Working with an Architect

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An architect brings your vision to reality through plans, materials, permits, and a solid working relationship with the contractor. Architectural services should be calculated as part of the project cost, typically just under ten percent of the building budget. What you pay for is the ability to see many different aspects of a project—the homeowner’s needs, the material and spatial constraints, the timetable, the cost, the permits, and the possibility—through one set of professional eyes. “Architects bring a global vision to the very complicated process of building,” says Architect Greg Colling of The Classic Group, a Boston- based architectural firm specializing in classic home design. A good architect can see obstacles in your project you would never anticipate and easy solutions you might never find. Selecting an Architect You will be spending a great deal of time with the architect you choose, as well as living and working in the space he or she designs, so take the time to find the right person for the job. Several search engines for architects exist on the Web. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) maintains an up-to-date, searchable database of their architects. Find an architect with sensibility similar to you own. Ask to see photos of recent jobs or visit some finished projects to get a feel for the architect’s design sense and preferences. Ask how or why the designer decided on certain solutions, finishes, or schemes. If you like his or her past work, chances are you will find common ground. You will talk often and need to work your way through many issues, so make sure that you can converse easily and understand one another readily. If you are restoring an older home, the architect should have experience with period buildings. Typically, historic homes necessitate much more stringent building codes and additional permits. Preliminary Meetings An architect helps the homeowner pinpoint the goals of the project. Often, the initial answer—more space, an updated kitchen—leads to more questions from the architect. How is the space going to be utilized and by whom? How often? At what time of day? Be prepared with these answers ahead of time to enhance the discussion and the architect’s ability to make the most of your space. Working with Colling, David Masher’s identified several goals for his historical home’s kitchen remodel. The Mashers wanted to increase flow both within the home and to the outdoors, improve the lighting, and create a family space for cooking, entertaining, and working. A good architect allows for communication both ways, which ultimately benefits the project. “A homeowner’s needs and wishes are transformed through an architect’s sensitivity and creative process,” Colling says. The Mashers would agree. “We came together to find the right answers for our home,” Masher says of the space he now calls a dream home.

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