How to Choose the Right Architectural Designer for Your Home Build
Starting the process of a new home build can be daunting, especially when you reach the stage of needing to choose an architectural designer that can take your vision and turn it into a reality. There are so many architectural designers to choose from, and getting it wrong can create an array of issues further down the track.
To make the process a little less stressful, we’ve compiled this checklist to ensure you find the architectural designer that is the absolute best fit to carry out your new house design.
Understand Your Brief
First of all, it’s important that you go into the hunt for an architectural designer knowing what you want to get out of it. There is little use in approaching firms when you aren’t sure that they will be able to meet your needs. After all, architectural designers in Auckland, and everywhere else, work best with a set brief. So, know what you want first and foremost, and the rest will follow.
Start by clarifying a few key questions that can help to refine your brief. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? Do you have a particular style of house in mind? What materials are you interested in using?
Approaching architectural designers with these key starting points in place (and any others you think will be relevant) can really help to make sure everyone is on the same page right from the get-go.
Make Sure You Are Compatible
We’re not suggesting you find out their horoscope and make sure you aren’t both Geminis, but we do suggest you have an interview with any potential architectural designers before signing with them.
This means keeping an eye out for red flags that may cause you to clash later on in the process. This is your home build and it’s going to be a very personal project, not to mention that it’s a lengthy and involved process. At the end of the day, you’re going to want your architectural designer to be someone you get along with!
Red flags to look out for from the get-go can include the feeling that you’re not being listened to, any hints of a lack of transparency, or even just a clashing personality. If you don’t feel 100% confident that your designer is someone who you’ll be able to approach with whatever may come up during the whole process, this may be a sign that you just aren’t going to work—and that’s fine! This is the time to really get this part right, so be as picky as you like.
Check Out Their Previous Projects
It always pays to have a nosy at any projects your potential architectural designer has worked on in the past. Chances are, they will have their own style that they sway towards in a majority of their projects. So, if you find someone who has done work that you want to encompass aspects of in your own build, they’re most likely going to be equally as excited to work with you!
The easiest way to check out a designer’s work is to do a quick Google search. Their website will be sure to showcase work that they are most proud of. You may also be able to see if they’ve won any prominent awards, which is always good to know as an added bonus, or to find out any specialties that they may have.
Discuss Their Range of Services
Being an architectural designer isn’t just a one single cookie-cutter job title. Each one will offer a range of architectural services and specialties that can help in varying parts of the project. During this stage, it’s best to determine how unique your project may be, and the number of specific needs you will have.
If your project is fairly straight forward, you may only need an architectural designer to give you construction plans and then leave you in the trusted hands of your builders. On the other hand, you may be looking for someone to assist with the whole building process—from design through to building consent, or even carrying out site observation until your project is completed.
If you want your project to be a collaborative effort between you and your designer, make sure you know how far they will be involved with you throughout the process—before you get started. You don’t want to find yourself in the lurch halfway through.
Choose Gubb Design for Your Home Build
At Gubb Design, we can take on as much of the building project as you wish. We offer a large range of services and work with trusted partners to provide a collaborative environment where your needs are met. Contact us today to talk through your next project.
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Let us design your architectural vision.