Building with a professional: how to hire an architect

In theory, any architect can draft any type of building. In reality though, each professional comes with their own skill set: a unique style, a special technique, or a preference for certain materials. You should therefore look out for someone who understands your individual needs and can turn your vague ideas into concrete drafts. If you’re still wondering how to choose an architect to hire for your project, there’s one rule of thumb you should always follow: listen to your gut feeling. In most cases, it only takes one call or meeting to check if you can connect on a personal level – and the first consultation is usually free of charge.  

Once you have found someone that meets both your personal and professional expectations, it’s time to talk numbers. You should at least calculate a rough estimate in the beginning to ensure you won’t go way over budget. Normally, the fee for a hired architect lies somewhere between 10 and 15 per cent of your creditable construction costs. These costs do not include additional expenses for: 

• property development 

• land transfer taxes 

• notary fees 

• energy consultants or structural engineers 

Overall, it’s safe to say: the more complex your project, the more expensive your architect. If possible, try and gather several offers to see if one competitor might charge you less for the same amount of work than the other. However – going for what seems to be the “cheapest” option at first glance does not always turn out well. As Julian Waning notes, “inexperienced builders often assume that they will save money without hiring an architect. Ironically though, the main purpose of an architect is to oversee the whole process and ensure that every contractor completes their work in due time and bills you correctly. Otherwise, you will soon spend a lot more than you initially intended.” 

From an architectural perspective, building a house consists of nine phases, which are accounted for separately. You can either award a contract for all phases or certain parts of them, depending on your individual situation. 

From an architectural perspective, building a house consists of nine phases, which are accounted for separately. You can either award a contract for all phases or certain parts of them, depending on your individual situation.  

1. Basic evaluation: this may include services such as inspecting your property, discussing your needs and budget limits, and studying blueprints. Approximate costs: 2 per cent of the entire fee.  

2. Preliminary planning: the architect calculates all expenses to check if your requirements can be met within your budget. Approximate costs: 7 per cent of the entire fee.  

3. Design planning: you will receive a first draft of the house, along with a price estimate. Approximate costs: 15 per cent of the entire fee.  

4. Approval planning: your hired architect is in charge of submitting paperwork to apply for a permit at your municipality. If your plans are not approved the first time around, they must be adjusted accordingly. Approximate costs: 3 per cent of the entire fee.   

5. Executive planning: the architect works out all the details that the commissioned contractors need to complete their work. Approximate costs: 25 per cent of the entire fee.  

6. Preparing assignments: the architect looks for available companies of all crafts involved and draws up the contracts. This includes masons, carpenters, roofers, painters, plumbers, and electricians. Approximate costs: 10 per cent of the entire fee.   

7. Overseeing assignments: the requirements for all commissioned contractors are reviewed once again before the agreements are finalised. Approximate costs: 4 per cent of the entire fee.  

8. Supervision of the property: the hired architect monitors the construction on site, identifies and rectifies potential errors, and keeps an eye on the expenses for contractors and materials. Approximate costs: 32 per cent of the entire fee.  

9. Final documentation and corrective action: once the building process is finished, your house must be thoroughly checked and any remaining defects must be fixed. Approximate costs: 2 percent of the entire fee.  

For those still pondering whether they should build a prefabricated or individually designed home, here’s an overview of the pros and cons:  

For those still pondering whether they should build a prefabricated or individually designed home, here’s an overview of the pros and cons:  

• Working with an architect allows for maximum flexibility in term of size, materials, and interior layout. This proves especially convenient on properties with rather adverse conditions. 

• You will also have the opportunity to integrate innovative and sustainable production methods – e.g. constructing an entire house straight from the 3D printer. Julian Waning recognises the importance of environmentally friendly alternatives for the present and future: „Contemporary architects increasingly rely on materials that can be recycled and reused within our ecological system. The TECLA project is a great example: in Massa Lombarda, Italy, a team of architects built a 3D-printed house and used locally sourced clay for the exterior walls.” 

• Another benefit of hiring an architect that money can’t buy: you can save a lot of valuable time. While they oversee your construction site, correspond with contractors, and correct possible errors, you can focus on all the other responsibilities that come with building a home.  

Despite all these perks, there are certain drawbacks you should think about. For one, planning a one-of-a-kind design takes much more time and effort than a standardised model. We therefore recommend factoring in a few extra months to ensure that all deadlines will be met – especially in terms of financing (rental fees for your current place of residence, pay-out of loans etc.).