How and When to Hire an Architect

September 25, 2014

When making the decision to build your custom home, hiring an architect is one of the first steps, allowing you to draw up your plans. Architects create the blueprints necessary for bank financing and building permits, but how and when should you hire one?

Owners of production houses will typically follow the process of hiring an architect and then letting general contractors bid on the project. However, we feel like this is a poor way to build a house, especially a custom home. For luxury homes like the ones we typically build, we recommend selecting a builder before interviewing potential architects. Here’s why.

Hiring a Custom Home Builder

Hiring A Builder Before An Architect

At Luetgert, we find it best to hire your general contractor first. A knowledgeable builder can help facilitate interactions between you and the architect, as well as subcontractors and vendors. When speaking with contractors, ask them for references and examples of past work. Our customers typically hear about us through word-of-mouth or from our previous customers.

It is very important to make sure the builder you choose has been in business for a while because he will be with you for the long haul. The planning stages can last six months to a year. Then the building process begins, which approximately takes between a year to two years to complete, depending on the size of the project.

Selecting the Right Architect for Your Home

Luetgert Will Help You Hire An Architect

Building a home is one of the largest investments in a person’s life. That’s why we want to make sure our customers get the most bang for their buck. Once our team is hired, we offer a service free of charge to help you interview possible architects. Owner Chris Luetgert personally oversees each meeting and step of the building process, ensuring that every decision is made with the customer’s best interest in mind. It’s one of the major benefits of finding your builder first.

When interviewing architects, we help our customers determine whether they are qualified and can handle the size of the project. Luetgert Development will examine their references and check that they are licensed. We can provide our own expertise and give our input on the budget to get you quality materials and the best prices. Because of our experience in Ocala, Fla., we also understand the guidelines for each community and can work directly with the architect to follow home owner’s association rules.

Do you have questions about what to look for in an architect? Give us a call, submit a contact form or contact us on social media. We’re always willing to give our advice.

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  • Jen Pack

    My husband and I have decided that we are finally in a good enough spot to build the home of our dreams, but we will need a lot of help from professionals. I like how you point out here that building a home is one of the largest investments one can make, so it is important to make sure that you hire the most qualified architect. Like you pointed out, it is important to interview potential architects so you can make the best decision. We will be sure to keep these things in mind! http://www.bpsm.com.au/services/interior-design

    • kwikturnmedia

      That’s wonderful news. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have and good luck building your new home!