Why Hire an Architect?
July 18, 2016
Courtesy of...
AIACC
1303 J Street, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 448-9082
Fax: (916) 442-5346
Email: mail@aiacc.org
Your building can do much more than keep the rain off your business; it can advance your business plan. To capture the full value of your capital program, you will do well to engage your architect in a discussion of your business goals, with your business leaders.
Why Hire an Architect?
A construction project requires a substantial investment of time, energy, and money. If you are like many owners, this construction effort may be your largest lifetime investment. Additionally, buildings continue to incur expense over time. Maintenance and recurring energy costs, repairs, remodels, even property taxes, become part of the overall expenditure. Well-designed buildings that incorporate innovative, cost-effective solutions reduce overall costs and increase market value. Hiring an architect is the critical first step to maximizing return on your investment.
Architects Provide Value
As the only profession educated, trained, and tested to create the interface between the natural and built environments, architects have the practiced skills to integrate functionality, building materials and systems, structure, codes and regulations, energy conservation, and aesthetics to meet your very specific needs. Architects are licensed professionals, experienced in the numerous complexities of design and construction, offering services from project inception to construction completion and beyond. Experts in their field, architects are up-to-date on the latest codes and regulations, as well as the most advanced building systems and materials. They have a command of both the broad concepts that give coherence to your project and the important details that can make it run smoothly and stay within budget, while incorporating options to lower long-term maintenance costs. Consulting an architect at the beginning of the project planning process can save you thousands of dollars and significantly reduce the time required to build your project by aligning needs, budget, quality, and schedule.
Throughout the design process, an architect brings visions to life, integrating elements that are important to individual clients. If you have environmental concerns, your architect can designate sustainable materials and systems. If you have physical limitations, safety and innovative functionality become top priorities. Perhaps you want a "smart building"—an architect can incorporate and coordinate technology that monitors and manages all building systems. Whatever your individual requirements, architects create positive experiences for both owners and users.
From beginning to end, the advice and guidance of an architect mean a smoother, more stress-free building experience. An architect is your personal consultant to identify and resolve costly, time consuming construction challenges ranging from site selection to zoning restrictions and environmental concerns. Architects are trained to explore innovative, cost effective, and energy-saving solutions; their detailed designs and informed product specifications often eliminate the need for expensive change orders mid-construction. And, once the project is complete, you will continue to enjoy reduced maintenance and energy costs over the life of the building.