Building a commercial structure is no easy feat. So when you decide to take on a large building project, you need to hire a commercial architect. A commercial architect will help create plans and designs for your commercial space. You want to make sure you end up with an incredible end product. Here are things to consider when choosing a commercial architect.
References
When you start looking for a firm or independent architect to work on your project, you should try to find references. These can start with reviews online or looking into their past projects and seeing how they turned out.
If you have friends or colleagues that have worked with certain firms in the past, you can ask them for recommendations. Word of mouth can be a strong tool when deciding whether or not to work with a commercial architect. You will be working very closely with this person to design and tweak your new space. So you want to make sure they have a good background and will work with you well.
Working with a Firm vs An Independent Architect
Many commercial architects will work out of a firm. This means that they will have a team of people behind them to help with your project. A commercial architect’s job is to design and oversee the design of your building. They can’t do everything. So they will generally hire contractors to get the work done.
When working at a firm, they may have in-house contractors that you can work with all in one. When a commercial architect is working independently you’ll want to look into the connections that they have. They should have trusted contractors and collaborators that are going to help get the job done.
An architect also has to be licensed to work independently. Hence, you’ll want to make sure you get all of their qualifications before moving forward on the job. Either way, you go there will be talented individuals it just depends on if you want to go through a more corporate system or just work one on one with an architect.
Past Work and Portfolio
When choosing your commercial architect, it’s important to make sure their work aligns with your project. While commercial architects know their way around all types of commercial projects, it may come in handy if they have certain expertise when designing your building.
Every commercial architect should have a portfolio of their work that you can browse. You can even try to visit some of their projects in person. This way you can get a great sense of their eye for design and how it might come into play on your project. If a commercial architect’s past work doesn’t line up with what you want your project to be like, then you can move on to the next.
Budgeting
Working on commercial design may not always come cheap. When working with your commercial architect, you’ll want to look for someone who understands your budgeting and can stay within those means unless absolutely necessary. A great commercial architect will understand that large commercial projects are already expensive and will help communicate what can be accomplished with your budgeting goals.
Great Communication Skills
When you start working on a big project you want to make sure the person designing it and the person funding it are on the same page. This is why your commercial architect must have great communication skills. Besides all of the other things you should be looking for, your project won’t go well if you and your architect can’t communicate.
If you’re still trying to find the perfect commercial architect you can check out more things to look for in this extensive guide from ZP Architect Engineers. Every project comes with little bumps in the road. Nevertheless, you can avoid any speed bumps if you understand what to look and speak about with your commercial architect.
Conclusion
Commercial projects are huge undertakings, but with the right team, you can create something beautiful without a hitch. Once you find the right commercial architect, you know that your new space will be ready for your business and customers.