Why you need an architect

Face it, designing and building a home, office or investment property can be extraordinarily complex. Few appreciate how difficult it can be. Arriving at the right design, navigating the town planning process, setting a realistic budget, selecting materials, finding the right builder and managing the building contract, are just some of the tasks you need to involve yourself with, intimately, if you decide to do it alone.

Each task requires specialist skills and disciplines. Combined, they can present a daunting, frustrating and time-consuming prospect. Get it wrong and you could be living with your mistake for a long time. Get it right, however, and it will be one of the most satisfying experiences of your life. You will increase your chances of getting it right by engaging a registered architect who is also a member of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA).

Architects have the qualifications, professional training, vision and experience to manage the entire design and construction process. A minimum of five years of university training, mandatory practical experience and a registration exam separates architects from other, less qualified building designers. More than a designer, an architect works with you on an intensive exploration of your requirements, to help you realise your dream.

An architect will help you set a viable and realistic budget, guide you through the town planning process, obtain competitive quotes for the work, manage consultants like surveyors and engineers, monitor the budget and administer the construction contract. Critically, your architect will inspect the work right through the construction period to assist you to get the quality and level of finishes you expect.

Architects see the big picture. An architect will help you define and create what you want to build, present options you may never have considered and help you get the most for your budget. Architects don’t merely design, they create environments, inside and out, spaces that function well, that define you and how you like to live and work. Architects produce inspired solutions to often complex residential and commercial needs. Creative thinking, attention to detail and functional performance underpin everything an architect does.

Architect designed buildings are more desirable and sought after by an increasingly sophisticated, design-conscious market prepared to pay for the benefits and enjoyment derived from living with good design.

Well-designed buildings work efficiently, solve problems of space and function and fit comfortably into the environments that surround them. Your architect knows how to plan rationally for best environmental performance, can advise about placing the building on your site to optimize views and aspect, to catch the sun, provide shade, promote natural cross-flow ventilation, reduce and conserve energy. Architects are attuned to new building technologies and materials, and their application, to create efficient buildings that are light, airy comfortable and stylish.

Before commissioning and instructing your architect be clear about your needs and goals. Briefing an architect is about much more than providing space requirements. Tell them how you like to live, how you work, what is important to you and your family. Impart a little of your inner self and don’t worry if you feel you don’t have all the answers. It is the architect’s job to explore all the design options to turn your vision into reality. Importantly, if there is something you do not understand, don’t be reluctant to ask for explanations; or challenge some of the design proposals. Responsive architects listen. It is your vision and your money, but allow your architect the freedom to act as your creative hand.

Architects’ fees are not centrally controlled. There is no standard fee for a particular type of project. Some projects are charged at hourly rates, some as a fixed fee, others, as a percentage of the total construction cost. Agree with your architect the fee schedule that best suits you. Whatever the method, however, make sure you understand what level of service you can expect for each stage of the project. Get it in writing. Make sure you understand the Client and Architect Agreement.

Australian architects are legally registered to practice by architects Registration Boards in each of the states and territories. Only registered architects may use the title, Architect. Many architects are also members of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, which binds its members to a detailed Code of Professional Conduct. The code requires that RAIA architects perform all their duties with the highest professional integrity. The RAIA supports its members with extensive, continuing professional development programs, and promotes design excellence through its state, territory and national architecture awards programs.

You should only ever engage a registered architect who is also a member of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.