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working with an architect An
architect is a licensed, registered professional whose skills span from
aesthetic composition to checking the steel placement in the footings. The
relationship with an architect can be surprisingly intimate, since the
private details of your life can be the basis for some of your house design.
Also, building is not a trouble-free process. You need to feel you and your
architect can talk and listen to each other. Training and
Licensing Architects
are now required to have a professional degree from an accredited school.
They must also have three years of supervised internship under a registered
architect. The next step in registration is an examination covering a variety
of topics including design, site design, structure, building systems and
professional practice. An architect must apply to each state individually for
registration. Finding an
architect You
can find an architect in a variety of ways. Referrals from friends and
colleagues who have personal experience with an architect is a tried and true
means. Realtors and contractors can also be a source of information. If you
see a building under construction that you like, often there will be a sign
with the architect's information, or the job crew can tell you who the
architect is. Increasingly, ads and web sites like the one that brought you
to this page are another way to "meet" an architect. The initial meeting The
first step is to set up an initial meeting. The architect will want to know
what kind of project you have, with a general idea of size and budget. In
exchange he or she will show you photographs of work or take you on a site
visit, discuss fees, experience, and background. During this first meeting,
there should be a dialogue of ideas both specific to your project and to the
architect's design philosophies. This is a time to test communication, to see
if there is a sparking or connection between you and the architect. Fees Fees
are always a primary concern. There are a variety of ways to price services -
each architect will have specific preferences and fee schedule. Below are
some common fee structures: Percentage
of the cost of construction: the fee is a percentage of the cost of
construction; the range of this fee varies hugely, depending on the scope of
the project and architectural services, but each architect sets their own
fee; most engineering costs are covered by the architect Hourly
fees: Each hour spent on the project is charged at an agreed upon rate; the
total fee is difficult to estimate, but this allows some flexibility in the
scope of service and can be appropriate for some projects such as limited
remodels or design or construction administration services only; hourly fees
can become contentious if the number of hours becomes controversial;
engineering and other fees are separate Negotiated flat fee: This fee depends almost entirely on negotiation between client and architect, and depends on what the architect needs or wants to perform the work and what the client wants to pay Printing, models, telephone calls, delivery charges and some consultants are reimbursable expenses |
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a pictorial glossary |
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statement |
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architect |