Is An Architect Right For Me?

Well, let me answer a question with a question: what are you looking for?

Notice I’m asking about why you are considering hiring one, not what your project is. A good architect knows what they can do and what they can’t do, and won’t lie about it. For example: we aren’t builders, but we understand the fundamentals of building and draw things up excellently, providing literal blueprints for others to work from. Our experience stems from thorough analysis, clear communication, and problem-solving whatever you throw at us. It doesn’t matter if it’s a staircase or a whole house; the process of understanding the existing conditions, listening to your goals, and providing integrated solutions to help achieve them is what we’re all about.

So, it doesn’t matter the size of my project? Not really, but some architects only take big jobs that have high profit margins. Smaller enterprises like ours try to be a go-to for everyone, regardless of the glamour or uniqueness of the work in question. The reason we can do this is that basically we don’t have the overhead that larger firms do. That’s good for the little guy!

Posit #1: We work best as a team!

You may have heard that we’re “generalists” and not experts - this is largely true, but sounds better if you think of it this way: we’re the glue that keeps all the disparate pieces of design and construction hand-shaking in order to provide a specific outcome. For example, we look at the size of a room or an opening in a wall within understood structural constraints (e.g. where posts and beams should be) but the calculations for the sizes of those posts and beams are performed by a structural engineer. They are the experts in their realm of specialty - much more in tune with the forces of science and mathematics in proving things will work.

Likewise, we know what construction materials create a floor, walls, and a roof, but a contractor is best suited to actually assemble them. They dictate the “means and methods” appropriate to build the type of design we’re showing them. Your specific project may require many, many experts on the team, but we are there to guide their expertise in providing solutions that best reflect your overall goals. This is what is meant by being true to the “design intent”. There are many ways to, ahem, skin a cat, but only certain ways provide you the most bang for your buck.

Okay, so who’s this “team” and who runs it?

Posit #2: We are an integral part of the O.A.C.!

Fundamentally this team is labeled the “OAC” which stands for Owner, Architect, Contractor in trade jargon. All three are super important: you the Owner (to manage the goals), an Architect (to manage the design), and a Contractor (to manage the construction). Visualize a three-legged stool: each leg provides critical support to keep the whole operation stable. If one leg fails, the whole thing goes down. Great teams see that there is quite a bit of shared responsibility here - contractors can inform the architect their preferred method of construction while we’re still in the design phase, and a good architect involves the contractor as early on in the design process as possible to incorporate those preferences. An architect and contractor actively talking to each other throughout the project has the greatest chance of providing the owner a superior result. It’s the best of both worlds: a well-designed and quality-built home that achieves your most important goals. Isn’t that the point?

Posit #3: We are here to see things through to the end!

There is a popular and oft-repeated misconception that you only need an architect to draw stuff, and that once you’re in construction there’s no need to retain us any longer. While this can indeed be cheaper for you, it comes with a high amount of risk. Think of it as an extended warranty for your car. It’s not required, but it’s extra assurance that things run as smoothly as possible for as long as possible. At our core, architects all aspire to be great problem-solvers while advocating for your vision. That means when the unexpected pops up during construction (oh look, there’s something behind that wall we didn’t know about!) or you change your mind (Geez now that winter is fast approaching we really do want to discuss adding radiant heating!) we can be there to guide the solutions in the most efficient way possible. And it is all done while adhering to the overall design concept and big decisions that will bring you home happy!

So, who’s the leader? It sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You, the client, are still running the show and can be as involved in every decision as you like, or you can feel comfortable taking a back seat and know the architect and contractor both have your back. Breaking down a big project into smaller ones (and smaller responsibilities) is why the OAC team works so well. Remember, you’re always in control of your project; we’re here to help you with decision-making and offer tried-and-true guidance from start to finish.