We'd like to be wise about our time and spending with the architect so as to minimize additional fees. I have prepared a (rather lengthy) document that outlines all of our "must haves" as well as "like to haves" in our home. I've also provided him with a basic floorplan that I like as a starting point, with modifications. And finally, a couple of home exterior elevations that we really like as well.

Does anyone here have additional tips on what we can do to make the process as smooth as possible? Ideally, we'd like to accomplish the final floor plan and elevations without incurring extra fees.

Thanks for your input! :)

My gut tells me they are trying to rush you through the process. I would rather spend the time (and maybe a little extra money) up front to get the details right before anyone sticks a shovel in the ground. I think you will be much happier with the finished product and could potentially avoid some cost overruns

Just my 2-cents

It's the architect's role (using her/his education, training and experience) to produce compatible floor plans and exteriors from your needs and wants. Since many architects have spend 20 years or more in their profession, they should be able to quickly produce work much more competent than yours. If they can't, you need another architect.

The fee/service arrangement does not sound like the services an experienced architect would normally provide, unless this was your specific request. If you're not sure whether or not the person is a licensed architect, you should specifically ask. So many people on this forum use the term "architect", when the person is not.

Good luck on your project.

The best way to lower the cost of design is not to offer your design but to be ready with a written program and photos of what you like. A good architect can make a good design out of that information in short order. Working with your design could delay that result and increase the cost.

It is often wise to hire a builder as a consultant to price the project as it is being designed, then bid the project competitively.

Often it is necessary to spend money to save money.

We were extremely well prepared before we met with him. We knew exactly what we wanted, but we were willing to listen to suggestions from him if it something we liked/desired didn't work with the design & budget.

We also involved a builder early on. He was at every architect meeting & had a lot of contact with the architect during the design process. We did not have a contract with him or pay him a consultant fee. He knew that if he came in with a number that was out of our ballpark, the deal would not happen. This was really risky on his part, I guess, as he spend so much time on our project ahead of time. I knew we really liked him, & he has an amazing reputation in town. So we felt pretty sure we would go with him, but it was understood that we could bid out the project to someone else. It was helpful to have him sit in on the sessions. From his point of view, he could say yay or nay to various items, based on our budget.

We did end up spending quite a bit more on the architect than we initially thought we would. But it has definitely been worth it. He is amazing! His plans are incredibly detailed. I doubt we will run into as many issues with our build because they are so detailed. He took our visions & made them into a beautiful reality.

In the end, we are getting very close to the exact floor-plan we initially desired. We literally looked at thousands (& thousands) of floor-plans, but it was worth it!

Also, if you are already using Pinterest, here is a tip. I have thousands of things pinned (many things unrelated to the build), so I made a separate account that is solely for the build. I also allow various trades to pin to my boards if they want to suggest something.

In the end, time is money so make sure you are very, very prepared!

Here are my Pinterest boards:
Garage
Flooring
Powder Bath
Master Bath
Kids Bath #1
Kids Bath #2
Guest Bath
Pool Bath
Dining Room
Master Bedroom
Kids Bedroom #1
Kids Bedroom #2
Guest Bedroom
Exercise Room
Upstairs Laundry Room
Exterior of Home
Family Room
Kitchen
Pantry
Mudroom
Entry/Front Door/Stairs
Master Closet
Garage
Pool
Library/Office
Playroom
Windows/Doors
Patio
Driveway/Landscaping
Roof
Lighting
Paint
Door hardware
Misc/Gadgetry

To the origional question, it depends on how much custom work you want done. How much can the builder complete based upon his skill do you think? How much custom work do you want done on the interior, exterior, siding? Corners, SF? Location? Some more info would really go a long way. How much experience do you have during a build?

If you have some construction experience and a competent builder, you probably could get by with catching a non licensed architect just out of college or a draft designer with a ton of experience.

If you have no clue what your doing I agree with taking pictures of things you want, presenting it to the architect, getting everything done exactly the way you want it, not expecting everything to come out exactly like you have it envisoned in the build, and DO NOT CHANGE A THING "other than small cost saving and problems in the build".

I think you presenting things you must have and would like to have is a good thing, along with the basic floor plan you would like. Just bear in mind if your on a budget and its pushed with to many must haves they won't be of the quality they would normally be. A bigger area to save money on a build to me would be looking in advance for close out materials your builder could possibly have a hard time getting, things like towel rods, faucets, Appliances, landscaping hardscaping, etc. Ex. I am buying trees for our build at 75-90% off during times of stress, planing in the ground, have only lost 1 out of 15, and they will be a solid 8 foot when we build and will burlap the rootball. At 6ft they are 50ish retail on sale for 15 and at 8ft 75-100 retail. There are a ton of ways to save on building...

My architect has over 20 years of experience. There are a few different fee models he offers, and since there is a stock floor plan that is VERY CLOSE to what we want, we decided to go with the "value" option that I presented above (3 iterations of plans, 3 2-hour in person meetings, and as much email back-and-forth as required). I'm not opposed to incurring additional expense to get it right, just trying to come up with the best strategy is all.

I'm hoping that by communicating everything up front, we can come up with a plan that we love.

Not sure why some folks don't think I should provide an idea of a floorplan I like to the architect.... I'm particular about aesthetics, and wouldn't want to waste his time or mine by not giving adequate examples of what I do and don't like only to get back a design that I don't like the way it looks. I'm not talking about micro-managing his design process, but rather giving him a jumping-off point that is 95% of what i already want.

Was just wondering if others have tips to make it even more efficient and effective. :)

Architecture is done by architects. The other options are done by others--non-architects, for the most part.

What's right and best depends entirely on what an owner may wish. If one wants the pride of "self-design" then design-by-owner may be the best choice. If one considers one house prettly much the same as another, then a tract house may be the best approach. If one considers a house to be a collection of "things"--granite tops, mud rooms with huge cubbies, a large soaking tub, garage large enough for "toys", etc.--a custom home with a builder may be the best approach.

Architecture, on the other hand, is a creative problem-exploration/solving process using design as the tool. Design (the best and most enduring design) is about a strong central concept around which everything else is organized. Design is an creative exploration, starting with general concepts and ideas, and becomes increasingly more specific and detailed as the design concept is refined and finalized. It certainly isn't a 1-2-3 stage process! And it certainly isn't "a set of plans for a build". That's what the plan factories provide--a product off the shelf, rather than a personalized and uniquely creative service on behalf of those who commissioned the architect.

Architecture and medicine have some things in common, making a useful illustration. Few people, for example, would think to go on the Internet and print a list of symptoms and treatments for an illness or injury they may have, taking that to the physician and asking for medications based on the print-out. And no physician would ever treat such a patient if they should have such an idea. A physician is educated, trained, tested, licensed and experienced to make their own diagnosis and treatment regimen. And they have a legal obligation to do so.

Architects are similar. It is unnecessary and often wasteful of owner's time and money to suggest solutions to an experienced architect. Doing so only causes the architect to deal with the little competency of an owner and to illustrate where the owner's efforts fall short. Architects are educated, trained, tested, licensed and experienced to be able to understand and solve an owner's housing issues when furnished with a reasonable set of information: needs, wants, budget, site location and characteristics. After all, architects are certainly more competent in architecture than non-architects! If not, one needs to find a new architect!

Architecture is certainly not for everyone. But this is how it works. Architects don't need owner's floorplans. Architects create floorplans--and elevations--and interior spaces--and exterior spaces. Architects don't (and legally cannot) modify stock plans (or owner's plans) for a "build". Architects design buildings to fit an owner's needs and lifestyle.

Owners are free to focus their energy and efforts on whatever they wish. But the title of this thread is "best tips for working with an architect", so as an architect, I can reasonably say that there are far more productive and useful ways for owners to spend their time, interface successfully with an architect and not have to ever have a floor plan.

If your architect cannot translate your requirements into a successful and supportive floor plan, you need another architect!

The point I and others have tried to make is that giving the architect 95% of the design up front cannot be considered a "jumping off point"; you would be starting the design process nearer the end instead of the beginning forcing the architect to question every element of it to be sure it is what you want.

I have often commented here that this is the most common owner mistake I see: starting with an almost completed design, then letting an experienced designer try to make it better, then trying to put a shell on it, then starting all over again if the parts of the design do not reinforce and support each other.

A house design should follow a process that the architect is very familiar with: to start with the site, your family needs, your tastes, etc. and to develop a plan along with a shell that reinforce each other. I know this is difficult to do but if it wasn't, anyone could do it.

I am curious if the architect will put his name on the drawings or stamp them and if he will be involved during the construction phase.

As you say, "architecture is a creative problem-exploration/solving process..." which is definitely true for what we experienced. Though we did come to the table with all our ideas, we said in the beginning to Mr. Architect, "You are the professional here, & we want to hear all your ideas & ways to improve our ideas." There is no way we could have blindly gone into our first meeting with him with little to show him or tell him. It would have been one very long, drawn out process for us all, I think. The design process was as smooth sailing as it can get. We all respected one another (including DH & myself). Our architect & GC said it can get really nasty in that room, & the planning can go south rather quickly. I think by having concrete ideas, that kept us all level headed, & we knew what to expect. Of course DH & I had give & take on some things, but that is how we roll.

If I had to go through the process again, I can assuredly say there isn't one single thing I would change with working with the architect. It has truly been a fun experience & so far, so good. So many people have said, "Oh gosh, you are building a house? It is such an awful experience. Good luck." We haven't found that at all.

Being open minded and accepting to new ideas, may be the most important ingredients in working successfully with an architect. After all, consumers may do their homework, but they don't know what they don't know. It's inconceivable that an individual consumer's knowledge and experience comes close to the knowledge and experience of an architect with 20 years or more of experience in the field of architecture.

I am saddened by those owners who are mislead, thinking they have to have their own plan that "meets 95% of their needs" and come to an architect for the tweaking needed for the remaining 5% of a completed plan. Such owners miss the point entirely and should best save their time and money and complete the remaining 5% themselves.

I'll ignore the fact that an architect is legally prohibited from stamping and issuing documents that were neither prepared by her/him nor prepared under her/his supervision.

For the potential benefit of readers considering using an architect, "drawing plans" is not what an architect does. An architect is a creative explorer and problem solver for the design of buildings, based on many inputs including the needs of occupants and owners.

Experienced design is what seperates architecture from shelter. Almost anyone can assemble some rooms and put walls and roofing around them to keep the elements out. We see evidence of that in many threads on this forum. It's experienced design, however, that transforms ideas and needs into a building that is both functional and responds to one's spirit and emotions, lifting the building far beyond simple shelter.

To work successfully with an architect, therefore, one should prepare by identifying whatever is most important for the design of their house. For some it may be functional issues--identifying special needs for living. For others, it may be improvements and enhancement to their existing living conditions. For still others, it may be aspirational ideas, a house that stimulates and supports the joy of living. Or some combination of all of these approaches.

It is completely unnecessary, however, that an owner try to design their own solution to whatever is most important about their house. That's the role of the architect--to successfully translate needs into a creative physical solutions. The more an owner tries to do this, the less opportunity there is for an architect to provide her/his expertise.

Thus, if one wants the maximum from an architect, one must allow the architect to provide it. It's really that simple.

"What if the architect proposes something I don't like?", some may say. That's why an initial interview, a review of the past work and references of a prospective architect are important. One would do the same due diligence for the selection of a physician, accountant or other professional. Once one has made the selection, however, let them do their work on your behalf. That's how to best work with an architect, or any professional.

Is it okay/legal for a consumer to bring hand-drawn ideas to an architect that were basically a mish-mash of ideas from looking at a myriad of other plans online? We lieterally took ideas from here & there & everywhere (online plans, photos, Houzz, etc.). There wasn't one set of plans we loved, & that is why we decided to use an architect in the first place. He then took our ideas & came up with something else (similar to what we sketched out but not exactly what we initially had in mind).

If there was another plan out there that we loved, of course we would have purchased it & then paid to have it tweaked to suit our lot. It sure would have been a heck of a lot less expensive.

An experienced architect will also listen carefully for what is not said or presented and will read between the lines of information that is presented.

The thing is, an architect is able to synthesize a lot of information (not just from an owner, but from a variety of applicable sources), use her/his experience to select what's truly important in your case and establish major concepts for designing a creative and directly responsive solution(s). The process is one of working directly and closely with owners, exchanging information, establishing the major concepts (or big ideas) getting critique, refining the design and repeating the process until all have reached agreement on the direction of the design. Thereafter the design is refined and finalized, ready for the preparation of bidding and construction documents.

In other words, there is a logical, organized and parcipatory process for turning ideas and information into the design for a house and enabling bidding and construction.

There are so many essential ingredients for successful design: owner's needs (and wants), budget, site conditions and constraints, energy conservation, views and outside activities, access to/from the site, neighboring properties and improvements, regulatory requirements, public hearings and permit processes, etc.

This is why it's usually unlikely that any stock plan will work for anyone without minor to major changes.

I agree with you--if you (or anyone) can find a stock plan you like and fits everything perfectly, you don't need anyone else except a builder. Depending on the individual and circumstances, however, the chances of this happening may often be slim and none!

Bringing a floorplan to an archtect is like bringing a cake recipe to a county fare baking competition. The two things are sorta linked, but they are entirely different in reality.

We feel our architect did this exactly. I think we were really lucky & blessed to have worked with such a great team. I just wish everyone could have the same experience we had.

As a first time home-builder, control freak and type A++++ personality, I have been approaching this as I do with most things in my life -- trying to over-prepare and be as efficient as possible.

So now, I will ask a second question to Virgil and Renovator, specifically:

With my controlling, type A personality, what things can I do that will help my architect be better able to serve me?

I'm in a profession that a LOT of people think is easy and that they could easily do (I'm a voice actor), and yet they don't realize that I've got 20 years of experiences, training, and refining my craft in order to deliver just what a client needs. Many people say "oh, people tell me all the time I have a great voice. Maybe I should be a voice actor!" My response to that is "people tell me I've got steady hands. Maybe I should be a brain surgeon." (By the way, a "good" or "unique" voice is NOT required to be a voice actor and, in fact, is often detrimental. An everyday, neighbor-next-door voice is preferable.)

So that's my long winded way of saying I totally get it, and am open to allowing my architect to come up with a home design that meets my needs for lifestyle, aesthetics and atmosphere. But I will need some help in holding back my controlling personality!!!!

Excellent, excellent discussion thus far!

It's a good question, and applies to personalities of all types, A-Z, I think.

I guess it all boils down to whether or not one wishes to maximize how an architect can add value or not. If one wants to maximize the value, then simply let the architect do her/his job. It's really that simple.

The more one tries to substitue one's personal efforts, wishes, ideas or knowledge then the less the architect can provide her/his value. The goal is constructive, positive team work, letting whomever can best lead in a given situation to do so.

As an A personality I know that's hard, but that's what it takes: teamwork with leadership from whomever is best able to provide the leadership at a given point in time. By the way, this approach works in lots of other endeavors as well.

For folks who want to develop 95% of their house design on their own, and then talk to an architect, I have a suggestion: forget it, just complete a 100% plan on your own and find a builder to talk to. You don't need an architect and probably won't benefit from the value an architect may add. And most architects will prefer a different type of client.

Hope this helps.

The former is what good architects insist upon: a collaborative design process. The latter is too specific and limited to one person's skill even if they have a talent for it.

An A type personality should want to participate in a collaborative process to get the best possible design; why take a sandwich to a banquet?

Perhaps you need to find out more about what good architects can do for their clients.

Some architects are very budget conscious and willing to work at containing costs while delivering a vision and a reality that suits your needs. They will be proactive in this regard.

Others, not so much. But they aren't mind readers. Even if you think you have a complete mutual understanding about your financial limits, make it explicit. As the design process goes on, keep checking to make sure the design is staying within your budget.

On the other hand, if budget isn't important, good for you. You should have lots of fun achieving the home you want.

bws

I gave him a prelim sketch of the way I see the home laid out so he had something to go on. I feel like this was a better starting point than a blank canvas. However, I told him to feel free to modify it or change it or throw it away. That way he is not compelled to spend hours telling me why my amateurish drawing doesn't work.

He was very happy with the sketch and said it was a great way to start. I also handed him a bunch of pictures of the style of home we'd like and described our family and what we were looking for in the house.

I can't wait to see what he will show us in our first meeting this coming week! We seem to have a very good and open communication so I think this will be a fun process for us (it has been so far).