As exciting as it is, building or renovating a home is a stressful process. Not only is it a big investment of both time and money, it’s also an investment into your future. That’s why it’s important that everyone involved is working hard ensure the project runs smoothly and efficiently, and ultimately results in a home that you’re happy with. Hiring an architect is a great way to make this process easier, so they can design and facilitate your build from beginning to end. But there are still some things that you can do to make the process as smooth as possible.
Trust
It can be hard placing your dream into the hands of someone else, but architects are one of the few people who will actually be able to bring your vision into reality. Trust that your architect has your best interests in mind and will use their expertise to translate your vision into a functionable, desirable home.
As much as an architect will try and accommodate your requests, there might be some things that are simply not possible, whether it’s because of budgetary constraints or the size of your block. So, if they tell you that something isn’t going to work, they’re probably right. They should, however, provide alternatives so you can both work towards finding a compromise.
Share your inspiration
An architect’s job is all about designing a home that suits you, so providing some inspiration for your design is always a good idea.
A great way to do this is to share a mood board with images of homes or design elements you love. With this, your architect will learn what design styles you like and will use them to influence their choices. Avoid being too specific to give them plenty of freedom to design the home that works best for you. And don’t worry too much if there are some elements in an image you don’t love, the point is not for your architect to copy the designs; they will merely act as inspiration. You’ll also be able to review your architect’s designs before they’re finalised to allow for adjustments.
It won’t be possible for your architect to include everything you like into a design, but with a few compromises on both sides you’ll end up with a home that’s perfect for you.
Communication
As with any relationship, communication will be vital between you and your architect. Be sure to establish preferred methods and timings for communication early in the design process. Keep up the momentum of your project by responding to queries and giving feedback in a timely manner. This will ensure your project stays at the front of your architect’s mind and flows smoothly.
It’s also important to be honest with your architect. They want to design you the best possible home, but they won’t be able to do this if you hold back and don’t ask questions when you have them. And even more importantly, don’t be shy about letting them know when you don’t like something.
Good communication is particularly important when designing passive houses, as the architect needs to learn what’s important to you and how you like to live in a home. This will influence how the budget can be allocated to different sustainability elements such as shading, windows, heating, cooling and services.
Prepare for it to take time
While you may get a completed off-the-plan design in a much shorter timeframe than an architecturally designed home, it won’t have been designed with your lifestyle in mind. This will likely result in wasted space and money (both in the short and long term).
An architecturally designed home is likely to take a bit longer – but that’s a good thing. Architects will take the time to talk to you about your lifestyle and specific needs from a home. They will then design it based on these discussions, checking in with you regularly and adjusting things as needed.
The design process can take anywhere between 1 to 6 months, with authority approvals and construction adding another 12-24 months. These may seem like daunting numbers but the extra time will be well worth the many happy years you’ll spend in your home.