Watching the transformation of an old home or building a new home is probably one of the few exciting things in the lifetime of a person. An architect is usually the person that is likely to affect the outcome of your home project. The emotional experience, financial costs, and function and appearance of the home are ultimately dictated by the plans drawn by your architect.

A close and very personal relationship usually happens between a client and an architect. The discussions of the project eventually revolve to your tastes, lifestyle, hobbies, and preferences.

This close-and-personal relationship with an architect makes it crucial for you to choose from the roster of the best residential architects available in your local area.

Choosing the Best Residential Architect

You have to search for the best residential architects who can execute your home project within the budget and timeframe that you set. The search may be tough and challenging, but getting the right architect is worth time and effort.

References

Word of mouth or a personal referral from a family member, friends or neighbours is a good way to hire the best residential architect. You can also take time to look at various homes and ask for the name of the architect of a particular home design that you like.

Search through the Net

Like many professionals, architects create an online profile as a way to attract business. An architect site providing full information on previous projects will give you a bird’s eye view of his or her design inclination. Will it fit right to the location? Are the designs timeless or just a one-time bold statement?

Ask help from other home experts

Experts involved in the home building industry are the best resource people to find the right architect. Some of these experts include interior designers, general contractors, and even suppliers. Your home project becomes a great success when your hired architect and contractor work well together.

Professional organisations

Architects are usually members of local professional organisations. These organisations provide a good source in your hunt for the best residential architects. However, the search through these organisations could also make you encounter designers that consider themselves as architects.

There’s a world of difference between an architect and a designer. An architect is a licensed professional that has completed an architecture degree from an accredited college or university. They have completed the required rigorous exams and the intern hours working under another licensed architect.

Designers, on the other hand, are not licensed. Most of them have experienced enrolling in a drafting class at a college or university. They may have long experience in house designing but they are not architects.

Schedule an interview

It’s time to schedule an interview with your shortlisted candidates. The best way to do this is to schedule an appointment either on the site or at the office of the architect. Consultation is usually free.

The pertinent questions to start the conversation include:

• Ask for samples of previous work
• Ask what would be his/her approach towards this project
• Ask the rate and fees
• Ask for the timeframe to include design, building permits, and construction
• Ask for contractor referrals

It will be a bit expensive to hire an architect to handle your home project. However, the added value an architect brings to the project is priceless.