How to find a good architect

Selecting an architect to extend or renovate your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Contrary to what some builders might say, they do a lot than draw pretty pictures. A good architect has the expertise and imagination to make the most of any space available and the skills to guide you through the planning process. They can tell you if a scheme is feasible and cost-effective, find the best local builders, obtain quotations and administer the contract. The value a good architect adds to a property, should more than offset their fee.

Don’t be confused by misleading job titles          

It takes seven years of academic training and professional experience to qualify as an architect. In the UK, the title ‘architect’ is protected by law. It can only be used by someone who is on the official list which is maintained by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) . You can check if someone is a fully qualified architect by going on the ARB website. Most architects are also members of the Royal Institute of British Architects  and call themselves chartered architects, but this is voluntary. RIBA is a professional membership body driving excellence in architecture. Honesty, integrity and competence, as well as concern for the environment, are the foundations of RIBA’s professional code of conduct.

Not every project will require the depth of knowledge or skills of a fully qualified architect. Smaller and simpler home extensions might be handled by an architectural technician or technologist. They have a shorter training focused on practical construction. Many belong to the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). Be aware anyone call themselves an architectural consultant, architectural designer or similar regardless of their qualifications. But if they are not on the ARB register, they are not an architect – it’s as simple as that.

Draw up a shortlist of candidates

When shortlisting candidates, consider the following:

• Have you checked if the architects are registered with the ARB?  This means you can be confident they are highly qualified design professionals and hold appropriate insurance if anything goes wrong and you need to seek compensation. Decide if you want the extra peace of mind of a chartered architect.
• Are they a local architect? If securing planning permission is likely to be a problem, it’s best to hire architects who are familiar with local policies, know the planning officers at your council and can show you a track record of successful applications for similar one-off new homes or extensions in your area. Check your local council’s planning section where you can see applications online – current and historic – with names of the architects involved.
• Is your home listed?  Make sure to shortlist architects with experience of extending and renovating listed buildings as this is a specialist area. Similarly, if you live in a National Park, find architects with experience of securing planning permission for projects within the park boundaries.
• What type of architect are they? Each architect will have a certain style and you will need to find one to your liking. Some architectural practices stick to a signature look (for example, contemporary or traditional, for example) while others are more flexible and can design in different styles.
• Decide on the level of service you need. Are you looking for an architect to handle the whole project from concept to completion on site? Do you want plenty of input into the design, someone to come up with new ideas? Or do you just need someone to produce a set of drawings and documents to secure planning permission and building regulations approval for your scheme?
• Are you concerned about the budget? A good architect should be strong on managing costs, so you don’t go massively over-budget as often happens on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. It might make great TV drama but shouldn’t happen on well-run projects.
• Often the best source is a personal recommendation from someone you know and trust.
• Avoid larger firms that deal with mostly planning or commercial projects because they won’t be interested in what they will consider to be small-scale commission.

 Face-to-face meeting with architects

After you have chosen three or four architects, meet each one. Explain what you want done and see what each candidate says and how interested they are in your project and what advice they give you. Allow an hour or more for each interview, discussing your ideas with them to work out whether they have empathy for what you want to achieve and how they might approach your project. Some architects charge a small free for this initial consultation, but not all. It’s a sign of a helpful professional if they are willing to give you some time to really understand your aims and to advise if it’s feasible from a planning point of view but don’t expect any design work for free.

The ability to listen carefully is one skill that marks out a good architect – and one that is not obvious from design accolades. For a good future working relationship, it’s important to feel you can communicate well with your chosen architect. The initial meeting is also an opportunity to find out whether your budget is in the right ballpark. While projects will have to go out to tender to get accurate quotes from builders, architects will have a good idea of whether it’s possible to achieve what you are asking for within your budget.

Visit the architects’ websites. Most feature a portfolio of projects to give you a feel for the type of buildings they have designed. Be aware computer graphics make it easy to produce images that look realistic but, in fact, have never been built. It’s okay for a firm to have a few of these illustrations mixed in with photos of completed projects. But if all the images are computer generated, it suggests a lack of experience (or an out-of-date website), so ask if they have built any projects.

Check if they are available for your project. Take up references and ask to speak to past clients. If they say no, it’s a red flag. When you speak to previous clients, ask if the architects stuck to their budget or pushed expensive extras on them.? Did they get on well with them? Did the architect negotiate on their behalf with planners or avoid difficult conversations. Did the architect cut corners, or did the finished project exceed their expectations? Visit previous projects designed by the architects on your shortlist.

Compare their fees

The architect’s fees will depend on the size and complexity of your project and level of services required. For example, if you may only need drawings and a set of documents for planning purposes, it will cost less. Alternatively, if you are looking for someone to take your project from concept to completion on site, it will draw on more time and skills of the architect and be more expensive. Some architects charge a fixed fee, while others charge a percentage of the total cost or by the hour.

Try and compare like with like for each service provided. A fixed fee with some flexibility for change can be better than an hourly rate as an architect might spend too much time on your project and bust the budget. A lump sum, fixed fee for each stage of a project will help you keep tabs on costs from the initial design, planning and building regulations stage to tender package and contract administration. You need to be clear about the level of service you are expecting from an architect and how much they will charge for each stage and the timings.  If your shortlisted architects give vastly different fees, ask them to explain the costs. Once you have chosen your architect, the next stage is to instruct them.

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