ᐅ Initial Consultation / Architect Selection

Hello everyone,

We plan to build a single-family house with an architect and are currently in the process of finding/selecting one. Next week we have initial meetings with several architects. We have reviewed all reference projects on their websites and have made a preliminary selection based on that. All the architects have their offices in our region. What questions would you ask during the meeting, and which criteria would you use to choose an architect?

Initial meeting: So far, I have compiled the following list of questions. What else should we add here?
Office

• How many projects do you handle per year? How many of those are single-family houses?
• How many employees do you have?
• References?

General approach

• Which project phases do you typically cover?
• How do you work during the preliminary design? How many different drafts/iterations are included?

Architect fees

• Do you charge according to HOAI or a flat fee?
• If HOAI: Which fee zones/rates do you typically apply?

Availability

• What is your availability like?

Selection criteria: We would probably base our choice of architect on the following criteria (in descending order of priority). Would you consider anything else?

• How well does the personal fit match?
• What is the cost of the architect’s services?
• Does the architect’s approach match our expectations (e.g., project phases 1–4 then handover to general contractor vs. phases 1–9 vs. architect as general contractor)?
• Does the timing/availability fit our schedule?

We might also try to contact residents of some reference projects.

Phew, just for your information, I worked with a general contractor (GC) who is also an architect... so there was no billing based on work phases or fee structures like HOAI.

But I’d be interested to know, for example, whether he is personally creative or lets others be creative. References are a plus.

Does the number of employees matter? You’re not applying for a new job; you want a service provider.

Overall, I’d be more curious about the philosophy behind his approach and his company: Does he engage with the client? Does he do the drawings himself? Is he interested in prestige projects?

Try to pick up during casual conversations whether he shows any boastful or narcissistic tendencies, how he relates to clients and their wishes. What is his attitude towards “building with a GC,” and what is his personality like, including empathy?

Is he more of a manager or the hands-on person on the construction site?

Don’t be afraid to ask basic questions about how the process works, how long he spends on a design, whether he has time and is available around 6 PM (18:00), etc.

And then just pay attention to how much you like him!

Thank you for the suggestions, especially regarding the logistical aspects.

ypg schrieb:

But does the number of employees really matter?

For me, it wouldn’t be ideal if the office is very large, the owner-architect only handles client acquisition, and the actual design/planning work is delegated to someone else (often probably someone with less experience).

A larger office and division of work do not necessarily have to be a disadvantage, for example if one person handles the designs, another is responsible for the engineering, and a third for construction management. These are very different tasks, after all. On the other hand, you might not always be dealing with the person you initially liked.

stfn_86 schrieb:

If the firm is very large, the principal architect only handles client acquisition, and the actual design and planning work is then delegated to someone else (often probably someone with less experience).

That's what I mean here.

ypg schrieb:

whether he is creative himself or lets others be creative.

However, young architects are usually the ones who are still enthusiastic, willing to push themselves hard to make the impossible possible. After all, they want to prove themselves. The boss can be a bit of a bore who is good at delegating.

The questions won’t get you far and won’t help much.
The architect can promise you anything.
The chemistry has to be right, that’s what conversations are for; the questions are secondary. Even then, there’s only a 50:50 chance that your gut feeling is correct.
How much money do you want to spend? That can also determine which background is worthwhile.