- Why should I hire
an architect?
- What do you
charge for your services?
- Do I need to hire
any other design professionals or consultants?
- Will I need
to hire an interior designer to choose materials,
colors and furnishings?
- Do you
do small projects?
- Can I save
money by not involving the architect after the building
permit is issued?
- Will I save
money if you work from house plans purchased from
a house plan book?
- Do you carry
Liability Insurance?
Why should I hire an architect?
Some of the usual answers are: an architect is knowledgeable
about all aspects of the design and construction process
and designing a building can be a complicated task.
An architect is trained to take your desires and turn
them into a design that responds to your needs and requests.
They can make the process of design go smoothly and
act as an objective advocate during the construction
process. Sometimes hiring an architect can save you
money.
Architects are trained to understand the process of
construction, and can help make construction go more
smoothly, avoiding costly change orders. They can help
you site your house to best take advantage of views
and sunlight, and develop drawings and specifications
for an energy efficient building. An architect can help
you choose low maintenance and long lasting products
that can save in future maintenance costs. When it comes
time to sell your property, a well designed project
will often sell for more and sell quickly because people
value good design.
In addition to all of the above, we at Vicki Telford
Architects believe that the process should be enjoyable
and creatively satisfying for the entire team, and we
work hard at making it gratifying. Whether you are remodeling,
extending or building from scratch, the architect can
help guide the way, working with contractors and suppliers
to end up with a well designed project to meet your
specific need and within your budgetary and time constraints.
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What do you charge for your
services?
We typically charge on the final construction cost of
the project for architectural services. According the
BIA recommend fee scale, or usual services, residential
clients should budget around 6% -10% of construction
cost for new construction, and around 12% of construction
cost for remodeling. Construction cost does not include
the cost of the land, sales tax, the building permit,
or fees of design professionals. We at Vicki Telford
Architects think it is important for the architect to
be involved during construction and typically devote
20% of our efforts to that phase.
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Do I need to hire any other design
professionals or consultants?
Projects may require the design services of a licensed
structural engineer. We typically hire these professionals
and bill you for their fees as a reimbursable expense.
These costs are usually included in our estimate of
fees.
Many projects will require the services of a licensed
surveyor if you do not have a current survey of your
property. Some projects require assembling a team of
consultants including an interior designer and landscape
architect. We can assist you in choosing compatible
individuals for a professional design team. These consultants
typically are hired by you and will bill you directly.
We encourage having necessary consultants involved
early in the design process and have found that collaborative
efforts can be extremely enjoyable and can produce outstanding
results.
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Will I need to hire an interior
designer to choose materials, colors and furnishings?
While an interior designer can contribute a lot to a
design, one is not always necessary. In our usual services
we include the design of everything that is built-in,
such as cabinets, vanities, countertops, light fixtures,
etc. We help you select all materials and fixtures,
such as tile, carpet, plumbing fixtures, drawer pulls,
towel bars and other accessories.
Some clients like to purchase a few special pieces
of furniture for their project and we can often help
them with this. We have access to the same resources
as an interior designer and can help you select furniture,
rugs, and fabrics. If we feel you would be better served
by an interior designer, we can provide you with recommendations.
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Do you do small projects?
There are many jobs featured on this web site under
our PROJECTS section, but
we have done a number of small remodels and additions
for our clients that are not featured. We have designed
small porch additions, bathrooms, bedroom additions
to kitchen remodels. If you can imagine it, we are extremely
happy to discuss it with you!
Many times a house has to be renovated in smaller phases
when resources are available. We can help you determine
the best possible process, and help you with each of
the phases to end up with a cohesive end product.
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Can I save money by not
involving the architect after the building permit is
issued?
We have found that not involving the architects during
construction of the project can lead to a poorly executed
project that does not follow the original design intent.
Building a project is complex, and problems will arise
on the construction site. An architect can help to solve
these problems and is vested in maintaining the original
design intent. A contractor's solution to the problem
may not be as sympathetic.
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Will I save money if you
work from house plans purchased from a house plan book?
Designing a house is much more complex than choosing
the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and number of cars
that will fit into the garage. Our services for a new
house cost only a few percent more than what you will
likely pay in sales tax for your project. For the investment,
you will get a house that is ideally suited to you.
We have found from past experience that clients and
building departments will request so many modifications
to the stock plans that there is little, if any, cost
savings in this approach.
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Do you carry Liability Insurance?
Vicki Telford Architects carries a Standard Business
Owner Liability Policy with a $500,000 professional
liability policy.
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