An architect is usually a university qualified, multi-skilled
professional who, in order to legally use the title, is required
to pass government sponsored examination and then be registered
with the Board of Architects in the particular State or Territory
where the work is undertaken. The various State Boards of Architects
administer specific consumer protection legislation which is
contained in each state's Architects Act. The architect is therefore
a building design professional accredited by the government
to meet at least minimum standards to provide building design,
documentation and contract administration services to the general
public.
Whilst the popular view of the architect's role in a project
is to provide only the design, architects are skilled in a wide
range of facets of the building industry and process. In order
to obtain maximum benefit from your architect, your should engage
your architect to provide full services giving the opportunity
for the design intent to be fully expressed in the completed
project. Full architectural services involve the architect in
site evaluation, assisting in formulation of the brief and a
realistic budget, design, documentation, authority approvals,
tendering the work and contract administration. Throughout this
process, the architect can be involved in the co-ordination
of other consultants and cost and quality control. As with other
professionals, architects tend to specialize and it is generally
wise to engage an architect experienced with the type of project
you are interested in building.
Many architects are able to provide other specialist services
such as landscape design, interior design, building diagnostics,
measured surveys of existing premises, heritage and other
reports including building compliance, dilapidation surveys,
fire reinstatement, feasibility studies and expert witness.
Architects' fees are commonly charged as a percentage of the
project cost, an agreed lump sum or a time charge. However,
they may be a combination of these. A percentage fee is a proportion
of the cost of the project. All the ways of an architect being
compensated for the work done will be based on a number of factors
including the size and complexity of the project. Importantly
the fee will also reflect the education and qualifications required
to be an architect and the particular architect's skill and
reputation. Small or simple projects will normally attract a
lower total fee than those that are large or complex. Usually
it will not include the services of other consultants or authority
fees.
It should be anticipated that expenses which are unusual
or outside the original agreed scope of the engagement and
not included in the base fees, will occur during the provision
of architectural services and should be clearly identified
in the Agreement that you sign with your architect. These
are usually referred to in agreements and invoices as either
reimbusables or disbursements and can include things like
courier fees, additional copies of documents, fees paid on
your behalf to authorities, 3D representations of the proposal
usually called perspectives and the like.
+Will my project be approved by council faster if I use an Architect?
The short answer is no. There are no express lanes for submissions
documented by architects, or by anyone else for that matter.
Councils have approvals processes which have finite or even
statutory minimum time frames such as advertising, internal
assessment and reporting and scheduled council meetings. Nothing
can be done to hurry the process except with the assessment
and reporting process. An architect who is diligent in the time
consuming process of ensuring all the documents and information
council requires is available from the first moment the application
is made, will have made the best effort in encouraging the actual
approval process is as short as possible. Delays in approvals
occur when council officers have to request additional information,
clarification or more complete documentation. Apart from having
to wait for replies, the assessor will have to re-familiarise
himself with the particulars of the project when the information
is finally made available and the application once again becomes
next in line, all of which takes extra time.
+If I use an Architect will that guarantee approval of the submitted design?
Council has to assess each application on its merits.
An architect will give a project every chance of being approved
through the pre-lodgement processes adopted. These processes
can include being familiar with the council codes, planning
instruments and regulations and applying them to the particular
design. Pre-lodgement meetings with council will also help in
making the eventual assessor of the application conversant with
the design, the aspirations of the architect and client and
the particular interpretation of the regulations. There will
be times when, despite the best efforts of your architect, council
does not see eye-to-eye with your proposal or the interpretation
of the planning rules. At this point there are three options;
abandon the project, acquiesce with council and change the design
to a submission with which council is able to approve or submit
the design and expect to have to justify it to a higher authority
once refusal has occurred. In all states there is a court of
review of local government decisions where applicants can ask
to have the refusal reviewed and determined. Both the applicant
and the council put their case and the subsequent judgement
is final.
Architects are trained to be and are bound to act as professionals.
Modern usage has the term "professional" being applied to anyone
who has a job or makes money from what they are good at. We
now have professional surfers, professional footballers, professional
buskers and even in the national newspapers mention was made
of a professional racing pig! The pig is the professional not
the trainer! To properly describe someone as a professional
is to say that they put their client's and the community's needs
before their own. In short, they are there to do their best
for their client without consideration of self advancement.
This is not to say that an architect is not to be properly and
fully compensated for applying their knowledge, training and
reputation during the time spent on a client's project. It means
that the fees received will be the only reward directly gained
from a commission. Recognition of a job well done by the wider
community is an unexpected but welcome bonus.
Architects are architects. They have all received the same extensive
training and rigorous examination for registration Women who
practice architecture are represented across the whole range
of practices, skilled at designing anything from alterations
to houses to international class sporting arenas. Just as men
are. Choose your architect on their ability and appropriateness
for your particular project. The gender of the architect should
not be an issue.
An architect designs the spaces, both internal and external,
which accommodate the requirements of the client, referred to
as the brief. The relationship and connection of those spaces,
horizontal and vertical connections, the partial or full enclosure
with walls, floors and ceilings of those spaces are part of
the process. The requirement for physical and visual transparency
of the surfaces by including windows, doors, roof lights and
so on in the enclosing surfaces are all important elements in
the way the building reacts with occupants. The external image
of the building not only has to satisfy the client's brief but
also the community's expectations contained in local government
planning codes which the architect has to consider to finalise
an acceptable design. The aim of the design is to build a useful
building. The drawings produced are only a way of explaining
the design to the client, the approval authorities and the contractors.
