Catch up on this series “Custom Home – How to Get Started” with the following links:

Part one – Part two – Part three – Part four – Part five – Part six – Part seven

So now you have decided to hire an architect. How do you find the right architect for your custom home? 

1. Find a firm that focuses on residential design. Architects all have areas of specialization.
2. Find a firm that does a diversity of residential styles, or at least has done projects that you find aesthetically pleasing.
3. Interview the architect and find out whether they will be working on your project directly, what values they incorporate into their designs, and how they prefer to communicate. If the architect has a blog, many of these questions will probably be answered by reading their thoughts prior to the face-to-face interview. Personal confidence in the architect is the most important factor when entering a design relationship. The other important criteria are trust and ability to communicate (hear you well). Of course, cost for the design is an important element and should be discussed before signing a contract to make sure everyone is on the same page with your budget.
4. Ask for references from the architect. They can provide you with past clients that are willing to talk to you about their process with the architect. Many of these past clients probably have gone through the same experiences as you are, so these conversations can be of huge value not only in selecting an architect, but learning about the process and strategies for making your experience even better.