• 1. What is your design process?
• 2. What are your architectural fees?
• 3. What is the estimated timeline for the project?
• 4. What is your previous experience in working with a similar project?
• 5. What services do you offer, and what is and isn?t included in my project?
• 6. How do you manage feedback?
• 7. Can you recommend contractors/builders for my project?
• 8. Who will be my point of contact throughout the project?
• 9. Who will design my project/ how hands-on will the architect be?
• 10. Are there any sustainable materials or features that I can use for my project?

Whether you are building that dream home, a functional office space, or a classy commercial space, hiring an architect is important, and hiring the right architect is even more important. While this may seem to be a daunting task, with the right attitude, and the right set of architect interview questions, one can hire an architect who will ensure that your project has reached its maximum potential. Here are 11 questions you should ask your architect before hiring them.

1. What is your design process?

This is a crucial question when finding the right architect for your project. It gives you a rough idea about how the whole process might look like. Most firms have similar approaches that vary slightly for each project, so knowing them beforehand will help you understand your involvement in the project and decide whether the chosen architect will meet your needs. If you plan to work with other professionals like interior designers or structural consultants, include them from the start.

2. What are your architectural fees?

Architectural fees can be dealbreaker criteria for choosing an architect; hence you must choose an architect or a firm that is transparent about their rate right from the start. Architects mainly employ four methods for fee calculation, lumpsum amount, percentage of the cost of work, rate per square foot of area, or on an hourly basis. If you have a non-flexible budget, sticking with an architect who bills a fixed fee will be your safe bet to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

3. What is the estimated timeline for the project?

It is important to establish a realistic timeline for your project by having clear and honest communication with your architect. This will help you manage your expectations about the project and give a rough look into the possible delays. While fleshing out a timeline, check how much time is built into it for you to review and offer feedback. In such cases, the longer you delay feedback, the more delayed the expected timeline will be. Finishing work by the end of the expected timeline is a team effort, and in this matter, open communication is a must.

4. What is your previous experience in working with a similar project?

While going through your process of design architect selection, it is important to note whether the architect has worked before on a similar project in terms of scale, timeline, and budget. It is sensible to select an architect who has worked on a similar project.

Another thing is checking whether the architect has worked before in your city/state/area. This is advantageous while obtaining the necessary building permissions, as the architect might know how to obtain them.

5. What services do you offer, and what is and isn?t included in my project?

Each architectural firm offers different levels of service. The main two sets of services are full service and builder sets. Builder sets provide you with floor plans, elevations, and sections without material specifications offering flexibility to the builders to adjust the materials according to the client’s budget. Full service does not offer flexibility to the builders and specifies everything going into the project. Choosing one among them is a personal decision influenced by budget and timeline.

6. How do you manage feedback?

Some clients like to leave all the building aspects of the project to the architect, while some prefer a say in it. If you belong to the latter, it is crucial to ask the architect beforehand how they manage feedback and incorporate changes. Sometimes during the development the proposed plan could change due to an overlooked building or spatial aspect, business need, or issues in construction. You need to know how the architect will charge for this redesign and how this might affect the project timeline.

7. Can you recommend contractors/builders for my project?

Most architects have trustworthy partnerships with contractors and builders in their area. If you have not selected a builder, an architect might help you and can advise on the selection of a builder who is suitable for your project.

8. Who will be my point of contact throughout the project?

The point of contact of the client changes throughout the design process. During the development of schematic design, the architect might be your primary contact and it would change to a project manager while moving on to the design development. Once the construction begins, your main point of contact will be the building contractor or superintendent. Knowing the point of contact throughout the project will help you to get a clear idea of whom to contact during its development stages.

9. Who will design my project/ how hands-on will the architect be?

When you hire an architect, you should find out how much of the project they will work on directly, as opposed to how much will be left to junior staff members or even the contractor. Find out from the expert how frequently they intend to visit the location, and together you can determine the optimal number of visits needed for the project.

Find out whether your architect will continue to be involved in the construction process and to what extent. Based on your needs, the participation of the architect can vary while the project is being built. Have the discussion in advance to establish clear expectations.

10. Are there any sustainable materials or features that I can use for my project?

Sustainable design is a hot topic in the industry, for all the right reasons. If this might be something of concern to you, it is advisable to select an architect who can offer you solutions regarding the same. Remember, your project is a huge investment for you. One of the qualities of a good architect is to satisfy all your needs to make it worthwhile.

Even though this list contains many questions, it is recommended to add more questions and ask more project and scope-specific questions. You can even include out-of-the-box questions! Asking more questions is useful for both the client and the architect in the long run. Do your research and choose wisely. All the best!

Sources

• https://www.technearchitects.com/blogs/questions-to-ask-an-architect-in-an-interview
• https://kgarch.com/9-questions-to-ask-when-hiring-an-architect
• https://neumannmonson.com/blog/questions-before-hiring-architect
• https://www.houzz.in/magazine/6-key-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-your-architect-stsetivw-vs~92297397
• https://www.houselogic.com/remodel/budgeting-contracting/what-to-ask-an-architect
• https://www.zparcheng.com/blog/questions-ask-architect