No, I don’t mean in a romantic relationship! That’s not to say you shouldn’t date an architect. I mean, many of us make great partners and can show you how to pack a dishwasher like an obsessive-compulsive pro! Jokes aside – how do you find the right architect that suits you and your design aspirations?
I’ve often thought there needs to be some sort of Tinder app that allows potential clients to court their architect by inputting a series of ‘must-have’, ‘good to have’ and ‘deal-breaker’ characteristics into their profile and they are then provided a list of possibles that best match all of the inputs. But, as most people know, this is no guarantee to finding a partner or an architect.
As there isn’t an architect dating app just yet, I asked ChatGPT to see if a bit of AI could offer some advice. After various prompts, I present the list below. (Note: I only used the listed items, not the text that accompanied them. I pledge to be the sole author of my articles unless otherwise noted.)
No. 1 – Define your needs & vision
Essentially, this should be ‘write your brief’. This is probably the most important bit of advice I would give as well. Unfortunately, many of us just jump in and work things out along the way. Whilst this can work, it’s always better to start with the vision.
No. 2 – Research
This banner covered a bunch of items such as check credentials (are they registered, if so, who with?) Review past work, i.e. check their portfolio and ask for references to past clients and builders they’ve worked with. Also, ask for certificates of professional indemnity insurance and confirm qualifications. Meet with them. An in-person meeting is a great way to check if there will be a rapport between yourself and the architect.
No. 3 – Money
This is generally where a lot of people start and stop. How much are the fees, are they fixed, percentage-based or hourly rate? Do you need full services all the way up to lock up or just a napkin sketch? What kind of contract or agreement will you work under and is it an industry standard?
No. 4 – Evaluate and Consider
Given the above, what best matches your criteria for your given budget? Time to put those spreadsheet skills to the test or create a matrix. To get back to the dating analogy, this is the proposal point. Do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person? Architecturally speaking – can I entrust this person/firm to deliver my design aspirations? This last point is probably the trickiest one, but if you’ve done all your homework in the previous points, then at least you will be making the most informed decision you can. If you’re at loggerheads, I have known clients to ask for a concept sketch from their short-list and paid each architect a nominal fee for the privilege.
Just like dating, even with in-depth homework/research, things can still go awry, but at least you’ve given yourself your best chance at a good working relationship and hopefully a home to love.
