Choosing an Architect

I'm playing a bit of catch-up with this post since I chose someone to draw up my plans a couple of months ago, but I've had someone mention that they're interested in reading about this kind of thing. But first, a word about architects and designers. An architect is more expensive and generally has more training and/or experience. An architect can also stamp his or her own drawings as structurally sound. A designer is usually cheaper. They can create the drawings, but they can't certify them with a stamp. In this case, an engineer or an architect needs to study the drawings and stamp them.

I wound up going with a designer. There was a highly scientific and complex process I used to find him: First, I went online and searched for architects near my city. Then I started calling them! :) Yeah, that's it. The list consisted of both architects and designers. Several of the ones I called only handled commercial projects. Others were too busy to take on more work.

I narrowed it down to three. One was an old guy who's retired from full time work but still does residential projects on the side. He sounded like he'd been around the block a few times dealing with the parish inspectors, and he was very experienced. Another candidate drew the plans for the house going up across the street from my parents. I got his name from their plans. He sounded young on the phone, and I didn't know how experienced he was. The third was a guy I happened to call from my list. I spoke with him on the phone and just had a good comfort level with him. He had a website showing samples of other drawings he had done. And he was cheaper than the other two. This is the person I eventually went with.

It's been a good experience. He's easy going, but he offers lots of good suggestions and things to consider about things that I said I wanted. I do wish he had been a little quicker in getting things to me, but slowing down the process has given me more time to mull over every aspect of the design and helps ensure I will end up with a better home. We started the process in May. It's now mid-July, and I don't have the final plans yet. A good chunk of that time has been due to me. When I've gotten a revision of the plans from him, I've spent some time really studying it and thinking about details I want to change. Each time he gives me a new version, he says that he hopes to have me finished up in the next week or so. I think we are winding down, though. There are only 2-3 things I had questions on or wanted to change on these last plans. Then he'll do the basic lighting plan that the parish expects to see and send everything to the engineer for stamping after I approve it all one last time.

I'm anxious to get started with actual building!