“Hiring an architect should save you time and money, minimize bumps, streamline the building process, and provide an accurate picture of how the project will turn out before a single nail has been driven” ~ Bob Vila
Does hiring an architect save money? It is a question I have been working to document for years as my biggest competition for residential projects is online plan purchases. I contend that the biggest problem we have with inefficient homes existing in our community are online plan purchases.
The majority of homes built each year are not designed to “save money.”
The “save money” idea is only an up-front cost decision. I can easily show that it does not save money in the long run – perhaps even on day one depending on the online plan. Energy-efficiency, water conservation, and durability are never included holistically when you cut out design. To be clear, a house that is drawn without a site, client, climate, or orientation in mind is just drawn and not designed. No minor changes by the builder or drafter will convert an online plan to a custom home.
So back to the original question, does hiring an architect save money? In a discussion yesterday with a builder that has worked with me on several houses and renovation projects, he noted, “the houses you draw always seem to come in less per square foot than other homes I have built.” We spent a few minutes thinking about why this would be true. Our roof lines are not as complicated and dimensions are rational – this reduces wasted product, speeds up construction by reducing lumber cuts, and optimizes processes. Our home designs have a project manual that guides the performance desired of systems and reduces unanswered questions prior to construction.
So does hiring an architect save money? It seems from a narrow case study, of a half dozen homes that this builder has constructed cost less per square foot to build a house we designed. I can also show that homes we design are more energy efficient for the systems to operate, saving monthly on energy and water usage – up to 60% savings on one home that we tested over industry averages. So to really drive the point home – it costs less per square foot to build and costs less to operate – I think we have the question answered.
Thinking of hiring an architect? Read this blog post to help you answer some questions about your next home.
