architectural fees for homes and buildings explained

Value of an Architect

Value of an architect: is about why anyone might want to consider engaging an architect to design a home or building for them.

What is special about an architect that makes them a value?
What values do they deliver to a project that make them worth the investment in them?

value of an architect

How are architects a VALUE? 

What sets them apart?

Value of an Architect #1: PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS: architects are trained to solve seemingly impossible problems with demanding design criteria.  Architects are the most experienced people in the world at designing buildings and homes and can be counted on to arrive at the most creative and effective solutions.

–  Value of an Architect #2: ENERGY: your architect can provide enough upgraded insulation and other energy conserving features designed into your house to result in you saving hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of your home.  An architect knows best where the most efficient use of your energy dollar should go: they are experts.  After all: they are trained to design homes and buildings: it’s what they do for a living.

–  Value of an Architect #3: HEALTH: your architect can detail and specify your house so that it won’t leak, or have dangerous off-gassing, thereby making your home more durable and less prone to develop mold, radon & other toxic issues, which results in a healthier house for you and your family, saving you the pain and suffering of illnesses that could otherwise develop from improperly built construction using more dangerous materials ana systems.  Architects know about material off-gassing and other harmful effects that others associated with your home’s construction usually aren’t motivated to discover.  Your architect knows because they are involved in your project with one focus: creating the best home for you and the best value possible.  They are your advocate.  They have sworn a solemn HSW vow, when becoming licensed, to protect the Health, Safety & Welfare of the public and their clients.

–  Value of an Architect #4: BUILDING PERMIT REQUIREMENT:  Most public buildings and some residential projects are required to have a licensed architect preparing the design and construction documents in order to obtain a building permit.  One day, it may be a requirement that if it needs a permit, it needs an architect.  It is odd that one of the most complex building types possible (residential projects) aren’t always required to have an architect creating the design and documents.  The public would be better served if that was a requirement.  Not having an architect is one of the reasons most homes in the world are in such disrepair.

–  Value of an Architect #5: DURABILITY: your architect can detail and specify your house to last longer and avoid as much maintenance as possible, through smart detailing, saving you the hassle and expense of fixing things in a less properly built house.  Others are often more focused on saving some meager expense here and there, even though that could result in damage to the integrity of your project.   The architect wants the best home possible for you.

–  Value of an Architect #6: SECURITY & STRENGTH: your architect will provide details to be strong and help resist the harsh storms that are assaulting our world these days.  Ask any of the people whose houses blew down in the various record storms during the last 20 years.  And there are more on the way.  Don’t become a statistic.  Sometimes all it takes is a more sensibly designed detail to keep your project together.  No one but your architect will be as concerned for your welfare and longevity of your project as they are; it’s their job.

Value of an Architect #7: RESALE VALUE: these are very competitive times.  The World has weathered a major Recession, which to many was a full-blown Depression.  And the home ownership sector has been particularly hard-hit.  Having the advantage of a more functional layout and more attractive appearance for your home can give you a marketing advantage.  In any real estate cycle, this can help provide you with increased resale value.  For commercial projects this can’t hurt the owner as well.

Value of an Architect #8: FUNCTIONALITY: Architects spend their lives solving problems with homes and buildings, squeezing the most out of every square inch.  Many architects have government contracts, requiring them to plan homes and buildings in an efficient manner to make the most of every tax dollar.

Value of an Architect #9: AESTHETICS: it is a requirement, when architects are being trained in major universities across the world, that their project are not only attractive and beautiful, but that they embody the concept of the programmed project.  Architects program their projects in the beginning, listening to the needs, requirements, hopes and dreams of the owners.  Then, as they design, they incorporate these features into the project, typically elevating the project into the realm of art, as well as function, making the design true “architecture”: a project that has a soul at its center, evocative of higher aspirations, symbolic of the positive aspects of the nature of the project, as well as function.  The architect is the only entity trained to accomplish this blending of art, technology and function.

Value of an Architect #10: CREATIVITY: Architects are all very creative professionals.  They have an ability, through training, experience and built-in intelligence, to be able to see solutions that are missed by others.  Why: if they were not creative, they would never make it through college and would never earn their degrees, because to accomplish those objectives requires a tremendous amount of creativity.

There are more values of an Architect, but these are a good start.