The architect can be a really interesting addition to a remodeling project since he/she can polish the appearance of the remodel. Design professionals can easily add thousands of dollars to the price you are about to pay so it is normal to think twice about hiring one. The problem is that there are various situations in which it is a really good idea to hire an architect. This is what we will focus on in the following paragraphs.
The licensed architect that is a real professional will cost you and in the event that you will hire a designed that is credentialed, the architect is not needed. The architect is sometimes a much better choice for the project but you have to understand exactly what he does.
What Does The Architect Do?
An architect is basically a person that is highly trained in engineering, ergonomics and building design. When the remodeling project starts, the architect examines the entire house. Then, he listens to the owner’s needs and dreams. When this data is gained, approximate building costs and solutions are going to be provided.
After settling on the design, professionals work floor plans or offer really complete blueprints. They can help you choose a contractor and even deal with all the permits that are needed. Construction can be overseen so that it will follow the plans that were drafted in the past.
The problem with the architect is that it does tend to cost a lot. You normally end up paying one of the following:
- Per hour rate – $50 to $150
- Project percentage cost – normally 50 to 20 percent
- Flat fee per project – $around 5,000 to $20,000 dollars if the job is of $100.000
Remodeling project fees are usually negotiable. The architect may be willing to agree with a flat fee when doing blueprints and designs or per hour fees when site inspection is done. Make sure that you think about negotiations.
Also, architects already have connections with inspectors like eastsidehomeinspectors.com to help figure out exactly what needs to be done to repair properties.
Advantages Of Working With An Architect
The truth is that you need to seriously consider working with a professional whenever the remodeling job is very high/valuable. The higher the value, the higher the need!
To put it as simple as possible, whenever you want to change building exterior, spend more than around 5% of home value or you make a significant modification, the architect should be considered. Contractors and architects are capable of saving you a lot of cash by creatively using materials and space. However, problems are normally solved in different ways. You basically want to hire the following professionals in the following scenarios:
- The contractor – normally looks for logical or efficient solutions, normally forgetting about aesthetics or similar aspects.
- The architect – whenever the aesthetics of a project are really important and you want everything to look beautiful.
Saving Cash
In the event that the budget is tight and you have a simple project, focus on hiring those architects that are now starting out. We say this because fees will be lower. In the event that you can spot the quality construction process, you can end up saving up to 10% of the entire cost by simply doing this yourself while focusing just on the blueprint and design phases for the architects.
