The right architect for your project, what to consider when choosing

2/11/2022

As in any other field, the usual doubt always arises: do I do it by myself or do I pay someone?

We all know that the first option is always the cheapest but risky one: in the absence of the expertise necessary to perform a job, this will certainly be, if not a complete disaster, in any case imperfect and "arranged".

The second possibility is always the wisest one, obviously if the specialist in question is competent and in line with our person, our project and with the interior designer we have selected to define the aesthetics of the project.

First of all you need to know that the architect's work spans many areas, so an architect specializing in the design of gardens and green areas will certainly be ideal if we have to redo the garden around the house but not if we have to design an internal staircase. . So the first step is to become aware of the fact that one architect is not the same as the other, while secondly you need to know that architects are able to follow the project from its conception, to its first elaboration, to the direction of the work progress, up to all that is the bureaucratic and documentation part for institutions thanks to its registration in the Professional Order.

Having said that, let's start by stating that the choice of the architect must be made in an empathic way: he must have a style in line with the project we would like to carry out, not because an architect specializing in ultra-modern and minimalist constructions is not able to carry out a project in a rustic house, for example, but because if oriented to styles like ours it will certainly be easier to explain our intentions and it will be easier for him to understand what we have in mind.

The architect must have the freedom to wander with his creativity, indeed, we turn to an expert to be in good hands but also because he certainly has the experience and all the tools to create something original and tailor-made for us. Coming up with drawings and sketches of what we would like to achieve is counterproductive and unnecessary.

But above all, as in many other fields, the architect works well when the client has clear ideas, defines budget and timing but above all does not pester him with unnecessary worries, program changes or limitations.

A project that gets off to a good start is certainly an advantage, sitting at a table to define our needs and our goal is essential to understand each other well right away. On his side, the architect must ask us the right questions to understand exactly what we would like; if communication does not work or false expectations are created, there is a risk of shattering good design.

Many decide to rely on an online architect, certainly a very convenient choice for those who love to manage everything remotely but a nightmare for those who need real support and the presence of a professional on site, for the entire design part it may be a good idea, but he will never be like an expert in the flesh and even if he follows the project even in the construction phase with inspections and the compilation as well as the presentation of documents in the Municipality.

If we decide to entrust the work to the architect we must take into account that he does not necessarily have to be an interior designer, some limit themselves to the design of the structures, the organization of spaces and systems but are not concerned with the combination of colors, textures and coatings, much less the choice and combination of furnishings.

One thing that certainly the customer must take into account before the start of the work is that timing and budget may slightly change during the construction site, and we should not be surprised if on a construction site alternative decisions often have to be made for a thousand reasons, above all. costs or availability of materials.

The more complex the project, the more operational phases will be: the budget is one of the pillars of planning and it is not wise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. Sometimes turning to an architect makes us realize, on balance, that we are not within the limit of the amount we had set for ourselves.