If you are planning to build a commercial property or renovate the existing one, then availing the services of the correct commercial architectural firm is vital. If the architect is professional they can convert your dreams into reality. But the choice of a commercial architect is not an easy decision to make. The reason being that the person whom you are choosing will be listening to your ideas, keep the budget on track, turn out to be an invaluable problem solver and are the brains behind the entire project.
So as to improve the chances of choosing the correct one you need to interview each prospect. During the interview you need to have a set of questions ready to guage their suitability for a project. Below are some of the questions that you may ask a commercial architectural firm
Are they in a position to provide you with some references?
Check out with them the references from their previous clients and even the ones from construction or engineering companies will be of help. It will give you an idea about the firm and their suitability for the projects they have handled in the past.
- Whether they can stick to the budget
- The kind of communication they have with the clients
- A proven track record of having completed the projects on time
- How easy it is to work with them
A great architecture is not going to spell out the entire story. The interactions that the companies have with their stakeholders will be a guiding force.
What is the charge they are likely to levy for their architectural services?
Commercial architects just like design firms have different ways of charging for the design costs. Make sure that you are aware about the structure of a company before hand and avoid companies whose fees are vague. Mention to them your budget before hand and clearly specify to them what you can afford. A top quality design is not going to come cheap and yu need to be aware on what you can bear before you avail their services.
Are they in a position to recommend the name of a builder?
If at the back of your mind you have a general contractor it is great. But if this is not the case you may check out with your architect the list of some names. Due to the nature of work involved a commercial architect is bound to have a name in their minds. Check out with them the builder costs, quality and timeline.
In a nutshell if you are aware about the timeline it enables you to prepare mentally and financially. A quality commercial architecture will guide you on how to reduce the construction timeline that depends upon the time and the location of the project. The last thing that you would want is to choose a commercial architect who does not have an insurance coverage. Make sure that the architect has proper insurance coverage in place.
