Designing your new home can be an exciting time. Conversely, it may also be daunting with many important considerations to take into account. Working with an Architect can make the process stress free and significantly easier. The home design process and the journey you go through to acquire the finished product – your new home – can be enjoyable. Whilst it may seem straight forward, if you haven’t done it before, how do you work with an Architect to get the best results? This is an important question. To assist, we have put together a guide to working with an Architect for your home design.

Collect Your Ideas Before Meeting an Architect

When you are meeting with an Architect, especially for the first time, it’s important to have an idea of what you want for your home design. This doesn’t mean you need to have it all resolved, however if you have some ideas, it will help the Architect understand your vision more clearly.

One advantage of living in the digital age is the number of websites and apps available to help you collate this information. Two popular online tools used for this purpose are Houzz and Pinterest , sites where you can create storyboards of images for your home design. These can include photos of other home designs you like, building styles, exterior and interior finishes, and colour palettes. You can use these boards for any category you choose. These boards can then be shared with your Architect to visually communicate your vision.

How to Select an Architect

Now that you are gaining a better understanding of the preparation required for working with an Architect, you might be asking, how do I choose an Architect? Selecting an Architect, and the right Architect for you and your project, is an essential decision in the home design process. Lea Design Studio has put together a checklist of key points to support you in your search for the ideal Architect to suit your specific project. This covers 10 different areas including experience, specialisation, design skills, fees, compatibility, resources, qualifications, designing to a budget, professional indemnity and autonomy. You can find the checklist here – Selecting an Architect.

Ask your Architect if you Don’t Understand

One of the reasons people like to use an Architect for their home design is the depth of their knowledge and expertise. Architectural designs can be quite complex. Whilst your new home design can be well illustrated by various presentation techniques, understanding all the design nuances can still be difficult. The most important tip here is to ask your Architect when you don’t understand – even if that means you are asking every step of the way! It may require asking numerous times to fully understand. Don’t be afraid to put forward questions.

A good Architect will be able to communicate clearly with you. They will have multiple ways of explaining each concept and step in the design process. By asking questions, you will become better educated and feel confident knowing your desired outcome is on the right track.

Trust Your Architect

Working with an Architect to get the best results means you want an Architect you feel has your best interests at the forefront of all they do. Building trust is important. The beauty of working with an Architect is their depth of knowledge and years of experience. Let them do the hard work and leverage their expertise. Let them wear all the hats. Listen to their advice and know that a good Architect is always looking out for you. There will need to be some give and take, both with the Architect and with you. When you are working with an Architect on your home design, you are a team.

This guide gives you some key points to consider when working with an Architect for your home design. You can also find more answers to the key questions solving the mysteries of how Architects operate in our Frequently Asked Questions page. View the FAQ here.

If you’re ready to discuss your new home design, why not contact Lea Design Studio. We offer free, no obligation initial consultations to all prospective clients. Call us on 07 5660 6176 or Set up a Meeting.