Finding an architect for a detached house: how to go about it
How to find the right architecture practice for building your detached house: preparation, selection criteria and comparing several practices.
For a new detached house, look for a practice with experience in residential building and an approach that suits you. First clarify the site, budget and space requirements. Then define the scope of services and ask several practices for a quote with a brief approach. This lets you compare fee and approach on the same basis.
Before you look for a practice
- —Site and building law: what is permitted on your plot is governed by the municipality’s zoning plan and building regulations. Have these documents ready.
- —Budget: besides construction costs, allow for the fee and incidental costs such as charges and utility connections.
- —Space requirements and wishes: how many rooms, which spaces, which priorities? A short list helps the practice understand your needs quickly.
Which practice suits your house
A detached house is a personal project. Besides costs and deadlines, it matters whether you get on with the practice and whether you like its previous houses. Look for references in residential building, at the person who leads your project and at how the practice describes your task. For a detached house it need not be a large practice; what matters more is that experience and capacity fit the project.
Comparing several practices
An architectural competition is usually too elaborate for a detached house. It is more common to ask several practices for a quote with a short approach. To make the quotes comparable, decide beforehand which sub-phases under SIA 112 the practice should take on, typically from preliminary design to completion of the building. An overview of the phases and what to look for is in the article comparing architects’ fee quotes.
Tendering your house via Architektonik
On Architektonik you tender your project free of charge and define the scope of services. Vetted practices apply with their approach, start date, project lead and fee. Your name and the exact address remain confidential until the award. If you want to look around first, the directory of architects shows practices with the discipline «Residential». How the procedure works is explained in the article sealed fee auction. You can tender your project under Join.