Getting an Architect - what do I need to know?
Discussion
Get recommendations - especially from builders.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
brickwall said:
Normally a percentage payment is the most common.
Look at previous work - get references.
Check of course that they are fully qualified, regulated and insured.
Then meet them - do they share the same attitudes/objectives/vision for your project as you? You want them to be a good business partner - i.e. it really helps if you have a common goal and get on well.
You can do things on a stage by stage process - plans/planning permission, building specification, tender, then finally project.
A few years ago 12.5-14.5% seemed to be the range they would charge. Do some research into the architect, and also the builders etc. they use. If they have a good relationship between them things will work much better.Look at previous work - get references.
Check of course that they are fully qualified, regulated and insured.
Then meet them - do they share the same attitudes/objectives/vision for your project as you? You want them to be a good business partner - i.e. it really helps if you have a common goal and get on well.
You can do things on a stage by stage process - plans/planning permission, building specification, tender, then finally project.
A 14.5% fee may bring the build in on or below budget and so be cheaper than the 12.5% option overall... although you can never really know!
The tender docs are the most important regarding cost of the project. Some architects will just specify four walls and a roof, others will go down to the door handles used, light switches, make of insulation, cable runs and all that stuff... if it's in there the builder is commited to bringing it in on price they quote, if it's not they can (and should) charge extra for it.
It can be sooooo smooth when you find the right one (combination if you look at the people they will get to do the work)!
brickwall said:
Davi said:
Something cynical
True - but not all architects are swindlers. You can find a good one. But be very choosy. We went through 5 architects before we found one that we were happy to use. We didn't pay the others anything - we just didn't like their previous designs, their attitude, or got bad reports from friends/previous clients etc.
The thing that REALLY gets my goat every time with them is that on the plans they print such niceties as "all measurements must be checked, this is not a schedule of works blah blah blah"... if you do exactly as the architect says, you get told that the plans were not a schedule. If you do something different instead, you get told that it isn't to the plans and therefore won't meet x, y and z. I can honestly say that pistonheads has provided more answers to my questions on the latest project than any architect I've actually paid money to for anything previous!
Or as others in my family (many in construction of one form or another) tend to call them "parasites with an a
hole at each end".Then we come on to some structural engineers....
funnily enough
I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
Obiwonkeyblokey said:
funnily enough
I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
quick question tho... how much, say, steel work, concrete have you got in the project... prices of certain key building materials is going up, sharply, steelwork especially! (i think a figure of 100% rise over the last 6-12months due to increased demand)I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
lord summerisle said:
Obiwonkeyblokey said:
funnily enough
I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
quick question tho... how much, say, steel work, concrete have you got in the project... prices of certain key building materials is going up, sharply, steelwork especially! (i think a figure of 100% rise over the last 6-12months due to increased demand)I ahve just come off the phone to our QS who has given me a figure of 550k for a project that my wife and I wanted to spend about 300k on. This is the figure we gave the architect in the brief, so a little annoyed at present that we may have to change things significantly.
even scrap is £140 a ton.
lead is frankly ridiculous!
Here's a good place to start:
http://www.architecture.com/UseAnArchitect/Home.as...
Quote: 'Then meet them - do they share the same attitudes/objectives/vision for your project as you? You want them to be a good business partner - i.e. it really helps if you have a common goal and get on well.You can do things on a stage by stage process - plans/planning permission, building specification, tender, then finally project. '
Excellent advice from brickwall. To which I'd add, successful projects are made or broken in the quality and depth of communication both ways, but especially in the 'briefing' process. A good architect will help you pin-down what you can really afford, out of what you think you want, and actively manage this fundamental issue. Agreeing key decisions early and sticking to them then becomes important; you want to be very certain of what you are buying before construction ever begins. The later you want to make changes, the more expensive things will become!
Picking up another point - all practising architects will be ARB registered, and that requires PI insurance cover. And while structural materials costs are important, you generally find that its labour and finishes that have a greater effect on total costs.
http://www.architecture.com/UseAnArchitect/Home.as...
Quote: 'Then meet them - do they share the same attitudes/objectives/vision for your project as you? You want them to be a good business partner - i.e. it really helps if you have a common goal and get on well.You can do things on a stage by stage process - plans/planning permission, building specification, tender, then finally project. '
Excellent advice from brickwall. To which I'd add, successful projects are made or broken in the quality and depth of communication both ways, but especially in the 'briefing' process. A good architect will help you pin-down what you can really afford, out of what you think you want, and actively manage this fundamental issue. Agreeing key decisions early and sticking to them then becomes important; you want to be very certain of what you are buying before construction ever begins. The later you want to make changes, the more expensive things will become!
Picking up another point - all practising architects will be ARB registered, and that requires PI insurance cover. And while structural materials costs are important, you generally find that its labour and finishes that have a greater effect on total costs.
Are you using an architect for the actual conceptual stage, or for the whole project?
If you were in Oz, I'd just reccomend a number. Very good setup for my preferred firm. Key designers for the conceptual side, then documentation and contract specialists for the approvals process. Works well.
If you were in Oz, I'd just reccomend a number. Very good setup for my preferred firm. Key designers for the conceptual side, then documentation and contract specialists for the approvals process. Works well.
Get in your car armed with a case of semi decent bottles of wine
Now drive around the area and see what steadings you like then go knock on the door with bottle of wine and see who they used and what mistakes have been made and find out who they used.
But if you want someone really way out then i shall see if i can get you his details
Now drive around the area and see what steadings you like then go knock on the door with bottle of wine and see who they used and what mistakes have been made and find out who they used.
But if you want someone really way out then i shall see if i can get you his details
lord summerisle said:
quick question tho... how much, say, steel work, concrete have you got in the project... prices of certain key building materials is going up, sharply, steelwork especially! (i think a figure of 100% rise over the last 6-12months due to increased demand)
I work in structural steel and prices have gone silly this year, increases of £60/Tonne and £80/T for the last two quarters and now another £90/T at start of August with further expected 1st October...nearly 50% increase in prices. Talking to a main contractor the other day who has a build requiring 500T of reinforcing - he can't get a price for it due to it increasing so quickly!!
Davi said:
Get recommendations - especially from builders.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Funny, and so close to my own experience it's uncanny.Alot seam to do a free first meeting.
I would go to this very prepared and ask quesions, with regards to construction and cost. If they can't come up with some decent answers they might not be the man for the job.
As i've said on here before SOME of the architects i've worked with have not really liked to worry about things like cost and how the building will actually be built.
Having said that we've just had a new guy started in our office yesterday who really seams to know his stuff, Shame we're the other side of the country!
I would go to this very prepared and ask quesions, with regards to construction and cost. If they can't come up with some decent answers they might not be the man for the job.
As i've said on here before SOME of the architects i've worked with have not really liked to worry about things like cost and how the building will actually be built.
Having said that we've just had a new guy started in our office yesterday who really seams to know his stuff, Shame we're the other side of the country!
Davi said:
Get recommendations - especially from builders.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Good advice. Apart from the fact that without an architect to produce the specification and tender document, contract the builder, and to oversee the works to make sure they adhere to the spec and budget, negotiate trade discounts, prepare the planning application correctly, establish liability when things go wrong and over budget (as they SURELY will) he may as well climb onto a plate, lie down with an apple in his mouth on a bed of fivers and wear a sign saying 'help yourself'. Unless he is a builder.Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Edited by audidoody on Tuesday 3rd June 11:29
audidoody said:
Davi said:
Get recommendations - especially from builders.
Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Good advice. Apart from the fact that without an architect to produce the specification and tender document, contract the builder, and to oversee the works to make sure they adhere to the spec and budget, negotiate trade discounts, prepare the planning application correctly, establish liability when things go wrong and over budget (as they SURELY will) he may as well climb onto a plate, lie down with an apple in his mouth on a bed of fivers and wear a sign saying 'help yourself'. Unless he is a builder.Then get references.
Then get some more references.
Then maybe get a few more.
Then Speak to people who have had projects done by them other than those you got the references from.
Try and get a fixed price and make sure you get it in writing - showing ALL costs that will be incurred.
After all that, get your plans drawn up. Now roll them very neatly, take a match and light the end of it. Watch it burn.
Now sit down at a computer, learn a simple CAD package and redo the plans correctly, so that simple things like the roof will actually fit over the walls, that walls don't end 2 ft short of the next wall... Get the building regs from the library and apply to your drawings. Phone the council and speak to the planning people and ask exactly what they need, and provide it to them.
You can cut out steps 1-7 by simply burning the money you will be paying the architect.
Edited by audidoody on Tuesday 3rd June 11:29
The cheapest We were told just to get to ground level was £18k... its cost £6k with another £700 left to spend...
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