How to hire an architect
An outline in ten simple-ish steps!
1. Establish your budget
Most architects use something called a Plan of Works, with stages named 0 to 7, ie from strategic/feasibility thinking and briefing through to handover and use, as a framework for any project. This means you can commission, and therefore pay, for work up to an agreed stage. For example, you may only want a working set of drawings and your scheme guided through planning permission. Huge klaxon alert though: although the initial outlay may seem large, it is hard to overstate the value of having a professional on hand to manage the whole process from design to build. The insight and creative skill an architect will bring to the table delivers value in excess of fees charged, and of course, their work may well increase the value of your property, so you might well make your money back over time. However, be realistic. Don’t overstretch yourself. Plus, have you watched Grand Designs? Projects over run. Materials go up in price. Unexpected groundworks are required. Pipes burst. Ergo, have a budget, and a contingency fund.
2. Write a brief
A project is only as good as its brief, and the brief depends on you. What do you really want? Sketch it out in broad terms, the feeling you want, any comparable examples, collect pictures, make a moodboard (this should also help you to narrow down your shortlist too, ie who is designing the houses you like? Who has the approach that resonates for you? But see point 4, it’s more about chemistry than awards). What’s