Every client starts off in a different place (no ridiculous architecture pun intended). Some have a clear vision of where they want to go, and others are not sure where to begin. They know they have a need - perhaps more space for their home or business; or a vision for how they want to live based on images they see online or in magazines. Or, it might be that they wonder how the characters on Friends can afford such swanky apartments in the notoriously expensive New York City.
Either way, we suggest you should call an architect when you want to save money.
Wait, what? Did you say save money?
I thought architects made everything more expensive? Well, sometimes we do… initially. We do cost money to hire, as contrary to popular belief, we do eat food just like most humans. Sometimes we give design suggestions that may add to your budget. Here is the catch though, often they are adding value that saves you money in the long haul. By building a house that you are happier with for a longer period of time and that is the appropriately sized for your family, you will make back what you spend many times over from moving costs, energy costs, and time. Lets face it, time is by far the most precious commodity we have.
Let’s talk more about the time we will save you. Sure, you could go online and search thousands of set plans and try to find one that fits your family best, but we believe that time could be better spent with your family or growing your thriving business. What takes you a whole week scouring the internet, Houzz, Pinterest, and Youtube that somehow ends with watching videos of learning how cruise ships work… will often only take us architects only a few hours of sketching and using our 3D modeling to bring your vision more to life. After just a few meetings with us along the way, we can come up with the perfect floorplan, workflow, or addition that your family or business needs.
When you feel like you’re out of your element, it might be time to hire an architect. Architects are highly experienced: after 5 years of school ending in a Master’s in Architecture, they proceed to an internship for 4 more years, take 7 licensing exams, and finally, we are officially allowed to call themselves a licensed architect. By the time you call them, they often have hundreds of projects under their belt, and if you call the right one, they may have many similar projects to the one you are needing help with now. This experience meshed with our creativity will deliver you the home or business you never dreamed you could have.
Another time you should give serious consideration calling an architect is when you think everything else out there sucks…. or to be less controversial, “When you want something different.” Many houses you see are what we call spec homes. Let’s face it, architects are phenomenally creative and will provide your project with the creative edge that your home or office space deserves (or what you, your family, your employees, or your customers deserve). When you bring in an architect, we will take your specific site with it’s amenities, views, utilities, and perhaps crazy neighbors you’d like to see of less, and put together a plan. “Let’s put the garage here to absorb the wind.” “Let’s put windows here to capture this view.” And for Manhattan, let’s break out of that beige and brown color spectrum that seems to overwhelm our town and let us help create a beautiful color pallet that will perfectly accentuate the style and look of your project.
Finally, you should call an architect when you literally have no idea where to start. We can help you get from point A to point Z. The best time to hire an architect is at the beginning of your project. We will ask you questions that you may not know the answer to, but we will still help guide you to what you need and how to get there.