How to choose the right architect or desginer

More and more clients are contacting us before they engage an architect. Through social media, clients can scope out potential builders and get a clear idea of how they operate, providing a certain level of comfort that we will build their homes correctly and to a high-performing level. Those who are now engaging architects to begin their adventure of designing their homes are at least 12 months away before starting onsite. We find that the average project takes 18 months from when an architect is engaged to when demolition begins. The reality is that good things take time, and this process shouldn't be rushed. 

But why should you trust a builder? 

We hear all the horror stories about builders. Shows like A Current Affair have made a small fortune in scaring people silly about dodgy trades for many years, whilst the media have had a field day reporting on all the building companies going under in the last few years. Like any industry, there is good and bad, but we are on the good side of things and are an exception to this rule.

We operate in a very particular way. Just like client picks their builder, we choose our clients. We put all potential clients through a discovery process to understand more about them. Not all potential clients get through this process for various reasons; it's nothing personal; we know we are not for everyone and are very comfortable saying no to a potential client. We have our processes, and we trust them because they work. We want to ensure our interests align with our clients, such as wanting sustainable homes and being located in Melbourne, preferably in the inner west!

Our social media is very close to the way we operate. We focus on sustainable construction and building techniques (sorry for the buzzword), clearly focusing on Passive House Construction, with Certified Passive houses being the golden standard of what we do. We also have a clear agenda to educate other sustainable home builders, trades and potential clients about why we do things a certain way. This results in clients trusting in what we do before we even build their homes.

But we can only do this if we have great architects or designers on board. To do what we do, we require a collaborative approach with the architect or designer to enable us to seek the common goal of building an incredible home. We both want the same result, so why not work together? 

However, we have noticed a large gap between the great architects and the standard ones. We see so many sets of plans each year and have worked with many architects and designers that we have a pretty good idea of what makes them great. We can see beyond that pretty picture or video that was most likely the reason you fell in love with them and considered working with them. 

So how do you find a great architect or building designer? We will take the price out of the picture for the minute because we have no idea how they charge. But, like anything in life, if it's cheap, it's probably nasty! So yes, good quality architects may cost more, but this will come back to you quickly as they will save you a ton of money in the construction phase by actually thinking through the design!

So where do you start, and what should you look for? We are designing our future home in Yarraville in Melbourne's inner west, and these are some things my partner and I considered.

Collaboration

Find someone that will work together with all the stakeholders in the projects. A great architect or designer has a clear understanding of knowing what they don't know. Just like I don't know how to draw or use CAD, they most likely don't know how to build onsite. The best ones we work with are great at this. They will work with suggestions the builder and their trades make and improve the buildability of the projects. They are never offended and always want to learn more. Those with quality architects and designers are the best projects with little hiccups and variations. 

When there is a lack of collaboration, problems arise. We look back now at projects that had hiccups along the way, and the common theme was the need for more collaboration. If the architect had had a builder involved early on, it would have saved the client a ton of money. For example, we have had issues where the steel beams needed to be factored into the ceiling height. The overall height needed to be reduced by 300mm to accommodate this, as we were already on some stringent height restrictions from the council. We could list many of these issues we have faced, but this is just one of them!

To be able to collaborate, everyone needs to have the same values. If you don't, it makes it highly complex and tricky, as everyone wants to achieve a specific agenda. We see this commonly around the topic of sustainability and what a sustainable home might look like. 

Sustainability 

Find someone who cares about this and practices what they preach. Too many use this as a buzzword to capture your attention, and it's the most overused word in all industries. As a builder, I get frustrated with the tiles such as Eco Builder or Sustainable Builder and terms like we build sustainable homes. Like what does this even mean? 

Firstly, look for Passive House-certified architects. Even if they don't design Passive House projects, they have made time to go through a very intense course where they at least have an understanding of the basic building science principles. They will know what they can do to make your home a healthy place beyond some simple Passive Solar principles and design. Find out if they only follow sustainable practices when clients ask for them or if these are non-negotiables in their design. I know the architect we are working with sets the bar with a minimum of a high-performance home. They outlined their expectations of what a home must require if you are interested in working with them. A good architect will look beyond using recycled red bricks or simply adding Solar to the roof to say it's sustainable. 

The biggest test is that they can explain how their design is sustainable without using words like sustainable, eco or green. Oh, and if they say they will design you a 7-star home, that's just the current code, and they are only designing your home to a minimum standard!

We are very strong in our opinion of what a sustainable home should look like. We know we set a very high bar in this area,  

Documentation

Builders have the best inside knowledge of how good an architect's documentation is because we are the ones that work off them. The information we get enables us to build you a quality home. If the correct information is not present or lacking, we will be forever asking our clients questions to questions they have already answered. The good ones think through every aspect of the build. They will work with you to detail how the window are installed, how water is managed around the building and how your HRV duct is being run in your Passive House or High-Performance Home. They will also provide precise specifications and details on the required materials and finishes. It gives the clients and us a document we can reference to create a concrete set of expectations for what the client will be getting in their build. This information makes it straightforward for the builder to distribute onsite for all their trades to work from.

The good ones are also up to date with technology. A basic set of 2D plans are no longer good enough. We prefer designers that will produce a 3D file as it enables us to identify potential issues (like the steel one I spoke about above) before it's too late. It also allows you to get a clear visualisation of what the home will look like. It has taken us over ten years to look at a plan and visualise the home's construction and what it might look like when it's completed. We can't expect clients doing this for the first time to accurately read a set of plans and know what their home will look like. We noticed this recently when clients who were not provided with this information constantly said, "Oh, we didn't know it would look like that" or "ohh is that how the ceiling line runs". The clients with these walk-through models have a clear expectation of what they are getting. I have seen this first-hand with my partner. She is constantly playing with the 3D file for our house, enabling her to visualise how the home may flow and feel.

Communication

The great ones have a transparent process and are great at communicating with everyone through the design process but more importantly, during the build. The ones we prefer to work with are always a call away if you have questions and will pop out onsite if an issue concerns the design. It enables us to keep the project moving and prevent delays. As builders, we love architects and designers who are involved. It's another eye over the build but enables us to have high-level discussions should they be required.

The best ones are clear at setting expectations around the budget. They might not tell you what you want to hear; however, they are realistic. They will communicate this to you and make sure you understand the costs associated with building. We avoid certain designers and architects as they will tell a client they can build the home for $600k when I know it's impossible to get it under $1m, and then blame this issue on everything except themselves. These clients believe the architect and are then in a reality where they can't afford the build they have designed. I spend a fair amount of my time looking at the costs of builds, quoting, estimating, and tracking costs and even I find it difficult to tell you what your build may cost.

Cost Control

One of the primary benefits of getting a builder in early in the design process is cost control. A builder can provide valuable insights into the cost implications of various design decisions, including materials and construction techniques. They can also offer suggestions on cost-effective alternatives without compromising quality or aesthetics.

Designers often focus on aesthetics and functionality without considering the practicalities of construction. When a builder is involved in the design process, they can provide insights into the constructability of the design. They can evaluate the feasibility of various design choices and suggest modifications that may improve the constructability of the project. This approach can help prevent costly errors during the construction phase, such as delays and rework. During these stages, a good architect will work with us to talk about things like how we will increase the amount of insulation in the home, how our windows will be installed to perform correctly, how to best deal with moisture and water around the home and help detail how we will get the home airtight.

That gut feeling.

Relationships mean everything. Trust your gut with who you think you will work best with and who you feel best suits your lifestyle. I constantly tell potential clients I am not for everyone, and if you find someone you click better with, that is ok; I am not offended. For this process to work well, you need to have a level of trust in the designer or architect. The best architects are always telling me how well their client relationships are. If you're worried about them, get some references from past clients, but also look at builders they have worked with. We can tell you everything from how past clients found their processes, how they function, how reliable the drawings were, and the level of documentation we received. 

These are just some of the basic things you need to look at beyond the style of an architect or designer's design. While selecting the architect you would love to work with might cost you a little more, it will likely result in a better outcome for yourself and the team you decide to work with to build your home. So if you need help figuring out where to start, reach out to a builder you would like to work with and ask for their recommendations on what architects or designers are great.

We are Passive House builders located in Melbourne's inner west, working with several Passive House architects. If you want to know more about building a Passive House or High-Performance home, please feel free to reach out to us if you're looking to build or need help knowing where to start.