Deciding to build a new home is an exciting prospect, but if it’s your first time it’s also filled with plenty of unknowns. The first of which is – who should I contact first – Architect or Builder?
It might seem intuitive to start with an architect. After all, you need an architect to draw plans before a builder can build them.
What matters most is that you bring both on board at the start of the architectural design process and have them collaborate from the outset.
Build Your Dream Team Early
We advocate talking to a builder first and assembling your team from there. Giving your builder full and early oversight of the project ensures greater accountability and responsibility. Afterall, it’s the builder who will be there on handover day.
Both the architect and builder bring unique perspectives, skillsets, ideas, and expertise to the table, and you will want to benefit from the magic that results from their collaboration.
While builders and architects are both experts in building design, their focuses are very different. Working collaboratively allows your architect to focus purely on design while the build team can focus on building methods, materials and managing budgets - creating opportunities for clear communication between all parties.
If you have a particular architect in mind to work with, be sure to ask if he or she is willing to collaborate early with your builder.
By finding willing partners who recognise the benefit of collaboration, your dream home will be designed and built with minimal stress and setbacks, because everything will be worked out before the first piece of turf is turned.
Budget and Buildability
There are way too many horror stories out there from homeowners who learned the hard way that the best approach would have been to have both their architect and builder on board throughout the architectural design phase.
Seeking cost estimates once plans have been drawn is a tough time to learn that your design wish list is not achievable within your desired budget. In this scenario building companies usually end up looking like the bad guy but let’s not forget, the architect gets paid for their design (and potentially re-design) whether you end up using it or not.
Without an experienced builder collaborating to create your ideal home design, many hopeful homeowners have ended up with plans that are too expensive to build or present significant buildability issues down the line.
Engaging a builder at the beginning could save you thousands in design time and build costs. A builder brings a wealth of knowledge on latest costs and products and build methodology. With a few modifications, similar ‘design results’ can often be achieved for a lot less money.
Our advice is to approach a builder first and form your team from the outset! The architect, builder, engineer and interior designer should all work together, giving you the best of both worlds - a design that is both beautiful and functional and aligns with your budget!
Thorne Group is a full-service building company managing all aspects of your project from concept to completion … and beyond. It is our belief that assembling the right team consisting of architect, builder and interior designer from the outset yields the best project outcome in terms of time, budget and efficiency. We can be your advocate and voice throughout the design process. We can work with your preferred architect and / or interior designer or can match you with one of our trusted partners, ensuring seamless communication and coordination. Talk to us today!
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