Architects and builders serve two very different purposes when it comes to home remodeling or home addition design, and depending on which stage you are on with your remodeling, there is a good chance you will need to seek the services of both. Let us list the differences of each.
What Does An Architect Do And Why Are Their Services Important?
An architect, as the name suggests, designs any architecture, be it a residential construction or any commercial place. And because there are several rules and regulations that need to be followed, compliances that need to be observed, as well as permits that need to be acquired from relevant your local housing association, a registered architect is the one who is authorized by law to sign on any and all such paperwork, before the plans can go ahead.
However, designing is just one aspect of an architect’s job. They are also capable of overseeing the entire construction project for you, using their expertise and authority to make sure that everything is in accordance with the plan, and that at no point there is a chance of expenses exceeding your budget constraints. They also work together with a structural engineer to make sure that the construction is structurally sound, and that the right raw materials and construction technique is utilized to ensure utmost safety throughout the life of the building, once the project is complete and occupants move in.
What Purpose Do Builders Serve & Why You Need Them For Remodeling?
The builder on the other hand works on the ground. What exactly does that mean? It means that they are the ones who are responsible for actually putting the plan that an architect has approved into action. Even in case that an architect is overseeing the project, they will have a builder working under them who will be the person in charge of dealing with the laborers, acquiring raw materials as per the present budget, and in short, checking off every little item on the list that the architect has specified.
The builder, since they have hands on experience with home constructions, are familiar with the cost of parts and labor, and can assist you in keeping your plan under budget at all times, as well as helping you save considerable amount of money on labor by bargaining with contractors on your behalf, and making sure you are not overcharged for any of their services. In the event that you just go to a builder for your project, then they too will need to consult an architect to get your plan approved first and receive official permit before the work can be started on your construction such as house addition.
Which One Of The Two Should You Choose For Your Remodeling Project?
As we saw above, both the architect and a builder serve two very different purposes, neither of which can be replaced by the other, and therefore, for any construction to successfully go ahead, you need the services of both the architect for actually drawing up the initial plans that are feasible, as well as the builder for seeing the final plan to completion. This is true for any and all types of constructions, regardless of how big or small they are in scale. No matter if you are constructing an entire building from scratch or just remodeling your home, if it is something that involves taking down walls and building new ones, you need the services of both an architect and a builder.
Hiring Both
If you are choosing both of them yourself instead of hiring one and asking them to recommend the other, you need to make sure that both get along because proper coordination between these two professionals is key to any successful construction project. When you have the eyes of both a certified architect as well as an experienced builder overseeing your remodeling project, you can rest assured that you will get exactly what you signed up for and that there will be no hiccups along the way.
We hope that this blog will help you in making the right decision if you want home builders or home remodeling architects DC. As mentioned before, choosing both is also a good option.
