You may be embarking on some renovation work at home, a loft extension perhaps, a new kitchen or maybe you are building a property from the ground up. Whatever the project, you need to know whether an architect is required. In fact, let’s start by clarifying exactly what an architect does.

An architect is someone who is qualified to design and draw up plans for a building project, this may be from scratch, you will have heard of famous architects like Sir Christopher Wren who designed St Paul’s Cathedral.  This highlights the first concern, cost.  You are not going to be hiring Sir Christopher of course (you’d need a time machine for a start!), but an architect will add a significant cost to your budget. So, it has to be a sensible decision. A small renovation will not need one, but a new build or a huge extension may benefit hugely from one. This is something you need to weigh up when you are planning your project.

It is worth bearing in mind that if you need planning permission then you will need to submit the drawings and plans to the council and they will have to be accurate. Finding a builder or construction company like KT5 that offers architectural drawings and help with planning permission can be a real benefit. An error on the application could invalidate the entire process and become a costly mistake. Some building firms like this can manage the whole project for you, taking the pressure off.

The key part of an architect’s role is the design, you may feel confident in your own ideas, but an architect is the one that can bring these to life and also ensures the ideas you have are possible to achieve. If you are looking to build your dream home or redesign a substantial proportion of a property, then an architect might be the perfect choice. An in-depth meeting with them at the outset will enable you to share ideas and explain what you are looking to achieve.

When it comes to choosing one, interestingly the term architect is protected by law and nobody can call themselves one unless they are correctly educated, qualified and experienced. You can use the government register to check on this if you want to be sure of who you are hiring [CHECK HERE] The cost can be significant, so you want to be sure you are using a well-qualified architect, and a reputable one will be more than happy to show you previous projects and share references from previous customers.

Like many things there are pros and cons to using an architect on a project, however the cost of using an architect can be excessive for the time and input on a home extension, clearly if you are building a new house you will need a lot more building detail than most extensions, so why not make your life easier and choose a builder that offers the planning and design in house like KT5 Construction? This will mean you will get the right advice for your project, and the right help will be at hand as we provide highly qualified and well experienced professionals for every area of the build or renovation. 

For more information on our services and how we can support you with your build click here or contact us today.