Expert: Paul S. Brown, AIA - 7/2/2006

Question
In the next year or so, we will be building a house. We have 300 acres and have narrowed the home site down to a hillside so we can have a walkout basement as well as a "safe room" Would an architect be the person to help with deciding how the house should face. Also, I've not been able to find "the perfect plan" and believe me, I've looked at hundreds. Would it be best to draw what I want on paper, then have the architect work from that, or just find the pieces from different plans that I like? I've never done this and probably won't ever do it again; I just want to be happy with what we build. We are "empty nesters" and will most likely build between 2200-2600 sqft. Any suggestions or helpful websites you know of would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!  

Answer
Hi Karen:
Sorry it took so long for me to answer; I was away on vacation and  forgot to note that on my "Experts" page.
Yes; this is something that an Architect can help you with.  It does not need to be real expensive; a designer could spend as little as 10 - 20 hours to answer some of these questions for you and sketch some modifications to the plans you have collected.
You should contact your local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and  get a list of local designers who do small-scale residential projects; then call about a dozen of them and ask them the same questions that you have asked me; this will give you a good feel for five or six of the designers that you  would like to work with; then ask them to come and meet you in your  home.
Then pick one, and  off you go!
Have fun!
Thanks; and good luck.
- PB