The choice of an architecture professional usually raises countless doubts. After all, choosing the architect responsible for building or renovating a house is a process that requires a lot of planning, trust and research to make your dream come out on paper the way you always wanted.
Why hire an architect?
In order to carry out constructions and renovations, the presence of specialists is essential to guarantee not only safety, but also all the planning and expected results of the project. It is up to the architect to participate and monitor all stages of the work in order to ensure that the processes take place according to the initial project. By combining technique, creativity and functionality, it balances the customer’s needs with the available budget, which makes hiring one an investment with immediate and long-term return.
7 Tips in Hiring a Vancouver Architecture Firm
Finding the right residential building professional can seem difficult if you have never hired an architect or have had a bad experience. Therefore, we have listed 7 tips that facilitate the choice process. Check out:
1. Define your goals and needs in relation to the work
An architect can work on different fronts, such as terrain analysis, architectural design, interior detailing, lighting design, landscaping, construction management and consultancies. Before hiring one, you should keep in mind which of these services you will be using.
2. Study the budget
With the project priorities defined, it is easier to establish a basic budget for the work. This value will serve as a guide for the architect, who will assess how much he/she can spend in each stage, in addition to the priority services. Keep in mind that the amounts charged may vary according to the specialization and experience of each professional.
3. Search
In times of social networking, searching for profiles of architects and architectural firms is easier than ever. Take advantage of digital tools to search for the professionals who most speak to your style, but don’t limit yourself to them.
M + Design has accounts on Instagram and Facebook where you can check out more of our work. We also have several images of our projects on our website. If you are looking for someone to design your property in the Vancouver area and identify with our style, please get in touch and we can talk.
4. Visit projects done by the professional
Browsing social networks in search of inspiration is always a pleasant moment, but being only in the virtual world is not enough. If possible, go personally to a work done by the intended professional. Being within the environment will provide you with a better dimension of the quality of the project, especially if you are going to hire that specific company to monitor the work.
5. Know the suppliers with whom the architecture firm works
The origin of the materials used in the structure and finish of the construction interferes with the final quality of the project. Therefore, it is essential to know the suppliers with whom the professional works, even if you are not going to get directly involved in hiring them.
6. Check the cost-benefit
Before signing the contract, evaluate in detail the cost-benefit of the budget among the possible professionals. To get a sense of what an adequate budget would be, make a forecast of the area that will be built or renovated, since many values are calculated on the total area worked. Remember that it is possible to pay fees at the end of each phase of the project – and that the greater the complexity of the work, the greater the number of phases.
7. Ask for the service proposal
The service proposal is nothing more than a document that details all the stages of the contracted work, the date for the delivery of each stage and their respective values. It is also important that the service proposal specifies the number of visits that will be made during the execution of the work.
Keeping this in mind, it is easier to find a professional that suits your needs and also your budget.