- 1) “I was told by the city I have to submit plans to get a work permit before my construction can start. What a hassle. My cousin drew up a sketch, why can’t we use that?”
- 2) “I know what I want but need someone to draw a plan. I would draw it myself but don’t know how to draft (but know what I want, did I say that already?) and put all those notes on it. Apparently both the city and contractor want a plan, to get a work permit. Even the plumber wants a stamped plan so I guess they can do ‘inspections’? What’s so complicated? Just get some wood and nails and start building it.”
- 3) “I need to put in a beam to expand a room and know what I want, but I am required to hire an Architect to get a work permit because of the ‘structural work.’ I have no idea how large the beam should be, but it can’t be that hard to figure out, and no I don’t do ‘heavy’ math daily let alone ‘strength of materials engineering’ stuff, geesh.”
- 4) “I am adding an addition to add square footage and a new room, you know expanding the homestead, and already know what I want, but I am required to hire an Architect to get a work permit. So what if the square footage is increased, who cares? Well except my neighbors who are paying higher property taxes than I am.”
- 5) “I have already removed some walls and demolition seems to be going well, despite the roof line starting to sag, which alerted the neighbors and thus the city, who is now requiring me to hire an Architect to submit drawings and get a work permit. I’m sure it wouldn’t have collapsed, but now I have to move my 2 kids and wife out and live in a hotel for awhile. Geesh.”
- 6) “Apparently the city doesn’t care what I build, what it looks like, how well it works or how much it costs, as long as I hire an Architect and have them submit drawings (I guess they needed more than a floor plan, how was I to know that?) that are sealed (with the Architect’s State Seal apparently) and signed, then, approved by the city building department before they will issue a work permit and we can start building. Since I already know what I want, even though both the Architect and Contractor are telling me there’s a better way of doing what I want, I’m convinced that my way is the best way, so I am insisting the Architect to draw up my idea. Since I already know what I want, it will be cheaper because the Architect doesn’t have to think… I know their service fee will be cheaper, since I know what I’m doing.”
- 7) “I already built my addition and was caught by the city 3 years later, and given a big fine. If I don’t hire an Architect the fines go up every few months. Problem is, no Architect wants to inspect my addition. They all say they don’t know how the foundation was built, if there is enough rebar in it, if the concrete is strong enough, or even if the studs, joists and rafters are okay. Looks like I’ll have to tear it all down if I don’t want to pay $20k fines every year. That was a costly bonus room, won’t do that again.”
Hiring an Architect will save you time and money, often the fee of the Architect paying for itself in a better product or the avoidance of blunders.
There are plenty of people who throw in half-baths, bedrooms, do kitchen remodels and the like, often not having the big picture of what is happening within the structure to make good decisions. Considerations of structure, to avoid having to make significant structural modifications but still achieving one’s goals can easily save thousands, or situating plumbing such that allows for an expansion in the best place without costly connections. And then there’s the overall flow of a dwelling, often the alignments or relationships make or break the quality of a place, as does how light interacts with the internal spaces. In the end, only the foolish work without an Architect, and they, knowingly or unknowingly, will live with their misguided results for decades. Don’t make their mistake.