Why You Need an Architect

• Education

• Training

• Experience

• Vision

There are a few times that a project you are planning requires the expertise of an architect/architectural designer. Basically, any time it affects the safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the space, the project will require an architect.

I had an old boss who used to say she only “drew toilets for a living”. But there’s so much more to what we do. There is a ton of research that goes into a project before pencil has even hit the paper.

• Building Codes

• Construction Codes

• Zoning Laws

These items are not for the faint-of-heart. It takes a lot of reading and calculations to determine if your project can even continue past the planning/programming stage.

Then there’s the management of expectations from the start…

Your average home/business owner looking to start a project believes that you go to the contractor with your idea, and boom – it’s done.

Nope.

This is what typically happens…

Programming Phase

You call your contractor with your desire for a dream kitchen and family room extension. The contractor asks you to for drawings. You frantically call the local draftsman with the hopes of a drawing delivered tomorrow. The draftsman stops you in your tracks. They only draft, a project of that scope needs an architect (who hires the draftsman). So back to your frantic phone calls. You land an architect who tells you that you can’t proceed without a survey. A what?!?

Typical Property Survey

The architect needs a current property survey to assess the municipalities zoning laws. The survey tells them how the home sits on the property and it’s setbacks from the property lines, as well as any accessory buildings (garage, shed, pool house…). This information is important when adding on to the original home. Zoning laws dictate the size and location of any addition.

Zoning Assessment

So you get your survey, pass it along to the architect, and they inform you that your dream family room addition is too big for your property. Whomp whomp.

Back to the drawing board (pun intended).

Design Development Phase

What it comes down to is research, research, research. An architect/architectural designer has the education and experience to help you plan, design, and execute your project. There’s no better place to start.

Construction Document Phase

After my old boss would say she ‘just drew toilets’, I would say we’re “dream crushers”, but we’re actually the ones who can help you rebuild that dream… so it’s legal. 🙂