(Photo courtesy of Looney Ricks Kiss Architects)
an architect, that is. If anyone has ever interviewed or hired an architects to build a house, your advice would be much appreciated! I am a big believer in using other people's lessons learned.
We developed a list of local candidates based on recommendations and internet research, set up interviews and I found this excellent list of questions for interviewing architects. After the interviews, most of the architects sent me proposals. Each architect charged differently - fixed fee, estimated fees and percentage fee (based on construction costs), so I found it difficult to compare apples to apples.
I actually flirted with using a fourth architect, Looney Ricks Kiss, because I loved their designs so (see Tucker Bayou house above). But they are in Memphis and we are in the Northeast, so the long distance scared us away. However, if you are in the South, I recommend checking them out. Carson Looney obviously knows what he is doing on the design side of things.
I am developing a wish list so that all architects can bid on the same scope. It's also a great document to write down all my dreams and hopes for the house. The blogosphere has been a great source of inspiration. What would you include in your dream house? What is your absolute favorite thing about your house? What is your least favorite thing?
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Working with an architect, hmmm. There is a lot of information out there. Take good notes at your design meetings with the architect and get everything about what they will design in writing. Take a lot of time to reflect on the design and consider how it will really work for you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, check out this blog. Beautiful work up in Westchester County: http://fivecat.wordpress.com/
Just found your blog. Last year we built a new "old" farmhouse. It has contemporary twists throughout. It is small, comfortable, and just right for us. My favorite thing is that it is red! Oh, and my bargain clawfoot tub, & concrete floors & butcher block countertops! And my least favorite, hmm...The windows, we should have gone with Pella.
ReplyDeleteAs for working with an architect. We did that. 9 months and $$$$ and it ended up not being what we wanted. We pitched the plans and designed it ourselves. But through that process, we learned a few things. Small simplified space is possible keeping the sq. footage down. And never let anyone tell you, "you don't want to do that!" or "you can't do that." Build what you really dream of then you won't have any regrets.
I'll be watching your journey, that is if you have time to blog about it!