Architect - How To Work With An Architect

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Judi Heit of Sail/Loft Realty

Judi is a Sales Associate with Mariner Realty, Inc. Like most, the Heits were drawn here in 1989 by their love of boating and dream of living in a warmer climate. When corporate downsizing resulted in Judi’s job being eliminated, they decided to "start over where they were going to end up" and headed south to their lot on Brown Creek. The following year was spent designing and building their home, which Judi contracted herself. This is the third in a series of articles sharing ideas that made their building project run a little smoother.

From the Ground Up
How do you find and work with an architect?

by Judi Heit

If you don’t know one, you can get recommendations from acquaintances who have had a home designed and built or by contacting the American Institute of Architects at http://www.aiaonline.com/. Here you’ll find information on finding and working with an architect with a list of 20 questions to ask when interviewing candidates. (When searching their database of member architects in this area, select Jacksonville, Washington or Wilmington.)

Once you’ve interviewed several prospects and isolated those who have won your confidence, you’re left with two final assessments. First, do you like the architect’s designs? After all, a new home that pleases you is the goal of this process. It’s what you’ll be left with long after the turmoil of construction is complete. Second, will you be able to work well with the architect? You’ll see a lot of each other, sometimes under trying circumstances. Can this person handle the inevitable misunderstandings and disagreements like a professional?

Now that you’ve made your selection, you’ll need to draw up a contract. A contract with an architect should include a set price along with an itemized list of everything the fee encompasses. Basic architectural services include designing the house and preparing a complete set of construction plans. Does the architect expect extra pay for site visits? How about travel and phone costs, permit filing fees and any consultant services? Include everything you want the architect to accomplish and specify start/completion dates and payment schedules. Last, but not least, have your attorney review all contracts.

Your next task is to prepare for your first working meeting. At that time you’ll communicate what you want in your house and its individual rooms. Go into the meeting fully prepared and in sync with your partner about your requirements (here’s where your ring binder and checklist comes in handy).

After a few meetings, your architect will develop a schematic plan of a house he thinks fits you. This stage is the basis for the eventual design and construction, so make sure you understand what’s presented to you. If there’s something that isn’t working for you at this stage, slow things down until it’s right.

In the next step, your architect will translate his schematics into drawings, also called plans or blueprints. (If you’ve hired a contractor, make sure he’s communicating with your architect at this stage. Architects usually get very little training in frame construction, and your contractor can fill in the blanks.) Knowing how to read blueprints will not only help you envision your new home but may save you thousands of dollars, enable you to win arguments and eliminate the element of surprise from construction.

Blueprints provide exact information to the builder and subcontractors on how to build your home. For you (and the bank), they show what you are buying, usually from the brand of insulation to the types of appliances. Blueprints also enable local authorities to determine in advance whether your design satisfies all the engineering and safety requirements of municipal building codes. Typically, they consist of several sections and include specifications and schedules:

Elevation plans provide a straight-on view of the exterior walls without a lot of distracting detail. The views are identified by either compass directions or designations like "front" or "right-side." These plans give the placement of windows and doors plus an identification of which windows will open. Types of roofing, siding and trim are indicated with ceiling and shelf heights. Pay close attention to the location of appliances and light fixtures.

Floor plans diagram each floor of the home and are your best resource for answering questions about daily traffic patterns, available storage space, window and door styles and locations and kitchen efficiency. The scale for most floor plans is ź inch to equal 1 foot. Note that measurements include walls, so the actual living space will be a few inches smaller. Mentally walk through the floor plan to see how the traffic flows. Switch on lights and open windows and doors. Do they swing the right way or interfere with furniture placement? Are built-ins adequate? Do the floor and wall spaces allow for your furnishings? Where is Grandma’s hutch? Where is your favorite painting? Do you have to trek up a lot of stairs, through the house and over your beautiful carpeting to get your packages from the garage to the kitchen? You’ve got the idea!

Mechanical/electrical drawings include the heating ducts, plumbing lines, foundation and roof framing and show where the electrical outlets, phone jacks and light switches are located. The scale is often 1/8 inch per foot. Check to see that they are located where you need them and that there are enough for your family’s needs. Do you need a 2^nd phone line in the study, cable/phone jacks behind the TV for your satellite dish or wiring for your stereo system? Would you like to be able to turn the floodlights on from your master bedroom? Are there floor outlets where needed? How about exterior outlets for holiday decorations, a hose bib on the deck or wiring for future landscape lighting?

Section drawings give a view of the inside cavity of the house without the exterior walls and are useful to the homeowner as assurance that the architect is giving enough technical information to the builder, who needs it to obtain construction permits. It provides a close look at the details of the roofing, framing, insulation and interior and exterior wall surfaces. Section drawings provide dimensions, materials specifications and stress limitations –- sometimes using a different scale ratio than the floor plan. They sometimes double as elevation plans by showing windows and cabinetry.

Site plans illustrate how the home and driveway will be situated on the lot. They give dimensions, directions, elevations and materials to be used. Before you dig, your local building and zoning departments will want to look at these plans. Study the site plans carefully to be sure the home takes advantage of the best scenery and maintains privacy. Use these plans to verity distances from sidewalks, streets and neighboring lot lines.

Detail charts are enlarged portions of complex area of the house plan. They may explain intricate wiring situations, a unique window or any other items that need special attention. The detail chart is usually included near the corresponding blueprint drawing to show where it fits into the larger scheme, and is often drawn to a different scale than the floor plan.

Specifications detail the materials and techniques the builder and subcontractors are to use. The contents vary widely, and some may not include actual model numbers. NOTE: You should know that when it comes time to build, written specifications take precedence over blueprints or working drawings (they will either be on a page attached to the blueprints or a separate set of written instructions). So be thoroughly familiar with them and be certain that you approve of them, as well as the final modifications of the plan, since the specifications are legally binding.

Schedules are typically used for siding, doors, windows and fixtures. Architects often include information such as makes, model numbers and quantities in the schedules. Contractors need this information to provide accurate bids, since varying materials carry different price tags. Schedules also provide the details necessary to prevent inferior materials from being substituted by the builder.

Check! Double check! Write-a-check! It’s critical to consider and decide on any changes early on, long before construction begins. All changes should be put in writing, noting whether they were made by you or as the result of your architects’ omission and/or error. As revised sets of prints are presented to you, check to be sure nothing was off since the previous set. Double-check from section to section to assure changes were made throughout the entire set. Initial and date each set so you’ll always know which ones are most current. Remember that your changes may result in added costs and delays, so watch your checkbook and check your calendar.

The blueprints and specs are now combined to form the construction documents. If you haven’t hired one yet, they constitute the bid package and can now be sent out to the prospects that you are considering. Each piece of paper in the construction documents should be initialed and dated. Plans are fluid, constantly evolving, and it’s imperative that each party knows the status of the documents at bidding time. Debates can still arise because people’s perceptions vary, but this is everyone’s best shot.

To Judi Heit's first article in the series
To Judi Heit's second article in the series
To Judi Heit's fourth article in the series

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