Should You Hire an Architect, Home Designer, or Design-Build Company for Your Custom Home in Puget Sound?
Building a custom home is an exciting journey, but choosing the right professional can be daunting. Whether you're considering an architect, an unlicensed home designer, or a design-build company, understanding their roles and how they align with your needs is crucial. In this guide, we’ll break down the differences and help you make an informed decision for your custom home project in the Puget Sound area.
At the end, I’ll explain my method to get the BEST possible arrangement for your home.
Architect: Expertise and Precision
Ideal for You If:
You value expertise and a high level of detail.
You want a custom home that reflects your unique vision and complies with all regulations.
Why Choose an Architect? Architects bring extensive training and experience, ensuring your design is both beautiful and functional. They adhere to strict ethical standards and are the only design professionals who don’t accept rebates or kickbacks. This means their recommendations are based solely on your best interests.
Andrew Mikhael Architect's Step By Step Process to Your Artistic Home
Key Benefits:
In-Depth Knowledge: Extensive education and training in structural design, building codes, and aesthetics.
Personalized Design: Tailored to your lifestyle and preferences, ensuring long-term satisfaction.
Unlicensed Home Designer: Cost-Effective Solutions
Ideal for You If:
You’re on a tight budget.
You have a stock house plan to start from.
Considerations: Unlicensed home designers can provide a more budget-friendly option but may lack vetted training and legal authority. Thoroughly evaluate their portfolio and experience to ensure they can meet your expectations.
Pros:
Affordability: Generally lower cost compared to licensed professionals.
Flexibility: Often more willing to adapt to your personal style and preferences.
Cons:
Unknowns: Anyone can call themselves a home designer.
Lack of formal training & continuing education: Unlicensed home designers are not required to undergo ongoing professional development, which means they may not be up-to-date with the latest advancements in technology, building codes, and industry best practices. In contrast, licensed architects are committed to continuous education to ensure they remain knowledgeable about the most current standards and innovations in the field. This ongoing learning process helps architects deliver designs that are both cutting-edge and compliant with the latest regulations.
Design-Build Company: Single Source
Ideal for You If:
You prefer a single point of contact for both design and construction.
You value convenience and efficiency.
Considerations: Design-build companies handle everything from design to construction, offering a cohesive team and streamlined process. This can save you time and reduce the hassle of coordinating between multiple professionals.
Pros:
Integrated Approach: Seamless coordination between design and construction.
Efficiency: A single team responsible for the entire project.
Cons:
TV/VCR Situation: If you’re old enough to remember these you know, it’s not the best of either one, but it might be get the job done. You won’t get the best designers (they work for themselves) or the best builders (they like to work on architect designed projects).
No comparative price checks: In residential design there is a huge variance between builder pricing. The same design could be 100% more with a high bidder vs a low bidder. I’m not saying you should seek out a low bidder, but with design-build, you are locked in with one.
WIN-WIN-WIN with a PAUSE: The best method for your artistic home
Say you want a great design and you want the option to pick your builder, but you don’t want to lose out on the collaborative benefits of design-build? I implement a PAUSE during design, after we hit upon a design that you love and flesh out the big picture, but before we go and complete a full set of construction drawings.
While we pause, we bring in select builders who are suited to build THAT specific design. We meet together, go over the ideas, and get some ballpark pricing from them. You get to choose who you want to build your home. The builder and architect collaborate and fine tune the design to find cost efficiencies, get time to understand each other’s working styles, and build trust as a team.
Everyone wins.
Ready to take the next step in your custom home journey? Sign up for a complimentary intro call to discuss your project with Andrew.
Or, if you're in the planning phase, download our Project Planning Pack to help you get started on the right foot. Let’s make your dream home a reality together!