5 questions to ask when you're choosing someone to design your building project

5 questions to ask when you're choosing someone to design your building project

Building or updating your home can be a life-changing project that costs a substantial sum. Like any big project, you’ll get the best result if you choose your service providers wisely. An architect or designer will likely be your first consideration. 

Here are five questions it’s a good idea to ask, to help you in your decision.

1. “How much work do you do locally?”

There are many benefits of using a local provider. For the various permissions you may need, they’re more likely to have experience and contacts with the local council Planning and Building Control departments. They’ll be familiar with their policies and likely sticking points. 

Local materials and style can have an impact on design and features for a new or refurbishment project. Any specific local site constraints – access road and traffic problems, weather patterns, flooding issues – will be important. Any professional can research them – but local knowledge can be a great advantage. A locally experienced architect or designer will know other local service providers you may need for your project too, including builders.

If an architect or designer works regularly in the local area, it will be important to them to maintain their good name and reputation. That’s always a good incentive for them to give you their best bespoke and individual service that leads to a successful project.

2. “Are you a qualified architect?”

Not all architectural designers are fully qualified chartered architects. Fully qualified architects have a depth of formal education, knowledge, skill, practised experience and aesthetic training that is certified and regulated. Their charter requires them to keep up to date with the latest developments in products, materials, standards and legalities. With more than seven years’ professional training under their belts before beginning to make a living in commercial practice, they generally have a passion for a vocation where they’ve invested a lot of time and money. Only a qualified architect can be a member of the Architect’s Registration Board (ARB). You can check their membership online.

Qualified architects are duty bound by a professional code of conduct. They have to work in a manner that is rigorous, honest, responsible and reasonable. Very importantly, they are required to have professional insurance. That means if something goes wrong as a result of their design work, your interests are protected. 

Other building designers can call themselves Architectural Designers, Architecture Consultants or specialists in Architectural Design. Only qualified architects can use the title “Architect”.

3. “What size and kind of jobs do you usually work on?”

If the architect or designer regularly works on domestic properties, they’re more likely to know the best solutions for homes like yours. They’ll have come across common domestic challenges before. The detailing, materials and legalities are surprisingly different between construction sectors, so it can be a steep learning curve for someone who doesn’t usually work on domestic buildings. 

The size of the project matters too. Bigger projects may need more resources to handle the project effectively – specialists, associates or support staff. Architectural professionals will be able to give you some information about the kind of work they usually do and whether your project is similar to anything they’ve done before. For example, a listed building or conversion of a non-domestic building. 

Of course, sometimes someone who’s new to a certain aspect of your project might have a new outlook and a potentially innovative solution. But it’s good to know the context they bring to tackling your project, and consider it as part of your decision.

4. “What kind of services can you provide?”

Check which parts of the service your designer can provide. An architect who routinely deals with the full end-to-end programme will be able to consider future aspects throughout the design process. For instance, you won’t want someone to design a building that can’t meet basic building regulations at the next stage, or you could waste a lot of time and money. If you’re hoping your architect will help you select a builder or manage the programme on site, find out if that’s something they offer. 

There may be other specific services you’ll want to take up, like cost planning, 3D visualisations, interior design or landscape design. A larger firm of architects might offer these in-house. Individual architects and designers or partnerships might provide these services through a proven and trusted network of colleagues.

5. “What influences your designs?”

It’s good to know a little of what might motivate your designer, to get a sense of their approach and whether they’re attuned to your tastes and values. Do they have a particular style or ethos that they like to follow? Are they especially interested in a particular aspect of design - for example, the environment, specific materials and their properties or technological advances? 

Look out for what they say about their interest in you, the end user. It’s a good sign for a perfect fit to your lifestyle if they want to know more about you and how you intend to use the space. On the other hand you may be happy with a generic design, to save time and cost or because they’ve shown you something they’ve done elsewhere that works for you. 

Knowing that your architect or designer is working in harmony with your needs and principles will more likely lead to you a more successful and enjoyably achieved end result!