When you’ve decided to build your new home or renovate the one you already have, the budget is always in the back of your mind. What do you truly need, and what can you do to complete your project within your budget?
Hiring an architect may be high on your list of “can do without.” But there are reasons to hire an architect, including saving money. The time to hire an architect is before you start, not halfway through the project.
While hiring an architect might seem like an expense you can avoid, here’s why you may want to reconsider.
Budgeting And Construction Costs
An architect understands how to work within a budget and design a plan for your home that fits the parameters, using:
- Suitable and cost-efficient materials selections
- Floor plans that are efficient and optimal
- Home designs that are simple but suitable
Using floor space efficiently is one way to make sure your home isn’t bigger than necessary, adding to the construction costs as well as overall costs.
Changes are more difficult to make once construction begins. Drawing up a home plan and discussing it with you means changes on the design itself, and everything is finalized prior to construction. This includes compliance with local building codes and zoning, something that must be handled before you’re able to move in.
Suitable Building Materials
While it’s understandable to want to buy all the best (and most expensive) building materials for your home, it’s also important to buy the right materials. Just because it costs more doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to buy. The reverse is also true.
An architect can help you choose efficient and cost-effective materials that are suitable for your home both in construction costs and longer-term. Installation, maintenance, and replacement costs are important considerations.
For instance, installing the least expensive windows in your home may lower your construction costs, but long term, the reduced energy efficiency could be more costly in your monthly utility bills.
Liaison
Architects are your liaison to the builder and contractor. They observe ongoing construction to see that your home is built according to industry standards as well as the drawing requirements.
Your architect will look for things like properly sealed gaps that decrease drafts and leaking air. He or she will also check for proper insulation that will help with energy efficiency, decreasing long-term ownership costs. Plus, he or she can ensure that flashing is correctly installed and constructed also reduces the possibility of water leaks in your roof that can cause a host of bigger problems a few years later.
Better Resale Value
All these things come together when you decide to sell. When the day comes where it’s time to find a new home, a well-designed structure will have a much higher property value as well as better resale value.
People buying a home—especially their first home—want a home that’s efficient, functional, and visually appealing. “Curb appeal” only goes so far, because people live inside of a home as well as outside. After an architect has already optimized the home’s space and functionality, your home is a better investment for you as well as the next owners.
Call Pro Draft For All Of Your Architectural Design Needs
Interested in remodeling your existing home or commercial property? What about building a new one? Let Pro Draft help with architecture, drawings, blueprints, permits, and everything else. We’re happy to answer all of your questions before construction starts and throughout the process. We’ll work to make sure your project is done to your specifications and your needs.
Call Pro Draft today at (808) 579-9050 or 1-800-499-4699 from the Mainland