Whether you’re planning a second-story addition or adding office space to your home, it’s great when a plan comes together. And that plan depends on a good architect to design and estimate the costs of whatever you’re trying to build.
So, your first step is finding an architect. You can begin your search by using referrals from friends, scanning the Yellow Pages or checking the Internet. Terry and Debbie McElroy of Bartlett recently added a sunroom to their home, and renovated their basement and dining room. The McElroys found their architect through another professional they trusted.
“Architects aren’t like a doctor you’ll see once or twice a year,” Debbie said. “We asked our Realtor when we were buying the house if she knew anyone. We originally hired someone as a consultant, and eventually he became our architect.”
Brian Reno, owner of Venture Resources Architects in Chicago, says that not all architects are created equal.
“Lots of architects specialize in commercial properties, as opposed to residential,” Reno said. “Some agree to take a side job because they’re moonlighting, and really don’t have the experience in residential work. About a third of our business comes from people who worked with another contractor or architect who didn’t know what he was doing.”
Kerry Levin, owner of Levin Associates Architects in Des Plaines, says choosing the wrong kind of architect can lead to costs beyond design fees.
“For smaller home projects, I’ve always stressed that people make sure their architect is experienced in residential construction,” Levin said. “In our industry, some people regard residential as the `poor sister’ of real architecture. People who don’t do homes aren’t real assets as managers, and often can’t help people in terms of whether there is a more economical way to do their project.”
Levin says architects should furnish “input you can rely on” and suggests a “second opinion shouldn’t be necessary unless estimates are way out of line.”
Reno said a good architect becomes more than a project designer and estimator of costs. “A good one will coordinate the entire project,” he said.
The McElroys found their architect to be “reality oriented.”
“Our experience with the architect wasn’t just that he was creative but practical as well,” Debbie said. “We had an idea of what we wanted, but because of certain parameters we needed his expertise to help formulate the vision we had. We were asked about furniture placement in a room, for instance, which affected the design of windows we were adding.”
“We advise people about materials and help guide them in making rational decisions,” Levin said. “Someone may say `I like brick’ and it will cost them $15 a square foot. We can suggest vinyl siding that’s $2 a square foot, and more in keeping with the other homes in the area.”
Once you’ve settled on your architect, experts say a number of project delivery methods are used.
“The first is the traditional three-way method using the owner, the architect and the contractor,” Levin said. “Today, the more popular alternative has been to go with the design-build method, where the owner works with the contractor, who sometimes does both the design and construction, or subcontracts one of them out somewhere else.”
Edward Mindak, owner of Residential Design Associates in Chicago, said he prefers the traditional delivery method since it gives homeowners more control.
“Design-build puts too much control in the hands of someone else,” Mindak argues. “Some architects want to make a statement and build the Taj Mahal. The homeowner should be able to work out his design with the architect, get three construction bids and then give someone the plans and say, `Build this.’ “
The design-build is usually less expensive, but Levin cautions homeowners against signing any contract until the final plans and specifications are complete.
“Sometimes it’s hard to estimate the total scope of the project,” he said. “You may be able to get a price proposal that says `guaranteed not to exceed’ a certain amount.”
Experts said fees are either a flat rate or a percentage of the job. Levin estimates that larger projects worth $100,000 or more will usually cost homeowners a rate of 6 to 8 percent of the construction costs in architect’s fees.
“But when you’re doing $20,000 to $30,000 worth of work, the rate can be a high as 15 to 20 percent, since there’s the same amount of work in terms of the trades necessary and machinery as there would be in a bigger addition,” Levin said.
Flat fees also can vary. Reno said a senior-level architect might charge $90 per hour, and a firm’s midlevel architect about $50.
Mindak, who specializes in turning bungalows into two-story Victorians or Tudors, says he gives homeowners a flat fee and allows plenty of time for changes before final drawings are rendered.
“Hourly rates scare people because neither the architect nor the homeowner knows when it will end,” he said. “Sometimes, rates depend on how easy the people are to work with.”
Expect construction cost estimates to vary according to the area you live and the type of materials used. Reno suggests a range from $80 to $200 per square foot in the Chicago area; Mindak’s estimate is $80 to $140. Both architects agree that the closer you live to the city, the more detailed your plans will have to be.
“The City of Chicago requires full plans that show all your plumbing, mechanical, heating and air ducts, size of units, amount of refrigerant necessary and so forth,” Reno said. “The more established an area is, the more demanding the building departments are. The North Shore area is probably the most demanding.”
“It’s true that the farther out you go from Chicago, in places like Kane County, it’s far more lenient,” Mindak said. “But regardless of where you live, if you want a building permit, you’re going to need a set of plans.”
Reno warns that most renovations involve fixing existing problems and that inexperienced architects can cost you more than the remodeling will.
“It’s important to hire someone who looks at all aspects of the job,” he said. “I’ve seen people who tried to put 9-foot ceilings in walkout basements that didn’t work. A good architect avoids mistakes and adds enhancements to your home. And that’s worth more than the perceived or actual cost of his services.”
Here are a few other suggestions to keep in mind:
– Beyond personal referrals, you can check architect recommendations from the American Institute of Architects. Their local number is 312-670-7770. Levin says they’re the largest trade association for architects and offer a referral list, plus you can call and check credentials to see if your architect is a member in good standing.
– If possible, find an architect who works in your own immediate area. A couple of advantages are that you can view previous projects and that it’s more likely a local professional will know the current zoning ordinances.
– You can save your architect time by having a survey of your property on hand.
– Ask to see samples of your architect’s projects. Reno says to check recent as well as older projects to see how well they’ve held up, since problems don’t always develop during the first year.
