Reap Major Rewards by Choosing an Architect to Design Your Home
Did you know that the requirements for becoming a licensed architect are nearly as demanding as those for becoming a medical doctor? Many people underestimate the value an architect can bring to a new home project. Others fear they cannot afford one.
Yet, deciding to build a new home is likely the largest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. Wouldn’t it make sense to work with a professional who can best ensure the highest return on your expenditure? The fact is an architect is uniquely qualified to design the ideal home for you.
To understand why, it’s helpful to know how architects differ from other professionals in the design and construction industry. You may have heard of “architectural designers,” “contractors/builders,” and “design-builders.” Let’s clarify the differences and explore why choosing an architect is the most beneficial option for your new home project.
“Architectural” Designers
Twice now I’ve put quotes around “architectural” when it preceded designer. That’s because in most U.S. states, by law, in the context of the building world, the word architect or phrases including any of its derivatives are to be used exclusively by individuals who have passed the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). In other words, “architectural” designers are not architects.
So, then, who uses the term “architectural” designer? People who attended or graduated from architecture school, but haven’t completed internships or passed the AREs might use the term. Builders might advertise “architectural design” services, but have little or no formal architectural training. Since these individuals don’t have an architecture license, you have no assurances as to their qualifications. While they might be able to sketch a nice-looking house, they might not truly know how much it will cost to build or how to design it to last or be comfortable.
Contractors/Builders
While reputable contractors and builders have valuable skills for constructing homes, they may lack the expertise needed for design. Proven builders excel at managing budgets, coordinating construction, hiring subcontractors, and sourcing materials efficiently.
You’ll notice, above, I qualified the word builder with “reputable” and “proven.” In Vermont, residential general contractors are required to be licensed for projects over $10,000 and primarily to ensure proof of liability insurance and a written contract. However, they are not required to demonstrate specific competencies or skill levels. Relying solely on a contractor for design could lead to unsatisfactory results.
By selecting an architect to design your new house, you’ll have someone to rely on with design training, experience, knowledge and vision a builder doesn’t possess. Plus, your architect can suggest some reliable builders to consider.
Design-Builders
A residential design-build company holds itself out as one who will design and build a house. In some cases, this type of company is merely a builder that has added “design” to their list of services to create a different perception of their capabilities. So, before hiring one, be sure to ask who will be responsible for your home’s design. Some design-build companies have architects on staff; others do not. If you’re thinking about using a design-builder to produce your new home, choose one where a licensed architect will be wearing the design hat.
Five Key Ways Architects Are Uniquely Qualified to Design Your Home
Becoming an architect requires a lengthy commitment to rigorous education, training and exams. It’s this preparation that allows residential architects to enhance the home-building process in five critical ways. Here’s what an architect can do for you:
1. Apply a Wide Range of Education & Experience
The typical path to becoming an architect involves earning a degree from a nationally accredited university program. This is followed by approximately 4,000 hours of work experience under the guidance of a licensed architect. This experience covers various disciplines such as structural engineering, landscape design, thermal dynamics, and materials science.
The final step is passing the Architect Registration Examination (ARE), which consists of 20 hours of testing. It’s noteworthy that the pass rate for first-time and repeat candidates is only 55%. This rigorous process ensures that only the most qualified individuals earn architectural licenses. When working with a licensed architect, you can be confident in their extensive training and capabilities.
2. Synthesize Your Project Goals & Dreams
If you’re thinking about having a home built, you’ve probably got all kinds of needs and wants swirling around in your brain. Maybe you’ve even jotted some of these down on paper. When you work with an architect—right at the outset—your site, budget, needs, lifestyle and timetable will be shaped into a comprehensive, documented customized plan. Architects are especially good at addressing challenges and proposing solutions that clients might never have imagined.
3. Create Customized & Complete Living Environments
I’ve mentioned in a previous blog that good design must be more than aesthetically pleasing. A house should also function well, be comfortable to live in, and be tailored to its owner. Are you a family of musicians? Are you keeping a menagerie of pets? Builders may get a few components of the picture right in designing a house, but architects are trained to think about a building project in a holistic manner. They create complete environments, both interior and exterior, that not only provide shelter but inspire their inhabitants on a daily basis.
4. Maximize Your Return on Investment
With the creativity architects possess, they can make efficient use of space to reduce the size (and thus cost) of your home, while making it feel plenty large to live in. Architects’ knowledge in the energy efficiency area—including the ability to optimize your site’s solar gain—will reduce your heating costs immediately and well into the future. Licensed professionals’ abilities to assess your site and make use of natural vegetation may reduce landscape costs. Since architects frequently attend courses about new roofing, siding, flooring and construction methods, they can help you and your contractor get the most cost-effective and durable materials for your money. Plus, a well designed house will command a higher price at resale time.
5. Simplify the Rules & Regulations of Building
Zoning regulations. Energy codes. Building permits. Fire-safety mandates. Wetland protections. There’s a lot to designing and building a house that can throw a prospective homeowner off-kilter. Architects are trained to see the big picture and manage the moving parts of a project to help guide you through these processes. To maintain their licenses, architects must attend courses to stay current on rules regarding insulation, ventilation, access, roofing, windows, and other aspects of building.
Why does this matter? Your house project could come to a complete halt due to a code violation. Portions of work already completed might need to be torn apart to fix such mistakes. Not working with an architect to build your home could end up being more costly.
Why an Architect’s Fee Isn’t an Added Expense
You may have heard that architects typically receive a fee of 7-10% of a project’s construction cost, but it’s a bit of a misleading statement. Architects’ fees are not necessarily on top of what the project may have cost without their involvement. By having an architect bring knowledge to bear on your home design—right at the start—construction, materials, heating systems and other expenses may well be reduced. And, as I’ve mentioned earlier, with a licensed professional involved, costly mistakes may be avoided.
The fee that architects receive can also vary with their level of involvement.. The fee I receive is based on the level of service chosen by the client up front—prorated based on project size and complexity. Again, this does not automatically translate into an added cost. I always look for creative ways to maximize rewards for every expenditure my clients make.
One last note on fees: there may be instances when an architect will charge by the hour. I sometimes work this way if asked to consult on a simple room renovation or prepare a home-site analysis, for example. You can expect to pay $100 to $250 per hour for a Vermont architect’s time. In large cities, the hourly rate will likely be higher.
In conclusion, remember that designing and building a home is likely the biggest investment—emotionally and financially—you’ll ever make. Working with a licensed architect is a smart use of your resources for ensured satisfaction in the years ahead. Only architects have the complete, unique skill set to design a home that is visually pleasing yet also structurally sound, comfortable to live in, and suited to your family—without necessarily adding to your project cost.
As innovative oil well firefighter Red Adair once said, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
