Cheap Stuff Avoiding Architects

Let’s put one thing out of the way from the onset.  I AM AN ARCHITECT.  With that most important fact out of the way, I will now argue why it is a very big mistake to avoid architects when contemplating starting a building project. 

 

I have heard many reasons advanced by those who avoid or are planning to sidestep architects for their building projects.  “Architects are expensive”.  “Architects aren’t better than me when it comes to design”.  “I would rather use a draftsman – they give me the same or even better at a tenth of what the architect would charge”.  And so on and so forth.  If you are looking for more from a building than just it’s shape and finished exterior surfaces, then you absolutely want the services of an experienced architect and this is why:

 

1.    Design

Despite what most people think or know, an architect brings more than just the visible beauty of a building.  Many buildings are completed with stunning elevations that make heads turn but with very poor functionality or efficiency.  Hiring an architect is much more than being about the general exterior look of a building.  A good design should have a plan that flows well in use.  If it is a home, the plan should clearly separate the private and semi-private areas yet easily allowing the two spaces to overlap into each other.  If it is a hospital it should allow for an easy flow of patients to avoid contamination and other problems.  In our tropical climate, one does not have to use artificial lighting during the day because we have enough light for at least 12 hours a day.  Similarly, your building should not have unusable spaces, also known as SLOAP (Space Left Over After Planning) because every square millimeter costs money to build.  A good design should not make it uncomfortable for the occupants to stay or use a room because of poor fenestration.  An experienced architect takes all this and more into consideration together with the clients wishes to create the best possible solution.  There are many beautiful houses or buildings with everlasting drainage problems that could have been appropriately addressed if an architect had been involved.

 

2.    Budget

Probably the most interesting and disappointing reason architects will ever hear is that they are avoided because of cost.  Research shows that the majority of the houses completed in Uganda without the services of an architect cost anywhere between 10-30% more than they would have cost if the services of an architect had been employed.  In other words, clients are willing to avoid paying a few millions of shillings for the services of an architect at the beginning of the project in preference for paying tens (sometimes hundreds of millions) overall.  No amount of awareness and explanation is able to turn this around and it baffles many of us in the industry.  Without the services of an architect, construction is susceptible to mistakes and corrections which result in demolitions and rework.  These cost money.  Clients who opt to avoid using architects often pay for the construction of spaces that they do not need or will not use while others have been made to unnecessarily grade and level their vacant plots usually creating other problems that require loads of money to fix.  Architects help to clarify and communicate the tiny bits of the project while it is still on paper and most importantly help to guide the project in the correct direction during construction in order to keep the job within budget.

 

3.    Building Regulations & Standards

When most clients think of an architect-designed project, they envision the aesthetics of the building; its size, shape and finished surfaces. Behind those surfaces, it is a qualified architect’s job to design a building that satisfies the building codes and meets all the ergonomic standards.   This requires particular training and a vast knowledge of various building materials and construction techniques.  Hiring an architect will not only ensure that your construction plays by the rules, but it will also save you from uncomfortable stairs, narrow corridors that cannot easily be used to move furniture or fixed cabinets that cannot easily be accessed. A qualified architect is the only person who is able to help you ensure that your design, construction site and finished product has been completed according to the codes and regulations.  An architect provides the safety and legality needed for your home.  In my twenty-five-year career, I have encountered people who attempt to get plans for approval after a fire has taken place or when compensation is required.  Owners of houses or buildings constructed without following the codes and regulations always face numerous problems get compensated or achieving the real value of their property.

 

 

The bitterness of poor quality in a home or building lives longer than the sweetness of a low price. - Unknown