“Find An Architect” directory – AIA New Jersey

Hiring an architect may be a process that is unfamiliar to you. You may know an architect but be unclear about what one can do for you, or you may not know where to find design professionals and how to select the one that best fits your needs.

Few people realize how complicated a project is--that is until they find themselves lost in the maze of design options, building codes, zoning laws, contractors, and so on. No two building projects are exactly alike, so there is no single, clear-cut path to follow.

The architect is the one professional who has the education, training, experience, and vision to guide you through the entire design and construction process, from helping you define what you want to build to helping you get the most for your construction dollar.

Whether you are remodeling, adding on, or building from scratch, the architect can guide the way. Working with contractors and other construction professionals, architects can help you end up with a well-designed project that meets your needs and works with your budget and time frame.

Are you planning a building project? The best time to bring in an architect is as early as possible in the project. Long before plans and specifications are developed, there are many crucial decisions to be made. What impact will site selection and zoning constraints have on your project?

Architects can help you evaluate your options. Predesign services provided by an architect can save you time and money. Architects play key roles in economic feasibility studies, obtaining project financing, and developing project budgets and schedules.

What an Architect can do for You

The architect is the skilled professional who listens to you, interprets your wishes, and helps realize your building dreams. The architect is a counselor, planner, designer, mediator, work coordinator, and business administrator. Architects add value at every stage of the project, from initial conceptual design through construction completion. Your architect:

Translates Your Wishes into Plans for Construction Your hopes and dreams for your project may be vague and abstract, and are usually expressed in words. The architect's job is to work with you to translate them into a visual and technical prescription for construction that is very detailed. The goal is for you, your architect, and your builder to share the same, very specific expectations about materials, quality, workmanship and other outcomes. This is usually an educational process for everyone, during which all decisions should be recorded on paper and all construction details and instructions carefully documented.

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“Find An Architect” directory - AIA New Jersey