Thinking about Building?
Thinking about building? You’ll want to talk to with an architect!
An architect can help you to design your building or structure. They will work with you to find a qualified general contractor to build your project. Your architect will represent, advise, and consult with you until your company occupies the building – and beyond.
How will you choose an architect? We suggest doing some research and asking good questions. Here are the primary factors you’ll want to consider:
Recommendations
It’s always a good idea to ask around for recommendations. People usually ask colleagues, friends, and family for recommendations. Ask them if they have they worked directly with the architect. Were they happy with the process and end results?
What if your contacts don’t have personal experience with an architect? You can check with your town’s local building department for recommendations from building officials. Ask them for the names of some architects with which they have worked successfully. They may give you the names of several architecture firms you can call.
Established building contractors are also a good source of information. Ask them for the names of architects that are team-players and work well with others to bring the project to a successful completion.
Now that you have some names of recommended architects, take a look at their websites. Do you see images of buildings you admire? Do they have information about the firm and its principals?
Licensure
Before calling architects, you’ll want to find out if they are licensed. Licensed architects complete an architectural education, train under a licensed architect, and pass a rigorous architectural examination in order to achieve state licensure. Licensed architects are the only professionals that can practice architecture in the US.
State regulators determine if a professional is licensed. Most architects are licensed in their state of residence and some are licensed in multiple states. Your architect must be licensed in the state where the project is located. Architects who have met the highest standards established by registration boards are NCARB certified.
How do you figure out if an architect is licensed? It’s easy!
Go to your state’s website for professional regulation and do a search for architects you are considering. Here is the site for Illinois, for instance: https://www.idfpr.com/licenselookup/legacylookup.asp
Just enter their name or license number. You’ll be able to learn:
- If they are licensed to practice in your state
- If their license is active
- The original date they became licensed
- When their license expires
- If disciplinary action was taken against the license or the application
Location
The location of the architect’s office may be a factor in your choice. Even if the architect is not local, they may still be able to provide great service. Ask them about their availability.
Find out if they’re available to meet with you in person and to view the building site. Are they able to meet with local building officials and contractors at the early stages of the project? Will they be able to make building site visits as construction progresses?
Perhaps you need a specialist for your project and they are not local. You can still work with an architect that has special expertise. It is common for specialist architects to partner with a local firm.
Expertise
Ask about the architect’s expertise in the type of project you are anticipating. Are they familiar with the more stringent requirements for commercial, institutional, and industrial projects? Have they designed projects that were built in the method you prefer, such as design-build or a more traditional method?
Have they designed buildings that you like? Are the buildings attractive, built with appropriate materials and methods?
Keep in mind, architects can work in many styles and their past work may not entirely reflect on their ability to design your project. However, past project size and complexity may be an indication of expertise and experience. Ask if the architect has done projects that are similar in size and type to your project.
Personality
You’ll want to feel compatible with your architect. Do you communicate well together? Can you share your ideas and opinions? Do you trust them to have your best interests at heart? If you don’t feel comfortable at the beginning of the project, your relationship will probably not improve with stress and time as the project progresses.
Insurance
Like all professionals, architects are required to have liability insurance. Each architect will have different limits of liability. Some project types may have higher rates of claims and risk. Be aware that not all architects’ insurance policies may cover high-risk projects.
Ask for a copy of their policy with a description of the limits. Compare them to the limits you and your advisers have set. Based on this, you will be able to determine if they can handle your project.
Note: Addition project insurance above and beyond their current policy may be available to some architects.
If you’re thinking about starting a building project, talk with an architect. Your architect will represent, advise, and consult with you until your company occupies the building – and beyond. If you do your research and ask good questions, you’ll be off to a good start on choosing the right architect to design your building project.
