. The clarity and thoroughness of the drawings he produces and his oversight of the construction process are keystones to a successful job. If the architect misses a nail, the whole job could come crashing down—or more likely, you’ll have to pay a little extra to get that nail hammered home. |
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Where do I Start?
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You’re hiring a professional. Choosing one isn’t easy. Each architect has his own design philosophy, style and way of doing business. Talk to friends, realtors and contractors. You should interview three to five firms to get a sense of what you’re looking for. Make sure to meet with the individual who will be designing the project, not just a principal selling you the firm. If you and the architect don’t click, move on. The most important thing to look for is good chemistry. You’re going to be working closely for a long time, bouncing ideas and problems off each other with a lot at stake. You want somebody with whom you’ll enjoy the ride. Not surprisingly, architects consider the same thing when choosing which clients to take on.
Get a sense of the quality of the architect’s past designs. Ask to see not only the portfolio, but the blueprints of those past jobs. The architect’s clarity and thoroughness will be evident in the detailing and the notes. Not all blueprints are created equal, and the same goes for the people who draft them. Another important step is to get feedback from past clients. You want to know if a prospect was accessible and collaborative, if he was expedient in turning drawings around, responsive to questions and revisions and if he visited the site and met with the contractor regularly.
If an architect makes his living doing leading-edge homes and you have a historic brownstone, it’s clear that this collaboration isn’t going to work. Go with somebody who is well versed in the style you’re looking for. Also keep in mind that the specific task to be designed is as important as the style. An architect who has never designed a rooftop addition in Manhattan is bound to be ignorant of certain details and codes that will inevitably become major factors in the job. This may also be the case if you are renovating an old townhouse in Gramercy Park and are subject to historic preservation restrictions. Your architect should relate to your personality and preferences, vision, logistical constraints and lifestyle.
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Services to Expect from an Architect
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It’s very important you have a realistic sense of constraints and possibilities regarding budget and code. It’s the architect’s job to define these things for you. Identify how familiar a candidate is with the local codes, and whether he is sensitive to cost. He needs to be able to help you navigate the permitting and inspection process and massage the budget by substituting materials and methods or modifying the design. Also, be vocal about any special considerations you have from the outset. If using a particular contractor is important to you, or building an environmentally considerate and efficient home, speak up. Remember, certain architects only dabble their toes in certain ponds.
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On Cost and Contracts
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If you think you’ve found a partner, it’s time to start thinking about the fee. There are no set fees for architectural services. The scale of the job, the level of quality and detail, the pace and length of schedule and the amount of other clients the firm has already taken on all factor into how an architect calculates his service. He may charge an hourly rate, a cost per unit of what is to be built (i.e., per square foot or number of rooms), a stipulated sum based upon the architect’s compensation proposal, a percentage of the construction costs or a combination of all or any of these. Fees will typically range from 5 to 18 percent of the total cost of construction.
This fee, the responsibilities associated with it (revisions through permitting, frequency of on-site visits, payment certifications, punch list review) and the compensation procedure for any extra work should be spelled out in a contract. This can be an Architect’s Letter of Agreement or a standard AIA contract as issued by The American Institute of Architects.
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Licenses and Permits
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To earn his title, an architect must have a state license. He does not have to be a member of the AIA (Frank Lloyd Wright never joined). The typical qualifications for licensing are: 1) a degree from an accredited school of architecture, requiring three or more years of study, 2) three years of apprenticeship under the supervision of a licensed architect and 3) passage of a five-day exam. Exact requirements vary from state to state. Remember, if using a New York firm for say, your Greenwich summer home, verify they have an architect around to sign and seal (a signature and certifying stamp) the drawings in the state of the job. Cities require that drawings submitted for permit review be certified by a state-licensed architect.
It is also essential your architect be quite familiar with the local code requirements and regulations. Local codes vary widely, and a small misunderstanding can lead to a big inflation of budget and schedule after everyone’s committed. In New York, as in most places, any alteration that does not fit the building code’s definition of a minor repair requires an architect’s application and certification of plans for approval and issuance of a building permit. The City Building Department also requires the architect to certify completion of the construction before anyone can occupy the space. If you live in a landmark building, you will also have to consider the approval of your plans by the Landmarks Commission. Your architect should be responsible for filing all the appropriate paperwork and addressing any code concerns during the permitting process. |
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The Architectural Design Process
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Whether you’re courting your architect or have already made the plunge, communication is critical. You’re choosing someone to translate an epic fantasy only you really know. For an architect to develop an idea of what’s in your head, you need to be able to convey in detail what it is you are looking for. Bring sketches, pictures, notes, clippings, Rorschach tests—anything that will tune him in to the same frequency. And take your turn to listen. Your architect will invariably come up with design ideas offering inventive solutions and innovative alternatives to your rough-hewn proposal. You want an architect who can deliver options.
Once you’ve made your architect the designer of record, your first big discussion should begin to flesh out your nebulous dreams into cold hard details. The number of rooms, how and when you will use them and the flow of space are questions he will need answered in order to come up with a first round of schematic designs. Don’t panic at their completeness. These rough sketches and drawings will be revised and refined as you review them until you are satisfied. The architect may produce a model to help you visualize the layout of your future residence.
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How Long Will It Take to Draw Up a Plan?
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The easy answer: as long as you keep changing your mind. Even though you’re the one spending the pretty penny and the design plan is for your home, you’ll be astounded by the number of people who get to throw their two cents into your architectural plan. After you and your architect have come to terms, your drawings may pass through the hands of co-op boards; various historical, design or landmark review boards; planning and zoning, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire life/safety, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) reviewers; and your kids. You’ll know how a writer feels when he tries to get his screenplay through the Hollywood system unscathed. When it comes to architectural plans, it’s design by committee. Depending on the complexity of the job and profile of the location, expect the process to take from two to six months.
The Architect as Expert with Bids and Contractors
It is only with thorough and clear documents that you should approach a contractor to bid. Your architect will manage (or assist you in) the process of hiring a contractor to coordinate construction. He should have a selective stable of reliable and friendly contractors with whom he has had good experiences and can recommend, or you may have your own ideas. As it is typical for several contractors to bid a job, he can help you sift through the proposals to make sure everything is included and you are comparing the same bang for the buck. Ultimately, however, the decision to hire the contractor is yours.
Throughout construction it is your architect’s responsibility to make frequent appearances on site in order to monitor job progress, troubleshoot, answer questions and verify that all details and code requirements are being met per his plans and specs. It is becoming increasingly common for banks to require the architect of record to certify pay applications in order to release a funding to the contractor. Again this requires the architect to visit the site to assess whether or not the work completed is commensurate with the request for payment. As construction draws to a close, he must again make himself available to generate a “punch list” of those missing, incomplete, unpolished and mishandled loose ends. Working with an architect who is the perfect match for your personality, ideas and particular project will make this one of the most memorable adventures of your life. You may enjoy it so much that, like Thomas Jefferson, you’ll immediately start to eye another project: “Architecture is my delight,” wrote Jefferson, “and putting up and pulling down one of my favorite amusements.”
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Drawing Is Just the Beginning. You Hire an Architect to:
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- Interpret code.
- Estimate budget and schedule.
- Offer options for materials and methods.
- Recommend contractors and review bids.
- Document contractual obligations.
- Sign and seal plans for permitting.
- Review and certify pay applications.
- Monitor progress and quality.
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