I’m a developer … what good is an Architect?

Other than taking your money and complaining that developers only care about their ROI Architects are good for a lot of things. However you don't always need one.

Let's break it up into two parts.

1. 1. When am I required to hire an Architect (or what can I get away with before paying exorbitant fees for an Architect)?
2. 2. When should I hire an Architect (or damn it! I should have just paid for one in the first place. When am I going listen to my spouse/partner/parents)?

Part 1: When am I required to hire an Architect?

Every state has a document called “Architect Practice Act” or something similar. Go to page 81 of the Virginia Regulation and it list all the types of designs an unlicensed professional can work on. FYI there is no such thing as an unlicensed Architect. Either you are licensed or you are not. An unlicensed individual may be called a designer.

As the table notes anyone can design a single- and two-family homes, townhouses and multifamily dwellings (Multi family is usual limited to four units). Something to note for BP members is when changing an occupancy you need an Architect. However every state is different.

Depending on your project you might not have a choice. If you don't need an Architect or even an engineer the majority of municipalities will make the person preparing the plans sign their name and provide an address. Just sign it. This is different than a stamp/signature from a professional but the municipality still requires that the plans be signed by someone.

A good rule of thumb is if the project only requires work on the finishes/cosmetic work then you don't need an Architect or engineer. Don't spend your money on us. Go to a place like Mosaic Tile Center where they have professional interior designers on staff who help you pick out the finishes. They are a little more expensive than Home Depot but the house will look great! More on this in another post.

When the project adds habitable space (FYI not all square feet is considered habitable) to the home or walls are removed it would be smart to speak to a professional. Especially for beginners. 

Part 2: When should I hire an Architect?

You should always hire an Architect so that I and my fellow Architects may remain employed. However, as my brother the engineer points out anyone can design four walls and punch a window through it. 

Think of an Architect as the coach of the team. You, the developer are  the president/owner with the cool sunglasses but the Architect is making sure the game plan goes on without a hitch so those cool sunglasses can be worn on the yacht as it sails around the Mediterranean. FYI the General Contractor is the quarterback.

I will briefly give some bullet points what a good Architect provides and later in in my blog writing I will go over them in detail.

• We know the importance of the planning and zoning codes. We know where to look and who to ask. We know that we have to understand these restriction before starting any design. We know that any deduction we make should be based off of codes that are written and can be referenced. Do not trust anything verbal. If it is written be sure that it comes directly from the head of the city department.
• Who here knows to ask if an ownership notification list is required? Are owners and renters notified? How many need to be notified? I don't know all the answers but I know to ask this simple question. I had a friend who hired a design/build contractor and did not ask this question. Two months into construction and thousands of dollars spent the neighbors filed a lawsuit saying they were never notified. My friend lost the lawsuit even though the city also forgot this requirement. FYI the city is never at fault. That is a blog entry for another day.
• The Architect coordinates between the structural engineer, the interior designer, the MEP engineer, landscape architect and all the other consultants. We review all their plans and make sure there are no conflicts between consultants and that the design stays true to its original intentions. There can be major issues if there is no coordination with the consultants drawings.
• We observe the GC during construction. We do not inspect. We observe. There is a big difference. Especially to lawyers.
• We design for you. I have designed numerous homes which are not my preferred style. However, I need to transfer my clients ideas and dreams onto paper so that someone may build it. No matter what the style of the home good architecture is good architecture and that is what every client deserves.
• We see what people are demanding in the market. Please no more granite.
• An Architect finds creative solutions to make the budget work. For example, why should you always provide at least 4’-0” of wall within the same wall plane? For shear and cost. If there is less then a Simpson Strong Wall or steel may be needed. This adds cost. So simple to avoid.

Architects may be expensive and not all Architects are competent. There might be a brilliant Architect but he might not listen to his client. An Architect might be cheap but lacks the experience on making cost saving design decisions. How to find the right Architect will be discussed in another post.

The more experience an Architect the more likely they will be more expensive. However, think of this as adding value to the project. That experience avoids mistakes which in turn avoids unforeseen costs and time delays. Those delays can cost more than just hiring a good Architect.

Do you need an Architect? Yes and no. How much time do you want to spend finding out the F.A.R. (Floor area ratio) of a property? Does your business plan enable you to spend (invest/waste) your time on issues that a professional may resolve?

Don't be scared of the Architect.

What did I miss? What did I get wrong? Did I get anything right? It's a blog, there is always more to say. More minds are better than one.