Expert: Ted Barnhill (Principal, Design45 LLC) - 10/19/2007

Question
I am planning to add on to my house and I'm not sure if I need to contact a "designer", an "engineer", an "architect", or begin with someone else.
Also, if there is a list of people to contact to complete the entire job, please suggest an order you would contact them in. (I.E. First contact a designer, then a general contractor, ...)


Answer
Jason,

There are many ways to go about it, depending on your needs and budget.  Not only is your home a major investment, it can affect your quality of life by it's comfort, beauty, and efficiency.  A well-designed and constructed home costs less to heat and cool, has better daylighting, uses space well (so that it may cost less to build), has better resale value, and just feels happier.  Sadly, however, there are homes and additions built every year that are none of these things.

The best way to ensure good design is to first interview residential designers and residential architects to find a good fit with your needs.  Architects are state-licensed professionals, and typically cost more than designers.  However, most architects focus on non-residential building types, and might not have as much knowledge or experience with homes as a residential designer.  Designers, of course,  also range in experience, specialty, and cost.

The designer or architect that you choose will work with you to develop plans for your project, and may also act as your agent when you are ready to interview general contractors and request bids.

The American Institute of Architects (aia.org) and the American Institute of Building Design (aibd.org) both provide good resources on their websites for homeowners getting started with a building project.

Alternatively, some contractors offer "design-build" services, meaning that they provide custom design and construction services as a package.  This has the potential to simplify the process, but the apparent savings in design fees is sometimes not an actual savings.  This is because most owners who instead work with a designer or architect will use the plans to solicit multiple bids and thus get the most competitive construction cost.

Good luck.

P.S.  Sorry for the delay in answering your question.  I was out of the office last week.