l . a .  p a u l  &  a s s o c i a t e s

working with an        architect

 

Do you really need an architect, how much does one cost, and what do you get for that cost?  These are questions every property owner asks themselves when they think about building a new project or remodeling and/or adding onto their present home or building or even doing tenant improvements to a space that they lease for business.

Selecting the architect and working together

In selecting an architect, much of the decision is subjective and personal.  You must have good communication and mutual trust and respect.  Architects, like doctors and lawyers, have a close, personal relationship with their clients to best service their needs.  An architect needs to listen and understand your hopes, dreams and ideas to  enhance and translate them into a building.  You want to find one with just the right "fit" for your project and your personal or business style.

Once you've selected your architect, the real fun (and work!) begins.  Design is a personal adventure through a detail-oriented process, filled with myriad decisions that either you or the architect (or both) have to make.  As the client, you shouldn't forget your original reasons and ideas for the project in the first place, or the concepts and decisions you and your architect make along the way. 

Remember that you're now working as a team towards the same goal.  The architect is an expert in turning your dreams into reality, but he can only do so if you are clear about what you want, what you need and what you can afford.  With construction costs constantly increasing, the architect can design a cost-effective solution, keep the project on budget and give you more "bang for the buck."  Being open and communicative in your working relationship can avoid last-minute changes and cost overruns.  Changes can be very expensive in time and money, for both the contractor and the architect, sometimes requiring new drawings and additional approvals and even send you "back to the drawing board."  With planning and permit processes increasingly complex, it pays to maintain a strong working relationship with the architect as the knowledgeable professional.

What are the fees for?

Architects combine imagination, talent, expertise and practical experience in building to achieve both your short- and long-range goals.  Besides providing alternative design solutions to your building problems, architects act as your liaison with planning and building departments, prepare working drawings and specifications for permits and construction, assist in soliciting contractors' bids, and represent your interests in the actual building process.  As licensed professionals, they furnish a "service," not a product, to produce the final project.  Many clients misunderstand this principle, thinking of the architect's plans as a commodity that they own.  In fact, the architect owns the plans and their copyright as his property.

The cost paid to an architect is for the time spent to analyze your unique requirements, your site and it's existing conditions, help you determine what you need, want and can afford, develop and revise the design, coordinate any consultants required, assist in the permit process, help select a contractor and verify the project is built according to the plans and specifications.  As part of these services, an architect also creates a functional but unique design solution custom-made for you, the client, and responsive to site, context, neighborhood and climatic conditions as well as planning and building code requirements, which can be extremely complex.

How are fees calculated?

Fees for architectural services are usually computed in one of three ways:  an hourly rate for time and materials, a fixed fee for the work, or a percentage of construction cost.  Sometimes, a combination of these will be proposed.  In the initial design phase when the scope of the project is being defined, meetings with clients, neighbors and public agencies are necessary, and the architect has least control over the time required, so an hourly rate may be appropriate.  Once the design is developed, a fixed fee or percentage fee would be reasonable for the working drawings and specs, which is more predictable in terms of time.  For the construction phase, the extent of the architect's involvement will determine the proper fee structure.  Whichever method used, typically fees range from 5%-15% of the construction cost, depending on the type, size, schedule and complexity of the project.

Usually an architectural contract will specify an initial payment as retainer to establish your commitment.  Typically, this would be either a fixed amount or a percentage of the architect's fee, and credited at final payment.  Statements are

billed monthly for the amount of work done, and include reimbursable expenses such as printing, copying, long-distance phone and fax, often charged at 1.15 to 1.25 times their actual cost.  Fees, their basic method and probable expenses should be openly discussed early on for your understanding and agreement to avoid misunderstandings.  Based on your discussions with the architect, an outline of the scope of architectural services for various stages of the project can be proposed, with estimated fees for  each stage and/or a total fee for the services required.