Often, individuals mistakenly believe the envisioned design or blueprint is a tangible, completed object that can be procured or acquired from a shelf, thereby enabling them to ascertain its alignment with their desires through tactile engagement. The undervaluation of architectural services can be attributed to a lack of awareness, misinformation, or misguided beliefs. It is important to acknowledge that architects should not be held solely responsible for this perception.
Architectural professionals typically request down payments or acceptance fees prior to commencing any formal work or sketching. However, clients often express concerns regarding the financial implications, as they may feel uncertain about the specific scope and outcome of the architect's services. These concerns are often voiced through comments such as, "What if the delivered design does not align with my preferences?" The prevalent misperception regarding design services lies in the tendency of clients to perceive them solely as finished products, rather than recognising the inherent nature of these services as a process-oriented endeavour. The focal points of discussion revolve around the notions of "service" and "process". In this context, service can be delineated as the diligent execution of tasks by a skilled professional, yielding tangible outcomes in the form of meticulously crafted drawings and estimates, whether in physical or digital format. On the other hand, the process entails a sequence of logical procedures, inherently intertwined with the element of time, necessitating a methodical approach for its successful execution.
The fundamental essence of an architect's design service centres around a meticulously structured process, wherein the architect meticulously assimilates the client's land descriptions, aspirations, preferences, yearnings, financial limitations, and other pertinent factors. These elements are meticulously scrutinized and evaluated by the architect, serving as the catalyst for initiating the imaginative journey of architectural conception. The probability of the client expressing dissatisfaction with the final outcome is minimal, as the client's active involvement will be ensured throughout the entirety of the project. At each stage, the client will have the opportunity to provide their approval or disapproval of proposed solutions, thereby addressing all desired factors and considerations. Ultimately, the objective of the design process is to engage in a cyclical exchange of feedback, ensuring that the design aligns with the client's desires. The architect, leveraging their expertise in building technology and regulations, employs various tools of illustration and communication to present a practical and cost-effective design outcome that can be deemed exemplary in its quality.
Before we lay out to you the design service process, it is important to note that when you hire and employ an architect for your project, he/she is in effect your legally binding representative akin to having a lawyer. With this professional duty, the architect is obliged ethically to represent you and guard you to your best interest in mind. The basic design service can be described in stages of progression of the design process below:
1. Needs and Options Review Phase or Pre-Design Phase
This initial stage usually starts when a client engages the architect and describes his/her project to the architect. This can be a short or long undertaking depending on the complexity of a project. A small house will naturally be quicker than say a very big one or very complex hospitals or even airports. The objective of this phase of the project is to properly define the overall goals, objectives, scope of work, budgetary constraints, functional needs, and many more aspects of the design work like personal preferences like lifestyle requirements or business results objectives that need a good or fitting design to be achieved. Clients having an idea of how to create a design brief or list of requirements or instructions for designers is one way of expediting this phase. The architect's fee for this may be separate depending on the complexity or is already a component of the architect's basic design fee included in the next phase for simple projects such as a house
2. Schematic Phase or Conceptual Phase
Upon satisfactorily defining the requirements or program of design from the previous phase, the design process now advances to the exploration of basic architectural solutions that the architect will creatively explore to come up with planning options, usually floor plan sketches or with elevations or the building's look and style for the client to evaluate and choose from. Architects usually generate two to three different floor plan solutions to explore possibilities. This phase will be the heart and soul of the imaginative prowess of the architect to meet the aspirational desires of the client. Inspirations will be provided and multiple back-and-forth reiteration of sketches will be delivered. The end result of this phase will be a satisfactory and client-approved basic overall architectural design through impressionistic building floor plans, elevations, sections, and perspective drawings (as instruments of the architect's service). The end product is not yet ready for use in permit applications or construction instructions to builders, just an architectural concept that will further need engineering analysis and design but is already a good visual into the final end product, and a more realistic cost estimate can be derived from it. The architect's fee for this phase shall be set by the architect according to his office standards and in accordance with the fee recommendations of the standards for professional practice by the United Architects of the Philippines, while this varies widely the fee is always negotiable but should not be free unless the architect approves for pro-bono service.
3. Design Development Phase or Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design Phase
Once the Architectural Concept is all good to the client and wishes to build it into reality, the architect starts refining the design into more accurate drawings and solving detailing problems with his/her engineering consultants. While the architect is detailing his/her architectural design choosing types of materials and systems, detailing interior and exterior elements, stairs, windows, doors, finishes, fixtures, and many more, his/her structural or civil engineer will be analyzing the structural implications of the architects building form design and figure out a structural design that will get the forms to support each other and become stable as a coherent structure. The other engineers like electrical, plumbing, and maybe electronics or mechanical will be involved as well to design their own respective engineering systems in coordination with the architect's overall lead in design to make sure technical conflicts are resolved and the client's end design intent is carried out. The end product in this phase will yield detailed architectural and engineering drawings, detailed estimates, and design specifications documents that the professionals' instruments of service to the client and are legally liable for errors and failures that will result in their designs. At the end of this phase, the client now has the blueprints and other building documents to apply for building permits and invite bids from eligible contractors. The cost of this phase shall be broken down into the specific items of work and professional fees of each professional and other overhead costs of production.
4. Bidding and Contract Awarding Phase
Upon having all the needed building documents, the architect and owner will now proceed in inviting prospective bidders to submit their proposals. The architect will assist the client in preparing the formal invitations to bid, instructions to bidders, defining the criteria for choosing a winning bid, and assisting the client in accepting and awarding the contract to the winning bidder. This phase can be skipped if the client opts to award the construction contract directly to any contractor he/she likes and trusts or if his/her contract with the architect is through the design-build contract. The professional fee for this phase can be negotiated between the owner and the architect.
5. Construction Phase
If the construction was awarded to a separate entity, the role of the architect or his capable representative now is to make sure that his designs together with his/her allied engineers' designs are executed faithfully by the contractor or that the contractor is religiously following the contract documents. The architect will need to have periodic visits to the construction site to inspect the progress of the work make sure everything is according to plan and prepare inspection reports to the client. By the end of the construction phase, the architect will now certify that the building has indeed been completed and will assist the client in applying for the "occupancy permit" that will give authority to the client to officially start using his/her new building. The usual professional fee in this stage to the architect is per day or per diem basis, fees like overhead cost will be collected here if the architect opts to collect these upon completion as a form of retention fee, this can be negotiated depending on the proximity of the architect's office to the site.
With this, I hope that clients are more aware of what they will expect when hiring an architect and have a better idea of the timing sequence that the designing part of the project needs. You might also wonder how much would this process cost to do besides the time you need.
Architectural professionals typically request down payments or acceptance fees prior to commencing any formal work or sketching. However, clients often express concerns regarding the financial implications, as they may feel uncertain about the specific scope and outcome of the architect's services. These concerns are often voiced through comments such as, "What if the delivered design does not align with my preferences?" The prevalent misperception regarding design services lies in the tendency of clients to perceive them solely as finished products, rather than recognising the inherent nature of these services as a process-oriented endeavour. The focal points of discussion revolve around the notions of "service" and "process". In this context, service can be delineated as the diligent execution of tasks by a skilled professional, yielding tangible outcomes in the form of meticulously crafted drawings and estimates, whether in physical or digital format. On the other hand, the process entails a sequence of logical procedures, inherently intertwined with the element of time, necessitating a methodical approach for its successful execution.
The fundamental essence of an architect's design service centres around a meticulously structured process, wherein the architect meticulously assimilates the client's land descriptions, aspirations, preferences, yearnings, financial limitations, and other pertinent factors. These elements are meticulously scrutinized and evaluated by the architect, serving as the catalyst for initiating the imaginative journey of architectural conception. The probability of the client expressing dissatisfaction with the final outcome is minimal, as the client's active involvement will be ensured throughout the entirety of the project. At each stage, the client will have the opportunity to provide their approval or disapproval of proposed solutions, thereby addressing all desired factors and considerations. Ultimately, the objective of the design process is to engage in a cyclical exchange of feedback, ensuring that the design aligns with the client's desires. The architect, leveraging their expertise in building technology and regulations, employs various tools of illustration and communication to present a practical and cost-effective design outcome that can be deemed exemplary in its quality.
Before we lay out to you the design service process, it is important to note that when you hire and employ an architect for your project, he/she is in effect your legally binding representative akin to having a lawyer. With this professional duty, the architect is obliged ethically to represent you and guard you to your best interest in mind. The basic design service can be described in stages of progression of the design process below:
1. Needs and Options Review Phase or Pre-Design Phase
This initial stage usually starts when a client engages the architect and describes his/her project to the architect. This can be a short or long undertaking depending on the complexity of a project. A small house will naturally be quicker than say a very big one or very complex hospitals or even airports. The objective of this phase of the project is to properly define the overall goals, objectives, scope of work, budgetary constraints, functional needs, and many more aspects of the design work like personal preferences like lifestyle requirements or business results objectives that need a good or fitting design to be achieved. Clients having an idea of how to create a design brief or list of requirements or instructions for designers is one way of expediting this phase. The architect's fee for this may be separate depending on the complexity or is already a component of the architect's basic design fee included in the next phase for simple projects such as a house
2. Schematic Phase or Conceptual Phase
Upon satisfactorily defining the requirements or program of design from the previous phase, the design process now advances to the exploration of basic architectural solutions that the architect will creatively explore to come up with planning options, usually floor plan sketches or with elevations or the building's look and style for the client to evaluate and choose from. Architects usually generate two to three different floor plan solutions to explore possibilities. This phase will be the heart and soul of the imaginative prowess of the architect to meet the aspirational desires of the client. Inspirations will be provided and multiple back-and-forth reiteration of sketches will be delivered. The end result of this phase will be a satisfactory and client-approved basic overall architectural design through impressionistic building floor plans, elevations, sections, and perspective drawings (as instruments of the architect's service). The end product is not yet ready for use in permit applications or construction instructions to builders, just an architectural concept that will further need engineering analysis and design but is already a good visual into the final end product, and a more realistic cost estimate can be derived from it. The architect's fee for this phase shall be set by the architect according to his office standards and in accordance with the fee recommendations of the standards for professional practice by the United Architects of the Philippines, while this varies widely the fee is always negotiable but should not be free unless the architect approves for pro-bono service.
3. Design Development Phase or Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design Phase
Once the Architectural Concept is all good to the client and wishes to build it into reality, the architect starts refining the design into more accurate drawings and solving detailing problems with his/her engineering consultants. While the architect is detailing his/her architectural design choosing types of materials and systems, detailing interior and exterior elements, stairs, windows, doors, finishes, fixtures, and many more, his/her structural or civil engineer will be analyzing the structural implications of the architects building form design and figure out a structural design that will get the forms to support each other and become stable as a coherent structure. The other engineers like electrical, plumbing, and maybe electronics or mechanical will be involved as well to design their own respective engineering systems in coordination with the architect's overall lead in design to make sure technical conflicts are resolved and the client's end design intent is carried out. The end product in this phase will yield detailed architectural and engineering drawings, detailed estimates, and design specifications documents that the professionals' instruments of service to the client and are legally liable for errors and failures that will result in their designs. At the end of this phase, the client now has the blueprints and other building documents to apply for building permits and invite bids from eligible contractors. The cost of this phase shall be broken down into the specific items of work and professional fees of each professional and other overhead costs of production.
4. Bidding and Contract Awarding Phase
Upon having all the needed building documents, the architect and owner will now proceed in inviting prospective bidders to submit their proposals. The architect will assist the client in preparing the formal invitations to bid, instructions to bidders, defining the criteria for choosing a winning bid, and assisting the client in accepting and awarding the contract to the winning bidder. This phase can be skipped if the client opts to award the construction contract directly to any contractor he/she likes and trusts or if his/her contract with the architect is through the design-build contract. The professional fee for this phase can be negotiated between the owner and the architect.
5. Construction Phase
If the construction was awarded to a separate entity, the role of the architect or his capable representative now is to make sure that his designs together with his/her allied engineers' designs are executed faithfully by the contractor or that the contractor is religiously following the contract documents. The architect will need to have periodic visits to the construction site to inspect the progress of the work make sure everything is according to plan and prepare inspection reports to the client. By the end of the construction phase, the architect will now certify that the building has indeed been completed and will assist the client in applying for the "occupancy permit" that will give authority to the client to officially start using his/her new building. The usual professional fee in this stage to the architect is per day or per diem basis, fees like overhead cost will be collected here if the architect opts to collect these upon completion as a form of retention fee, this can be negotiated depending on the proximity of the architect's office to the site.
With this, I hope that clients are more aware of what they will expect when hiring an architect and have a better idea of the timing sequence that the designing part of the project needs. You might also wonder how much would this process cost to do besides the time you need.
Read other articles:
- The Project Planning Workshop
- Five most essential things to know before deciding to design and build
- Best Way to have Better Control and Fast-Tract Your Project
- How Much Does Hiring an Architect Cost
- Why contracts are essential when engaging in services
- 7 reasons why Architects are seen as expensive and an unnecessary cost in building projects
- How to create a Design Brief for your architect
- Philippine architecture practice and P.R.C.'s position with Civil Engineers' encroachment in the architecture profession
- Architects and Architecture: Myths vs Reality
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