Top 8 tips on choosing an architect to design your residential project

Hi, my name is Steve Chambers, President of Stephen B. Chambers Architects, Inc. I am a licensed architect and interior designer with memberships with the AIA and NCARB.

My firm specializes in residential architecture with a particular focus on green home design and energy efficient home design.

If you want more information on the topic, we recommend the residential architecture magazine and if you can't find what you are looking for there, ask questions about residential architecture on All Experts.

Ask around among your friends, co-workers, family, etc. If you like their house and if they had a great relationship with the architect, chances are pretty good you will like working with the architect as well.

Failing that, there is always the Internet. Research local architects, but access more than one source: chances are people have left reviews for the architects you like on other places than just their website. These reviews should give you an indication of the quality and personality of the architect.

There is simply no better way to get a personal feel for your future architect than interviewing him or her. Keep in mind that regardless of whether you like the projects the architect has done in the past, you will be working alongside him or her and will need to have a good working relationship. For that reason it is important that you know who you are dealing with before you sign the contract.

Ask your architect the following questions (not in any particular order)

1. Do they continuously educate themselves. Most professional organizations, such as the AIA require this of their members.
2. Request to see an example of their work. Try to describe the house you want built and ask them if they have built anything like that before. Otherwise, try to understand from their portfolio and the way they express themselves if the architect has the necessary expertise to build your house.
3. Ask if the architect is a member of any professional organization. If they are, it is usually a good indicator that they are serious about their craft.
4. Ask about the architect's prior education, how many years they've been in the business and what their general background is (where did they learn the ropes, who have they worked with, do they know the contractor and the interior designer?)
5. Ask if your state requires an Architect Seal on the drawings. If the answer is yes, only an architect licensed in your state can seal the drawings.
6. Ask for references. It is always good to have a conversation with previous clients of the architect, to get a feel of how they work, their process and their overall personality.
7. Ask the architect for a sample contract. Also ask him to clarify his Terms & Conditions.
8. Don't ignore the most important question: how much is this going to cost you? Make sure you have researched the average cost for an Architect's service beforehand in order to properly evaluate the quoted cost.

1. What does the architect see as important issues or considerations in your project?

2. What are the challenges of the project?

3. How will the architect approach your project?

4. How will the architect gather information about your needs, goals, etc.?

5. How will the architect establish priorities and make decisions?

6. Who from the architecture firm will you be dealing with directly? Is that the same person who will be designing the project? Who will be designing your project?

7. How interested is the architect in this project?

8. How busy is the architect?

9. What sets this architect apart from the rest?

10. How does the architect establish fees?

11. What would the architect expect the fee to be for this project?

12. What are the steps in the design process?

13. How does the architect organize the process?

14. What does the architect expect you to provide?

15. What is the architect's design philosophy?

16. What is the architect's experience/track record with cost estimating?

17. What will the architect show you along the way to explain the project? Will you see models, drawings, or computer animations?

18. If the scope of the project changes later in the project, will there be additional fees? How will these fees be justified?

19. What services does the architect provide during construction?

20. How disruptive will construction be? How long does the architect expect it to take to complete your project?

21. Does the architect have a list of past clients that you can contact?

There are probably many more questions that you'll want to ask, but if you ask the 8 questions just mentioned, you will have covered the essentials.

If you want more information, continue reading this article on how to choose a residential architect.

Good luck with your next home building project.