The success of a construction project can be highly dependent on the relationship between a homeowner and their architect. Even top architecture firms in New Jersey may face difficulty in achieving exceptional outcomes when you lack trust, clarity, and confidence in their skills.
If you’ve never worked with architecture firms before, you might be unsure about what to expect from them. However, having a clear understanding of what to expect from your architect before the project begins can help ensure a smoother process.
Our residential architects and design experts are available to share their knowledge with you, so you can ask the right questions about your new construction project and make sure your expectations as the project owner are clear.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- The importance of managing your expectations as a project owner
- What to expect from your architect
- What NOT to expect from your architect
- How to mitigate project risks and manage your expectations
- How Sweebe delivers exceptional designs across New Jersey
Manage Your Expectations as a Homeowner
When hiring a leading architecture firm in New Jersey, it's important to have a clear understanding of their role and dispel any misconceptions.
For your design to reach its full potential, your initial project goals will need to be realistic.
This is why managing your expectations as a project owner is critical to any functional and rewarding relationship between you and your architect. The more you understand their role in your project, the more seamlessly your architectural design can come together.
When you and your architect work together effectively, misunderstandings, delays, and partnership failures can be avoided, bringing your design goals to life.
From
remodeling a kitchen to building a brand new custom home in NJ, you want to know that your built environment is something you and your architect are on the same page about from the start.
8 Things to Expect from a Professional New Jersey Architect
When building custom homes in New Jersey, top architecture firms will want to exceed your expectations at every level. Generally, we do this by taking your design brief and elevating it wherever possible using innovative processes and sustainable design techniques.
With the right choice of firm, you can expect to benefit from:
- Exceptional service
- Elevated results
- Custom design that’s functional, aesthetic, and celebrates design excellence
But aside from a full range of customized design solutions, what should project owners expect on a deeper level?
When working with residential architects, having clear expectations can improve your project's outcome.
You can expect your architect to:
1. Have a professional workflow
A professional architect usually follows a strict workflow to ensure the design process is organized and efficient.
They will usually start by:
- Understanding your needs as a client
- Evaluating if their skills are a good fit for your project
- Analyzing the site
- Assessing the feasibility of the project
- Drafting a project scope description that meets your requirements and budget; this is also called a project program.
An experienced architect won’t provide you with comprehensive architectural drawings, or a complete design solution until they completely understand your needs. This might involve your architect requesting additional discovery meetings or feasibility studies before drawings are completed.
In this case, be patient. A great architect wants to have everyone set up for success from the beginning as best at possible — saving you time and money in the long run!
2. Have great communication skills
Architects have a unique language and approach that clients may find a bit different. That said, an experienced architect should still have excellent communication skills and be happy to clarify any terminology you’re unfamiliar with.
To help streamline communication with your architect, we suggest:
- Setting a clear communication plan with your architect, i.e., how and when would you prefer to be contacted? Who should be kept in the loop?
- Ensuring communication boundaries are well-defined, e.g., are evening/weekend calls off limits for either of you?
- Always being honest with your architect if you’re unclear about something
3. Regularly request your agreement on key factors
Following on from the previous point, it’s important to remember that clarity, understanding and agreement are key components of a successful design project. Before signing a contract for architectural services, your architect will need to know exactly what they're working with and working toward.
This is why top architectural firms in New Jersey often request your agreement in areas such as:
- Construction budget
- Project scope
- Design function/purpose
- Non-negotiable design features
4. Be reluctant to work with a pre-determined design solution
In most cases, architects prefer to formulate design solutions from scratch rather than relying on your design solution or even one from another architect.
Sweebe Architecture's founder and lead architect Mike Sweebe notes that this is
not because architects are “prima donnas and want to own the design.”
Instead, it’s because:
- Architects train for several years in advanced architectural design practices
- Experienced architects strive to formulate solutions free from design flaws from the beginning
- An architect will best understand their own designs, and as a result, will be able to optimize their processes throughout your project
- Architects create solutions to problems you might not even know to exist — which is why it’s always best to trust their expertise wholly and from a clean slate at the onset.
5. Give an estimated timeline that sounds longer than you’d hoped
A skilled architect will give you a timeline that is reasonable and commensurate with the amount of work that goes into solving the caliber of your project challenge.
They won’t give you a truncated time schedule just to win your work. At least, it would not be wise to do so.
Any top architectural firm in New Jersey aims to steer clear of promising high-quality work in an impractical timeline and will try to account for any unanticipated setbacks.
6. Send a quote that sounds larger than you’d hoped
Experienced architecture firms will always estimate the potential construction cost of your project backed by sound data and will calculate their design fee fairly and appropriately. However, with inflation impacting the cost of building materials and architect expenses rising, it’s not unusual for your architect's quote, both for construction costs and their fees, to be higher than you’d expected.
While it can be discouraging to receive a quote exceeding your expectations, it's crucial to remember that excellence in architectural and interior design carries a price.
So, instead of immediately rejecting the quote, we suggest taking a closer look at what the architect is offering and asking yourself:
- Are they using high-quality materials?
- Are they partnered with high-quality builders?
- Do they offer additional services or expertise that other architects may not provide?
- Will my costs be reduced in the long term with less risk of issues down the line?
7. Provide support, empathy, and a willingness to advocate for your build
Capable of offering sympathy and support throughout project challenges, a great architect will understand that building or remodeling a home can be a stressful time.
This is why a high-level architect will do their best to alleviate your stress and advocate for your design on your behalf whenever possible.
Examples of this include:
- Representing you in discussions with local building authorities and Boards and Commissions (zoning, planning, historic) to ensure your project complies with codes and regulations
- Defending your design against unfair urban planning or community objections
- Providing guidance on selecting the right materials and finishes for your project
- Offering regular progress updates
- Addressing queries or concerns in a timely manner
- Being proactive in identifying potential issues that may arise
- Finding solutions to mitigate risks before they become bigger problems
8. Convey confidence in their own abilities
During construction, a good architect should feel confident in making recommendations that will ultimately improve the overall outcome of your project.
Confidence is crucial for architects to lead and bring your vision to life with the highest quality.
Tip: If you’ve already reviewed your firm’s professional portfolio and determined that their previous projects meet your expectations, this is where trust comes in. Top architectural firms in New Jersey are known as the best architects in your area for a reason.
What NOT to Expect When Working with a New Jersey Architect
Once you know what your architect is responsible for, it's crucial to recognize what tasks are not included in their services.
While architects possess valuable skills that aid in the design and construction process, there are some limitations to what they can deliver.
For a top architectural firm in New Jersey, it’s good not to expect your architect:
1. To provide a design solution during the initial consultation phase
The initial consultation phase is an opportunity for you and your architect to discuss needs, goals, and expectations. It is not the time to develop a design solution.
During this phase, architects are primarily focused on gathering information and understanding the bigger picture of your project.
This helps them determine:
- Project scope
- Project feasibility
- The level of services required
- If they’re a good match for your needs
2. To validate your own design elements or solution
During the consultation phase, your architect will provide expertise and recommendations based on their own experience. While a great architect will value open discussions and innovative concepts from almost any angle, it's crucial to trust your architect's vision, knowledge, and skills when you hire them.
Creating a residential or urban design solution requires careful planning and extensive knowledge of previous projects. This is why top Jersey architectural firms can only guarantee that their personal solutions to your brief are feasible, functional, and aesthetic.
3. To negotiate a lower construction budget or design fee
Your architect's role is to develop a design solution that meets your requirements and budget, not to negotiate a lower construction budget with you. That said, a great architect will always be open to hearing any concerns you may have regarding costs.
All we ask is that you:
- Raise these concerns during the initial consultation phases
- Are aware of the type of construction costs your architect sees on projects
- Are transparent about any cash flow issues
- Are forthright at the onset about your needs the project will address
- Don’t undervalue the expertise and quality of top architectural firms
4. To negotiate a lower construction cost estimate with your contractor
Although architects can offer insights into construction costs and industry expertise, negotiating with contractors is beyond the scope of their services.
If hiring any contractor, it’s up to you to negotiate a fair price for their services, directly with them. That said, based on any project size/scope, the best contractors already know how much materials cost, know how much they need to pay their crews and sub-contractors, and what percentage they will take for profit and overhead. In the end, an excellent building process comes at a fair and healthy price, with not much room for bartering.
In both the architecture and building industries, the old adage ‘you get what you pay for,’ is an extremely popular chorus.
5. To be responsible for the performance and schedules of third-party consultants or collaborators
Just as an architect is not accountable for costs of contracts outside their own firm, they are also not responsible for the quality of work provided by individual contractors.
While an architect can provide guidance and recommendations, they do not have direct control over outside parties and cannot guarantee their performance or schedules.
6. To have knowledge of ‘if and when’ building material prices will go down
Just like with any other commodity, the price of building materials are subject to market fluctuations and factors outside your architect’s control.
While an architect might be able to keep you informed of general
trends in the industry, predominantly limited to the projects they are working on, they cannot guarantee that prices will decrease or even remain the same.
7. To provide any services that are ‘architectural hearsay’
When building a home in New Jersey, it's common to ask family, friends, and neighbors for advice. However, it's important to remember that their experiences with architectural firms may not be the same as yours.
Getting advice from professionals like realtors, lenders, or contractors can still lead to misunderstandings about the services you'll get.
To avoid this, it's important to communicate directly with your architect. If you're uncertain about a specific service they offer, don't hesitate to ask them for clarification.
Conversely, make sure all the services you expect—in your mind—that your architect will provide, they DO provide. It is time lost to have a consult, or several, with an architect only to find out later they don’t do mother-daughter (2-family) dwellings, for example.
This way, you can establish a clear understanding of what to expect from them and ensure any misconceptions you have are cleared up.
Tip: Even if someone you know has previously collaborated with your chosen architect, it’s important to remember that their project was different from yours. A professional architect will approach your project with a fresh perspective and may adapt their process accordingly.
How To Mitigate Project Risks And Manage Your Expectations
With any major project, there is always a risk of disappointment. However, there are ways to mitigate these risks and manage your expectations more effectively.
To achieve desired results, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with your architect's work beforehand and rely on their experience.This can be done by reviewing their portfolio and references and asking questions about their design approach and
process.
We also recommend that you:
- Keep an open line of communication with your architect, but refrain from ‘micromanaging’ the project
- Trust your architect to perform as promised
- Ensure you understand the full scope of your architect’s expertise and services, e.g., do they also provide interior design services?
Finally, ensure that you and your architect have a relationship where you feel comfortable being honest with each other. This can be crucial for preventing misunderstandings and misaligned service expectations.
The Key to Success is in Managing Your Expectations from the Start
As you’ve learned in this article, ensuring a good relationship with your architect (and optimal results for your remodel or build!) isn’t just about hiring a firm with an extensive portfolio and hoping for the best.
It’s also about managing your expectations as a project owner and ensuring you’re both on the same page about your project…
before construction begins.
Armed with the knowledge of what to expect from a professional architect in New Jersey, you can now align your vision of a ‘dream home’ with your architect’s services and feel more confident asking the right questions moving forward.
At Sweebe Architecture, we always begin our process with a discovery call to discuss your design goals and make sure we're a good fit for your project. This helps us to clarify your objectives and exceed your expectations.
With an extensive
portfolio of both traditional and modern design styles, we’re well-equipped to adapt our skills to meet your needs…once we know what we’re working with!
To book a discovery call with our team of architects and design professionals, simply
contact us or follow this link.
Website design by Archmark