When it comes to home additions, property owners mostly turn towards contractors. It is not often that they consult a home remodeling architect who can sometimes offer valuable advice in terms of efficiently and effectively utilizing the space. Therefore, we are going to discuss whether you need an architect for our home addition. Let’s begin!

The Process Of Home Addition

Create And Share Designs With The Homeowner

Irrespective of whether an architect plays a small or large role, their involvement in construction, remodeling, and home additions projects is necessary. If a client wants to add more space to their house, the architect is supposed to create and share designs with the homeowner.

In addition to that, the architect will personally visit your house and try to understand the existing situation along with what the your are expecting. This is a tricky part as the architect is expected to turn a vision into reality.

The reason homeowners need to consult an architect is that most often they are not aware of their needs and preferences. As a result, once the project is done, they are not fully satisfied. What they had in mind is totally opposite to what they wanted.

Therefore, keeping in view the needs and preferences of the client, the architect will create and share plans that will help him/her collaborate with what the client wants. This is one of the smartest ways of knowing that your money will be spent the right way.

Create Schematic Designs

Once the architect has shared an overall plan of the home addition with the property owner, the team will now take measurements of the entire home. This includes the elevations and floor plans, etc. This is done by the architect and his/her team to come up with a much more detailed design, called “schematic designs” that help offer a better insight into what needs to be done.

Next, the architect will present schematic designs based on the conversations they had about the goals, needs, and preferences of the client. This marks the official beginning of the architectural design process. Apart from getting the exact measurements, schematic designs also offer a rough estimate for the project with the elevations, floor plans, and computer renderings included.

For most homeowners, this might be a comprehensive view of the home addition project about to take place. However, in the world of architects, it is the most basic form.

Revise Initial Plans And Present A Final Architectural Design

Upon sharing the initial plans, it might be that the homeowners want to make certain changes. With that said, the initial plans will be revised and may require the architect to add more detail, materials, furnishings, etc. As a result, this step can take days if not weeks based on the client’s satisfaction.

This is where both the architect and client need to be on the same boat so that the overall project comes out like a dream. And once the revisions are complete and finalized, a final architectural design will be shared with the client, which will give a better insight into the estimate.

When Do You Need To Hire An Architect?

Some states have strict regulations pertaining to construction codes that should be followed at all costs. Although contractors are well-aware of these codes as well, but an architect will draw around them, ensuring that every inch of the space is utilized effectively and smartly.

With an architect on board, you will have a better view and insight into the details as compared to a contractor who only specializes in tearing down or installing fixtures, furnishing, etc.

Furthermore, in some states, you might also be required to hire an architect to get your home addition plans approved for the state to allow the project to take place. These plans are thoroughly reviewed by the officials who ensure that the process does not exceed the boundaries set by the authorities.

Final Word

In the end, it is safe to say that you should hire or at least consult architects builders DC when it comes to a home addition. You might be thinking of saving some money but not without compromising the results you want. Considering the designing and home addition process shared above, an architect can add a tremendous amount of value to the project.