Five Reasons to Work with an Architect
On the fence about your renovation or new construction?
That’s understandable. Challenges associated with supply chain issues, unpredictable labor markets, and lingering pandemic concerns are absolutely making construction more difficult.
Which is exactly why hiring an architect is a smart decision.
I’ve written about how an architect can save you money here. Given the current market conditions, I thought it might be helpful to talk about more ways architects can contribute to your project, as we’ve had lots of experience as of late working through construction delays, pricing challenges and supply issues. I’ve made a quick list of the top five challenges we’ve seen lately, and some ways you can ask your architect to address them, based on how we’ve been working with our clients here at TPD.
Supply chain problems or shipping times create delays. This has been the most consistent concern we have seen on projects, impacting everything from siding to appliances and light fixtures. Ask your architect how they are using their professional networks to help find alternative solutions. At TPD, we get on the phone with our product representatives to find out what they have and when they will have it. For an addition about to go into construction, we were delighted to have a project rep call us to report that the siding we wanted would likely be available when we needed it. Had we not been consistently in touch with him, we would still be chasing down alternate materials.
“Window pricing went up by 10% last week.” Unpredictable pricing for specific products creates budget uncertainty. Architects are generally a well-informed, creative bunch. And they work pricing problems from two directions, focusing both on acceptable alternates based on our product knowledge as well as looking at all of the components of construction and recommending ways to create savings to offset unexpected additional costs. Here at TPD, we work closely with our contractors before and during construction to help get as much accurate pricing information as possible. This helps you make informed decisions about your project and where you want to focus your investment. “The cabinet maker is 24 weeks out from being able to start production on your cabinets.” Labor shortages can lead to longer production times. Architects design with production times in mind. If a particular selection or design element is going to throw a schedule, an architect can help you prioritize your goals, figure out what can be reconsidered, eliminated or redesigned so that your project can continue to move forward. At TPD, we work with clients to identify selections with longer lead times so that we can get these items ordered earlier in the construction process, like cabinets, appliances and windows. And to that end, it helps to have a contractor on your team early, helping to coordinate your construction schedule with those deliveries. “We can’t give you pricing on your project for another six months.” Great general contractors are in high demand. And even more so these days. Have a conversation with your architect about their recommendations for contractor selection and how they can help you with that selection. Ultimately, you are looking for a process that yields a great construction team, gives you earlier access to pricing information, and provides a realistic time frame for construction. Given the changes in the last two years, TPD recommends that homeowners use a qualifications-based process to select their contractors prior to the completion of design drawings. We believe that assembling a project team during design helps keep budgets in line and schedules moving forward. “The appliances you selected will be here in 10-12 months.” Design choices can be dictated by needing to make selections earlier. Your renovation journey should start with some very real conversations about budget and scope, especially given the current construction climate. In addition, working with an architect should involve sharing not just your design dreams, but also a very clear communication about your investment numbers. When your architect can align your target investment, your scope, and your calendar, it’s easier to focus on the stuff that’s the most important to you. For us, that means we help our clients prioritize design decisions for items that will take the longest to arrive and will have the most impact on their timeline or costs. Although it’s a challenging time to build, architects are creative and thoughtful professionals. Our job is to help navigate these waters with our clients. Having an architect on your construction team means you not only take advantage of their professional expertise but also their network and resources. And that is money well spent. Let us know how we can help you with your renovation or new home.
