Doing Your Homework
Before you approach an architect, you need to spend some time thinking about what you need and expect from your project. Define what your goals are for your project. Start by asking yourself a few questions. Could you operate more efficiently in less space or do you need more room for your operation? Will your new facility house the same functions that you perform now, or will you be engaging in new activities? Should you remodel an existing building, or do you need to locate a site for a new building? Do you have the funds to build the new project, or will you have to finance it? What can you afford to build? If you are unable to answer these questions, your architect can assist you in defining your goals.
Develop a list of potential architects. Look around your community and identify the architects who designed projects that you admire. Ask friends and business associates for recommendations. Check with you local AIA office for recommendations, or check this web site to identify architects who have experience in your building type. Find out if these architects are members of the American Institute of Architects. AIA members are involved, are committed to continuing education, subscribe to a professional code of ethics, and have access to technical and professional resources that will aid them in designing your project.
Contact firms on your list and ask them for qualifications packages. Ask for examples of projects similar to yours that have been completed within the past 5 years. Find out what the firm's design philosophy is and how they apply it to their projects. Ask for resumes of the key personnel who would be assigned to your project.
Choosing a Short List
After reviewing the qualifications of each firm, you will need to reduce the number of firms under consideration to a manageable number. This is called a short list. Select three or four firms who are most qualified to do your project. Schedule interviews with these firms and ask them to present their qualifications and to discuss how they might approach your project. Don't expect them to show up with designs. These firms need to understand your project and the problems you need to have your architect solve before they can offer credible and meaningful solutions for your project. You can meet with these firms in their offices or in yours, whatever feels most appropriate to you. By visiting the architect, you can get a sense of the firm's size and operation and see how they approach design projects. By meeting at your offices, the architect can observe your operation and better understand your problem. Request that all key personnel who will be involved in your project attend the interview so that you may get to know them and become comfortable. Ask questions. The more you understand about the architect and the process, the easier it will be for you and your architect to work together. Ask the architect to describe how he or she will approach your project and to discuss the issues that he or she feels are most critical to a successful design. Take the time to give you the assurance that you understand the qualifications of the firm you are interviewing.
Looking for Chemistry
Since you will be working with your architect for an extended period of time, it is important for you to select an architect with whom you are comfortable and who understands and supports your goals for your project. Ask the architect to describe the design approach used on similar projects. Review photographs or videos of these projects. Ask as many questions as necessary to see if the architect shares your values for the built environment.
To understand an architect's philosophy and approach to design, it may be desirable to visit projects that he or she has designed. Ask the architect to accompany you on tours of recently constructed projects that are similar in nature to your project.
Ask for references. Talk to previous clients to determine if the process described by the architect is the same as the experience of the client. Find out how satisfied the client is with their building and whether or not the process of getting to the solution was satisfying for them. Ask if the architect is a good listener and whether he or she responds to the issues that they raise. Most importantly, ask if their project has resulted in improved efficiency and satisfaction for the people who use the building.
If you feel comfortable with the architect after going through this process, you have most likely identified an architect who is highly qualified to design your project. If you are lucky, you may identify more than one qualified architect and may have a difficult time making the final selection.
How Architects are Compensated
There are many ways that architects can be compensated for their efforts, and the variety of methods of compensation can be confusing. For some projects, it may be best to pay the architect an hourly rate for his or her services. Quite often smaller projects or projects whose required services are hard to determine are billed hourly. Sometimes an architect will suggest a fee based on a stipulated sum per unit. This could be a cost per square foot of space, a cost per unit, etc. This method of compensation may be employed for multi-unit apartment or condominium projects. Some architects prefer to establish a fixed fee after determining the specific requirements of your project. This approach guarantees the price for the client while offering the architect the potential of greater profits if their efforts are efficient. Others may suggest a fee based on a percentage of the construction cost of the project. This method allows the fees for the project to be adjusted automatically as the scope of the project changes. Frequently, architects will propose a guaranteed maximum fee and bill on an hourly basis up to that maximum amount. This option affords the client the opportunity to save on fees if the efforts required are less than projected in the maximum fee. Each one of these approaches can work for your project. A thorough discussion of the appropriate method of compensation with your architect will allow you to determine which approach is best for you.
Team Work
When you hire an architect, he or she becomes part of your team. Your architect brings expertise to your project, and he or she can help you understand options that you have for improving your operations. However, you are the only one who can determine what is best for you and your business. While your architect will strive to understand your needs, it is impossible for any individual to comprehend in a few months what has taken you years understand. Look for an architect who is a team player, and become actively involved in the design process. Your architect will present ideas to you and provide you with choices throughout the process. The more you understand the process and the choices that you will be given, the more likely it is that you will be satisfied with your project. Get involved with your architect and bring the right people to the table.
Formalizing Your Agreement
Once you have selected an architect, it is extremely important to define the scope of work that he or she will provide. AIA contracts are widely accepted within the construction industry as fair to all parties involved in the process. Use your contract to define the scope of services that you want your architect to provide, the nature of the project, your schedule, your construction budget, and the fees that you will pay your architect for his or her services. The more clearly you define your relationship with your architect in contract form, the less likely you will encounter problems during your project.