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spaceghost
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:28 am Post subject: Whats it like to work with an architect who is long distance |
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Hello Folks,
I live in the NYC area and I am getting the impression that bulk of the good architects here charge very large fees. I am considering working with an architect who is quite a few hours away from me (perhaps a 5 or 6 hr drive).
Can anyone tell me what I might be getting myself into? Any noticeable pros and cons?
Thanks,
Spaceghost |
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csintexas
millennium club
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 1676
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:29 am Post subject: |
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I have worked with several people that don't live here but want to build in my area. It just depends on the person, since you work in the internet business you are probably much more comfortable working within it (using email and pdf etc.) than some people.
It would be more difficult to design a house that is not in my area than to work with someone from out of town because I don't know exactly what the codes and other specifics of other locations are.
You may want to talk to a few builders first they often have architects or home designers that they regularly work with.
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Chris Stewart
Modern Texas Home Project |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1909
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:25 am Post subject: |
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The bulk of good architects do cost more than the bulk of the bad architects (yes, they do exist)...in other words, be careful about choosing price over quality. However, that said, shopping for the best price is not only possible, but smart. Of course you want to determine what is the difference between a good architect and a bad one. The best place to start, like with a doctor or lawyer, is through reputation...ask around, ask people who have experienced what you are about to do. Then do your research...and keep shopping. You can ask businessmen, engineers and contractors, or visit your local AIA chater for a list of architects, far or near.
To answer your main question, distance is not the issue, however, for the best results, the architect MUST be able to visit the site AT LEAST once! Personally, I have done hundreds of projects without visiting the site, but most of these were commercial projects where someone furnished me with plenty of information (floor plans, photos, site measurements, etc)...
Hope this helps...
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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usarender
millennium club
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 1258
Location: San Diego, Ca
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| Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:35 am Post subject: All the Local Information is Needed |
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| I have worked on projects at a distance, and as long as one has all the information on the site, local codes, building materials, and someone to send the architect all the information needed and who is able to conduct local research (in the area where the project is) and engage the help of local experts and consultants, it can work nicely. It takes some work to get everyone used to working under this system and the client must also be habituated or become familiar with and engage in sending and receiving all the project information over the internet. |
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RSCarcht
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 79
Location: USA: RI, CT, NY, MA, FL
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| Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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It is much more important that the architect be close to the site than it is that they be located close to the client.
While we work with clients from all over the country, 95% of our firm's projects are located between Boston and New York. We generally have partners or field offices with an hour of all our project sites.
Here are the advantages of hiring a more local architect:
--they are familiar with local codes and local building departments (which speeds the process tremendously)
--they are familiar with local contractors (which ones are good and which are not) and therefore can help you competitively bid your project to pre-qualified contractors. (This can result in very large savings in cost).
--they are familiar with local construction technologies and how buildings are detailed, flashed, insulated etc in a particular environment. An out of town architect may have to spend twice the time to get up to speed and will therefore not be the bargain you anticipate.
--they can visit the site regularly during construction and catch mistakes before they are made or before they become expensive to fix (this alone can save you the value of their fee)
--they have less far to travel and therefore don't have to charge you for that expense (which is obvious but often forgotten)
My (biased) opinion is that buying good design gives you the best value (and lowest project cost) for your project and the longest, hardest and most painful and expensive route to a destination is to try to take a shortcut. I would interview architects who can work in the area of the project and choose the best one that you can afford. Plan on spending 10% of your construction budget to get a competent architect. You will probably save that and more though avoiding mistakes and competitively bidding the job, and have a professional there to defend and guide you during the construction.
_________________
Ross Sinclair Cann, AIA APA
http://www.a4arch.com |
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mpicarchitect
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 3
Location: New York
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: Long distance architect |
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One clear problem would be unfamilar local Zoning ordinaces. I work mostly in Westchester County, NY and most towns have ARB's or Wetlands issues.
Also, there are many dirfferent types of services. The more service, the more fee. There are also many non-licensed architects running around that call themselves architects but are not.
Remember, you will get what you pay for. Nothing is free.
If you need help finding a NY Architect send me an e-mail.
michael@mpiccirilloarchitect.com |
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