When you’re planning work on your home, choosing the right architect for your project is one of the most important decisions to make. You need to be sure that the person working on your designs is going to help you create a space you’ll not only love and be proud to show off, but that fits your lifestyle needs now and in the future.
The problem is, if you’ve never worked with an architect before, it can be hard to know how to tell them apart. You don’t just want to make a decision on quote alone – you want to make sure you get the whole picture of your potential architect, from their training and background to their personality and ways of working.
What do architecture qualifications mean?
When you’re looking at different architects, one of the first things you might notice on their website is their qualifications. The qualification process for becoming an architect is pretty rigorous, which means there can be a lot of letters, awards and board memberships to try and understand.
There are some qualifications that every architect has – if they don’t, that’s a definite sign they’re not the right person to trust with your extension. All architects in the UK need to hold a bachelors in architecture (BArch) and have at least two years of practical work experience and training. They also have to be registered with the Architect Registration Board (ARB), which proves they’re practising and covered by personal indemnity insurance.
Some architects might have a few extra certifications to their name, like a masters in architecture (MArch) and membership of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). They may also have accreditation with their local council based on the quality of their past work – for example, MVA is an accredited planning agent with South Gloucestershire Council.
While we’re talking about qualifications, it’s worth pointing out the difference between an architect and an architectural technician. They might sound like similar titles but the training behind them is very different.
An architectural technician usually has a BA or BSc in their field, before chartering with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technicians. But what that means for you is that their qualifications are geared towards the technical, construction side of things, rather than including the design side that architects learn as well.
Let’s be clear: we’re not saying that architectural technicians aren’t as capable as architects. It’s just that architects approach a project from a design-oriented perspective, and will usually be best to have on hand if you need help with planning or redesigns later.
Look at their background
If you’re never worked with an architect before, it can be hard to know what to look for in their background. Do you want someone who’s worked for the longest time or will that make them expensive? Is it better to have someone who’s worked on a wide variety of projects over the years, or someone who’s always been laser focused on residential designs?
A breadth of experience is never a bad thing to find when you’re looking up architects. Ultimately, architects need to be two things: adaptable and open to new ideas. You can’t not adapt in architecture – regulations change all the time, as do the tools and software we use to create and present designs, so we have to make sure we’re always keeping up to date.
It’s not just practicalities that change, either. Design trends are always coming and going, and your architect should be aware of new ideas that they can bring to the table. The wider an architect’s experience, the more likely they are to be adaptable to new developments and trends.
That’s not to say that a specialist in one sector can’t also keep up with changes. But often if an architect has stayed in a particular lane for too long, they can develop blinkers. They might stick to drawings with pen and paper rather than experimenting with what model is most helpful for their client. Or their designs might skew towards the kinds of spaces that were popular earlier in their career rather than what people are looking for now.
Get a feel for their personality, not just their price
There’s one more part to choosing the right architect for your project, and it’s arguably the most important and hardest to pinpoint – what they’re like to work with.
When you’re working closely with an architect, personality makes much more of a difference than their fee. Ultimately, you’ve got to believe that your architect understands exactly what you’re looking for – not just in terms of specifications but how you currently use your space, what you’re hoping to get out of it, and how to tease those aspirations out through bold designs.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy qualification you can point to that says “this architect is the right fit for me”. It’s a gut feeling you’ll have once you meet with them in person and talk through your plans and ideas.
It might be how they go the extra mile to leave you feeling reassured about the design process and your next steps. Or how they’ll always pick up the phone if you want to chat through a question you forgot to ask during their visit. Or it might be that you find yourself bouncing ideas off of them and come out of each conversation with a clearer vision of what you want to create with your space.
It might even be that they’re prepared to push back on certain design elements. After all, they’re the expert – that’s why you’re paying them. You want them to bring their experience of previous projects, pointing out either problems that they’ve seen with similar plans in the past or where you might be able to get closer to your vision with a design you hadn’t thought of.
At My Village Architect, we pride ourselves on being as good at our process as we are at our practice. If you’re ready to bring your vision for your home to life, get in touch to see how we can help.