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Hiring Tips To Find An Architect Locally

Enhanced improvements to your property , such as a two-storey extension or a new build home will usually require the expertise of an architect. It's a working relationship that is incredibly important, since the architect is there to ensure your ideas are turned into reality according to all the building regulations and highest building standards. They also offer peace of mind to builders too since their expertise in the field will help to iron out any challenges facing the project from the start. And once the work's complete you can have an architect inspect and sign off the work, giving you the peace of mind that it's a job well done. When choosing an architect, check to see if they're registered with the Architect's Registration Body or ARB and the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA).

Pick someone who has lots of experience of conducting similar projects to the one you want done. It's also worthwhile checking their relationship with the local planning office. This gives you some insight into how successful they've been in getting their plans approved in the past. And just as you would ask to see references from builders, so too architects should be happy to provide details of prior work carried out and show you examples of building projects they've undertaken. What you're looking for here is how well they stuck to the brief and whether they went wildly off budget. It's vital for obvious reasons your architect works within your budget constraints throughout the project, and at the very least flags up any budgetary issues they foresee before work commences.

How an architect can help your build project

Once you've found the right architect for the job, they'll begin by embarking on a feasibility study and ensure all the planning and building regulation documents are submitted correctly. WIth these in place and once you have the green light from the planning department, the build can commence. You can choose to have the architect for the duration of the project until the build is complete or just hire them for the design and submission phase. Nearly all problems clients have with architects can be put down to a breakdown in communication.

Therefore it's absolutely necessary to have all details of the build's budget and the architect's responsibilities set out in writing from the start of the process. Similarly, the client has a responsibility not to chop and change their mind about an aspect of the project midway to completion. If you're thinking of transforming your home and require an architect, post a job using Top Tradespeople and we’ll find up to four architects to provide quotes for your work and to help you turn your ideas into reality.