A home is always an investment, regardless of whether you plan to sell during your lifetime; unless of course your will says to burn your property down. Regardless of where your home goes after you pass, you want it to be more valuable than when you purchased it. To that end, many homeowners renovate their homes to make them more modern. Generally, a contractor is all you need to do this, but there are times when an additional professional might be beneficial. This article discusses when to hire an architect and the benefits an architect provides.
When Do I Hire an Architect?
Small jobs don’t require an architect and hiring one would be a gratuitous waste of money (not to mention it would reduce your profit on resale). These small jobs are jobs that don’t require structural changes to your home, and a good contractor is sufficient.
However, when the project requires rewiring your home, making major changes to the piping or moving walls, an architect is probably worth the investment; this becomes truer if there are specialized structures like a fireplace, deck, rooftop, or balcony.
Architects are Trained to Optimize Space
Every project has a design plan, the crux of the goal, and that design plan can be optimized with the assistance of a trained professional. An experienced professional adds value to the design-phase of a project, as they have been trained to optimize the available spouse; this training takes the form of understanding universal principles of design as well as an understanding of a home’s life cycle. Utilizing this understanding, an architect can help you design a project that will withstand the test of time, as well as the scrutiny of your neighbors. Further, a talented architect is trained to expect the unexpected, and design around that.
When is an Architect Required?
Many local ordinances require that an architect be involved in certain modifications to the home, and many permits require architectural plans as a prerequisite to granting those permits. Further, many financial institutions require an architect’s seal of approval on a design prior to making loans.
Do Architects Save You Money?
Hiring an architect is very expensive, they went to school for a long time and are certified experts in their field; naturally, the price tag associated with an architect can be a major turn-off to home owners.
At the outset, an architect’s blueprints provide you with a solid basis for analyzing which contractors to hire to perform the job. The blueprint allows the contractor to see everything that you want done, and provide a quote based on that information. The contractor’s quotes, in turn, allow you to compare bids without having to worry about unexpected costs – the architect has likely planned for everything.
Further, having an architect oversee the project will ensure that things get done efficiently and to specification.
At the Chernov Team, we take pride in understanding all facets of the real estate market and home ownership. We also take pride in our ability to treat properties like a home and an investment simultaneously. If you are planning a major remodel of your home, an architect is probably your best bet. At the Chernov Team we understand that whoever shows up to the table most prepared leaves with the most, and the Chernov Team always leaves the table with the most.