WHY USE AN ARCHITECT?

Whether you are planning to build a new house, to alter of extend your existing home or to employ a builder, there are many advantages to using an architect for your project.

Architects are trained problem solvers and know the construction industry inside out. They have undertaken seven years of architectural training; no other building professional is trained in design and construction to such a high level of expertise. The term ‘Architect’ is a protected title and UK law requires those that use it to be registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB). 

A registered Architect is also required by law to carry Professional Indemnity Insurance cover appropriate to the scale and type of work that they undertake. 

You should always check to see if your ‘Architect’ is registered as there are many people in the construction industry that claim to do the work of an Architect but are not qualified. Please refer to the ARB website to check for registration of any ‘Architect’ before you hire them. (www.arb.org.uk)

An Architect’s experience and insight can help stretch what can be achieved within your budget and add value to your project. Whether you are looking for tradition or innovation an architect will understand your hopes and anxieties. They will find the extra light and space you didn’t know had and and help translate your vision into reality bringing value for money, peace of mind and keep the project on time and budget.

When designing a project, an Architect uses their skills and expertise to think about the most efficient way to build your project, maximising the energy efficiency to reduce the overall running costs, the structural implications, the effects of the Planning laws and the Building Regulations. 
If these items are not fully considered from the beginning they can seriously affect the costs of a project, as the later any problems are discovered throughout the build process the more they will cost to rectify and can seriously delay the completion date. 

An Architect provides much more than a set of drawings; they have the expertise to see your project through from inception to completion. They can oversee the design process, assist with Planning Permissions and Building Regulations approvals, help select the right builder and manage the project with a building contract and monitor works on-site and keep track of the budget. 

Consulting an Architect from the beginning will allow them to establish a clear brief and a realistic budget and ensure that a project can be delivered on time and on budget whilst identifying and reducing or omitting any potential problems from as early as possible.
Before you start a project you need to consider the following factors when selecting your Architect:

• What do you want to achieve from the project?

• What is your budget?

• What specific experience does your Architect need to have?

• Is there a type of design you are looking for? (e.g. traditional, contemporary, green etc.)

It is important that there is good collaboration and dialogue from the outset. You need to have a clearly defined idea of your brief and budget. An Architect is not there to impose their own tastes and ideas on your project but to follow your brief and help realise your aspirations through their expertise. It is their job to analyse the brief and provide solutions that will enhance your ideas, provide value for money and deliver a project to your requirements.

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While every effort has been made to check the accuracy of this article, readers should always make their own checks.  

The Author does not accept any responsibility for misstatements made or any misunderstandings arising from it.

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