Bring an architect into the process early
If you’re considering a building or renovation project, reach out to an architect and bring them into the process early on. They will provide valuable expertise and a creative approach to your unique project, offering solutions you may not have considered. They’ll also be able to think through the various stages of the project ahead of time, saving you from potential future headaches. Bringing in a professional early in the process will save you time, money and aggravation later on.
Be Open & Honest
The relationship between client and architect should be a close one, especially when building a home. There should be a lot of easy communication in order to give the architect thorough knowledge of your daily life and an understanding of how your family functions in your current home. It also helps to be fully transparent with topics like budgets and wish-lists. At the end of the day, the architect is working for you and your best interests. If you give your architect a clear set of parameters, they know the boundaries they’ll have to work within.
Keep a Pinterest Board to share ideas
Actually, keep two Pinterest boards; one for images you like, another for images you dislike. A picture is worth a thousand words, and describing the ‘feel’ of a space can get a little murky. Keeping an online database of design images makes it easy for an architect to get a quick understanding of your particular design tastes in just a few minutes. Spend some time browsing design websites and saving images of buildings and interiors that you love and hate. Both will be valuable for your architect.
Ask Questions
There is a lot of design and construction jargon involved in the house-building process, so if your architect mentions something that you don’t understand, ask a question. Don’t ever be afraid to ask – it is your house after all. Asking lots of questions will spark thorough explanations and improve the communication between everyone involved. By furthering the dialogue, you’ll show that you’re engaged with the project and you’ll learn a lot more too.
Ask for Advice
When you’re confronted with a choice and aren’t sure how to proceed, ask the architect what they would do if they were in your situation and this were their house. Chances are they’ll have a particular preference based on years of experience and training. If you’re feeling indecisive, don’t be afraid to trust in the opinion of an expert.
Try to be Decisive
A commonly misunderstood aspect of building a new home is the sheer volume of decisions that must be made by the client during the process. It’s easy to underestimate the vast number of choices and resulting implications, so being able to choose in a timely manner will speed up everything else. Decisions need to be made in sequence as so many factors depend on previous decisions, so being hesitant and indecisive will only slow things down.
Have Fun
A house can be whatever you’d like it to be, there is no prescribed set of rules. You can get creative with an architect and create a truly unique house that suits your individual needs, and have a lot of fun while you do it. Enjoy the process – the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out at the end.
