What does the architect's role during construction look like? How much involvement is reasonable to ask for/look for?

[Anonymous]

What does the architect's role during construction typically look like? In particular, what does it look like for architects on the more-involved end of the spectrum?

We are about to build an addition, and in an ideal world, I'd like to hire an architect who will be as involved as reasonably possible to keep an eye on things and catch issues if the contractor makes mistakes or is trying to cut corners (since we are not knowledgeable about construction.) But I want to make sure that I am rooted in what's actually reasonable to expect and ask for, rather than looking for "too much" and coming off as unreasonable/uninformed.

So-- how often is a reasonable frequency to expect architects to visit the site? How much construction expertise is it reasonable to expect them to have? Could I expect to be able to e-mail them between visits with questions/"does this look right?" photos/etc? And does this sort of thing cost extra, or is it typically included in the usual fee?

And finally, what kinds of questions should I ask architects to figure out which ones will be most helpful on this front? (Or please share actual recommendations if you're willing!)

[Anonymous]

I don't have a lot of experience here, but the one architect I've hired - none. Once the plans were approved, I never heard from him again, except of course for the final invoice.

He said he'd be available if the construction crew had questions, but they didn't (or, any questions they did have, we answered ourselves). Architect never contacted us to see how things were going, but to be fair that wasn't in his contract. His job officially ended when the permits were issued.

[Anonymous]

I think you have an architect confused for a construction manager.

[Anonymous]

It depends on how you structure the contract. Some just give plans and that's it. Some have the fee based on the scope of the project and review the project work throughout to ensure the build is satisfactory.

[Anonymous]

We did an addition and whole house reno two years ago. Our architect's compensation structure was hourly from the start and she was willing to be as involved as we wanted during the construction itself. She was regularly on site at the outset, especially as we found surprises during demo etc, less so as the process dragged on. It was worth every penny and then some.

[Anonymous]

My architect remained involved (for fee specified in the contract) but architects are typically not construction experts. Even if they are willing to say something looks unusual, the licensed builder is going to be the person with more knowledge. Also, IME, even the builder will often defer to the sub on really specific things like how the HVAC is configured.

[Anonymous]

It depends on what your contract says. And what you want to pay them to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you have an architect confused for a construction manager.

Some architects offer CM service to their client. Not a big stretch.

[Anonymous]

Architect should be responding to any questions from the contractor (i.e. conflicts between existing conditions and design) and should also be making site visits to ensure that construction is per design.

Second part should be memorialized in your contract. "Contract includes 10 site visits, biweekly assuming a 20 week construction period."

[Anonymous]

I am in the middle of a major renovation and addition. From my interviews with architects I was considering hiring, I can tell you this varies considerably and it should be spelled out in your contract with the architect.

Mine is very involved and that's what I wanted. He has a site visit with me and the contractor every 2 weeks to discuss any questions that come up and he examines the contractor's requests for payment in detail and signs off on them verifying the stated work has been done before giving me the go-ahead to pay them. He keeps an eagle eye on what was specificied and what is actually being built and installed. I pay the architect his hourly rate for this and it has ended up being on average about $1000/month during construction, but I am *very* grateful to be able to offload a lot of the detail-worrying to him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in the middle of a major renovation and addition. From my interviews with architects I was considering hiring, I can tell you this varies considerably and it should be spelled out in your contract with the architect.

Mine is very involved and that's what I wanted. He has a site visit with me and the contractor every 2 weeks to discuss any questions that come up and he examines the contractor's requests for payment in detail and signs off on them verifying the stated work has been done before giving me the go-ahead to pay them. He keeps an eagle eye on what was specificied and what is actually being built and installed. I pay the architect his hourly rate for this and it has ended up being on average about $1000/month during construction, but I am *very* grateful to be able to offload a lot of the detail-worrying to him.

This sounds great-- I don't suppose you'd be willing to share his name?

[Anonymous]

What might suit your needs better is hiring an independent building inspector. They can come out at various points during the process to perform independent inspections and are very knowledgeable about the construction process. The one we used was a retired County inspector. Worth every penny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in the middle of a major renovation and addition. From my interviews with architects I was considering hiring, I can tell you this varies considerably and it should be spelled out in your contract with the architect.

Mine is very involved and that's what I wanted. He has a site visit with me and the contractor every 2 weeks to discuss any questions that come up and he examines the contractor's requests for payment in detail and signs off on them verifying the stated work has been done before giving me the go-ahead to pay them. He keeps an eagle eye on what was specificied and what is actually being built and installed. I pay the architect his hourly rate for this and it has ended up being on average about $1000/month during construction, but I am *very* grateful to be able to offload a lot of the detail-worrying to him.

This is very useful but also a bit different than someone noticing and flagging construction issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What might suit your needs better is hiring an independent building inspector. They can come out at various points during the process to perform independent inspections and are very knowledgeable about the construction process. The one we used was a retired County inspector. Worth every penny.

How much did this cost? Can you recommend their name, if you're in the DC area?