When you are planning a home renovation, the right architect can make all the difference. It’s not just the design of your new kitchen or living room that will determine whether you love your new space or not. It’s also how well the project is managed from start to finish.
But choosing an architect is not like picking out a new piece of furniture on a whim. It’s a big decision that requires research, thoughtful consideration and interviewing multiple candidates. Here’s how to choose an architect for your next home renovation:
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Choose a registered architect
A registered architect will have undergone a minimum of 7 years of study and training and will be registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP).
Check their portfolio
Most architects will have an online portfolio that they can share with you or they can give you examples of projects that they have worked on. The portfolio should contain drawings and photographs of the completed projects. Make sure you ask them questions about the projects, for example, what was their budget, how did the project run, were there any delays or issues? A good architect will be able to tell you if there were any problems during construction and how they solved them.
Have a budget in mind
It is important to discuss this up-front as every project will have a different budget depending on things such as materials used, size and so on. An experienced architect will be able to work within your budget and give you options on how best to spend your money.
Ask for referrals
One of the best ways to choose an architect is to ask people you know and trust for recommendations. Make sure you get specific details about the firm and the types of projects they typically work on.
Architects are generalists
They need to know how to read plans, work with contractors and manage projects — but they don’t necessarily have extensive hands-on experience with all construction types. That’s why it’s important for them to have experience working on similar projects as yours – for example, if you’re building a home from scratch, you want an architect who has done that before rather than someone who mostly does additions and remodels.
It’s also important to establish how much direct contact time your architect will spend on site — and whether they outsource other parts of the project.
If you are looking for detailed planning architects in North London, visit us at https://www.detailed-planning.co.uk/architects-north-london/
