The Pros And Cons Linked To Architects Services
Designing a house, even in its simplest form, is the process of creating a list of needs and desires ("We need three bedrooms... we would like a two-car garage"), identifying the parameters and constraints, ("Our lot is only 60 feet wide" or "We only have two hundred thousand to spend.") compiling a list of priorities ("A separate Laundry is more vital to us than having a Study"), and after that making a series of decisions and compromises that satisfy the needs while staying in the established constraints. A residential architect is trained to help the future homeowner through these overwhelming tasks by utilizing his specialized experience and skills.
By creating a well-organized floor plan early within the design stage, the architect can present questions to the property owner and enable them to make decisions for a more efficient and cost-effective house plan. As an example, spatial progressions may be studied, like moving from the Garage in to the Mudroom then into the Kitchen, may be preferred over walking directly into the Family room from the Garage. Spatial relationships also can be examined, by way of example, keeping the general public spaces like the Family and Dining Rooms grouped together, and also the bedrooms, bathrooms, and office spaces in more private zones. How the Kitchen connects to the Dining area, Breakfast Nook, and even a Hearth Room are also extremely important factors to study at this stage of the design. An efficient floor plan will minimize hallways and underused spaces, which eliminates wasted square footage that cost money to build.
After the plan is established, the architect will study detailed drawings of the vertical and spatial dimensions of the home. For example, this could be the very first time that the homeowner can envision interior features like the fireplace and surrounding bookcases and windows, cabinetry, detailed trim like columns, art niches, architecture and crown moulding. They are going to see spatial drawings showing 2-story foyers and rooms with vaulted ceilings. These drawings also help in the selection of materials; "Should the fireplace surround be drywall, wood, stone, or brick?" All of these questions assist the residential architect and client to visualize and appropriately develop every space and surface for a more complete and satisfying home design.
Exterior elevations will also be developed, helping the homeowners envision what their home can look like from the outside. What style will be the house? What is its presence from the street? Does it have a bold roofline, or does it blend in with the surrounding landscape? What will be the most suitable materials for the house's style? Which materials are the most cost-effective or most durable? These are all necessary design questions that has to be answered, as well as can only be addressed by quality, detailed elevation drawings showing all exterior aspects of the house.
The detailed drawings produced by the residential architect can also save money for the client. Completely executed drawings will resolve more details on "paper" and may also minimize costly errors and "do-overs" made within the field by the contractors. The architect will often drive the structural design of the home, working hard to coordinate the structural framing with all of the other systems of the home; like plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and the interior and exterior skins. And finally, a great set of construction drawings communicates better information to the bidding contractors, enabling them to confidently price all aspects of construction, rather than just inflating their prices to cover all the unknowns.
The residential architect will help with the difficult process of turning the homeowners' dreams and desires in to a functional floor plan, incorporating all the desired spatial, interior, and exterior design features by having an eye towards budgetary limitations. By asking design questions early during the process, knowing materials, the-latest construction technologies, and providing a detailed group of construction drawings, the architect can facilitate a more cost-effective bidding process and eliminate expensive construction mistakes in the field. All of these lead to a better final product as well as a satisfied home owner.
