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When you renovate or build a house, the question of working with an architect almost always arises. He or she is undoubtedly very good advice and will help you to achieve a successful, original and unique project, but this represents a significant additional cost that was not specifically foreseen in your budget or that you would like to put in another expense item.
If you have decided to hire an architect, it is because you feel the need and the desire to have a perfect result. We will therefore help you by giving you some steps to know how to work best with an architect.
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The usefulness of an architect
An architect is not useful in all circumstances, if you just want to break or change a partition, it is not necessary to call an architect. An architect should be called in when you want to affect the structure of the building or carry out major works.
In short, if you want to extend your house or building, change its appearance or build an extension, for example, it is highly recommended or even compulsory to call in an architect. Then there are the interior designers who can help you to redesign the interior of your home and help you, for example, to assess whether or not it is feasible to replace a staircase.
Choosing the right architect
If you have chosen to call on an architect, all you have to do is find him. It is easy to find an architect on the Internet, but you should not call the first person you find. Do not hesitate to ask about their work in order to select the most suitable person for your project.
There are specialisations among architects, some will work on more rural projects with a focus on sustainable development, others specialise in structural work or the luxury sector. Each will have very different prices, so it is up to you to make the right choice to meet all your criteria.
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Explain your project clearly
The aim of an architect is of course to meet your requirements, but always to design new, unique and spectacular spaces. Sometimes this is what we want, but it does not always respect the budget. That's why you have to explain as well as possible what you want, show him sketches, plans to show him how you see your project. He will then help you to create more precise plans.
Remember that it is important to keep an open mind, an architect knows a lot of materials that you may not have thought of. Listen to their ideas and see if their suggestions can be of interest to you.
Have regular exchanges
Once the architect has been selected, your building permits or other permits have been validated. Do not hesitate to keep in regular contact with the architect so that he can send you his plans in order not to be surprised at the end of his design. At the same time you can see if what you had imagined is what you really want. However, stay moderate and avoid being too much on the back of the architect, it never brings anything good.
When you receive plans and something does not correspond to you, take your time to analyze how you would like to change it and then contact him to expose your desire for modification, good communication is the key to a successful project.
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Fix problems quickly
If you are unable to communicate your wishes and the architect proposes solutions that do not suit you, try to settle out of court. Try to reach an amicable agreement, since if you call in a lawyer the situation can become very complicated. As mentioned above, set up regular exchanges and all should go well.
It will happen when we talk about problems that during the design process you discover that you have to increase the budget. Always plan a little bit more than the announced budget so that you don't get screwed - it happens regularly.
The budget
Working with an architect will require a fairly high budget, expect to pay between €70 and €140 ex VAT per hour or €84 to €168 inc VAT. This is not negligible and will require you to compromise on other expenses if your budget is tight. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, it may help to avoid going to professionals, but be sure, it would be a shame to use an architect and end up with a poorly executed project.
However, an architect can save you money as he will check that your building complies with all the relevant regulations and will also sometimes help you to obtain your building applications. He will also work on the durability of your project during the design stage, which will allow you to choose the right materials and the right way to build it so that your project is as strong and resistant as possible. Finally, don't forget that a house built by an architect increases its value on resale.