Essay: A Modest Proposal

Architects and contractors must communicate to avoid these kinds of problems. The better the information that you give the architect up front, the more accurate his fee proposal should be. Understandably, it is difficult to handle every issue surrounding a project; things do come up that are unexpected. But there are ways to protect yourself a bit from costs getting out of control. First of all, you may want to begin your working relationship with an architect by putting together an agreement for the due diligence and preliminary design/consulting work. There is nothing wrong with doing this, and as long as both you and the architect understand that further work is contingent on the success and outcomes of the preliminary work, you may find this is the best arrangement.
The …show more content…
One important point is that the services you contract with the architect may require the services of other consultants. I recommend contracting with them directly to maintain knowledge and control over the outside service provider’s work and progress.
Assuming the project moves forward, and you and the architect have executed the contracts, the next phase will be all about communication. The best, most efficient projects I’ve been associated with have been ones where the design team holds weekly meetings and provides progress plans and updates for review.
With so many moving parts to any design project, keeping everyone in- formed is always a top priority. When well executed, it speeds up the process and delivers far better outcomes.
Once the design and development phase is complete, the construction documents get under way. At this point, it is the architect who should control the consultants and keep the lawyers and lender informed of all progress. As a ring leader for the design and construction side of the project, all information needs to funnel through the architect to maintain control and ensure that no deviation to the schedule and