Why hire an architect?

The title ‘architect’ is protected by law, and only those registered use the title. Architects are qualified and experienced professionals with recognised skills in design, documentation, project delivery and practice management. They can provide a higher level of service than other types of building designers.

Registration

To become registered, an architect goes through rigorous training that can take over 10 years. That includes formal education, completing years of supervised practical experience and finally passing the Architects Practice Exam, which is both a written assessment and an interview.

Code of Conduct

Architects are bound by a Code of  Professional Conduct ( HERE ), that ensures architects behave in an ethic manner while also providing for a high level of professional service. In addition, all architects must have professional indemnity insurance.

Complaints Process

The Architects Registration Board has a complaints process that protects clients and which can discipline architects who fail to comply with the code through censorship, fines and even suspension/disqualification from registration.

Wide ranging competency

It is worth noting that there are 60 professional competencies (in the National Standard of Competency for Architects) against which an architect is measured in order to maintain a registration license to practice as an architect in Australia. Notably, only about 5% of the professional competencies for Architecture refer to aesthetics and space planning. Among the other skills required are

In short, architects do far more than just “design” buildings. They are your trusted advisor from the very beginning of a project, through to when you move in on completion, and beyond.

Do I need all those services?

In deciding in what level of service you might need, ask yourself the following

• • Can you run a tender process to select the right builder for you?
  • Do you understand construction contracts to enable you to choose the most suitable one for your project?
  • Can you administer the chosen construction contract?
  • Are you able to identify work done against a payment claim from a builder to make sure you are only paying for work done?
  • Can you identify whether the work has been done in accordance with the National Construction Code?
  • Are you knowledgeable enough to identify defects and know how to raise them with the builder?

This is just a subset of the knowledge you will need. Some will employ a project manager to help them through the process. Others might consult lawyers (usually when it is too late). Many leave everything to the builder. What most don’t realise is that architects offer services to cover all of these areas and more, and are usually cheaper and more efficient than other options.

A real life pitfall

To give this some perspective, we would draw attention to a LinkedIn post by David Chandler, the recently retired NSW Building Commissioner, a man with unrivalled experience. He has been inspecting building sites for new homes and reports that “over 60% are no good”. This is despite the need for all trades to be licensed, for each job to gain a construction certificate and have a certifier appointed and undertaking mandatory inspections.

The real problem isn’t that mistakes are made, but when they are identified, which is usually towards the end of the project, or, more often than not, after occupation. At this stage, correction can be difficult, time consuming and expensive. Having an architect administer the building contract means they will attend site regularly, acting as your trusted and knowledgeable representative, working with the builder to ensure a quality outcome.