However, because of how rare the need for a residential architect comes up, a lot of people become nervous at the thought of meeting with one, which tends to discourage them from going through with the plan, and ultimately leads to them having to make unnecessary compromises on what should have been their dream home. If this sounds like something you’re presently going through, then there really is nothing for you to worry about.
Professional residential architects like the ones that you’ll meet at Studio 250 Design and Planning know how to work with all kinds of clients, from those who have worked with architects in the past, and those who have had no prior experience in this thing whatsoever. In fact, to make it easier for you, here are some things that you can expect from your very first meeting with a residential architect.
What Happens in the First Meeting?
First Impressions
Like all first meetings with any professional, your first meeting with a residential architect is intended for you and your residential architect to make a first impression of each other. If both of you are going to be working together, this initial impression is a crucial factor in determining if you should continue working together or not.
When you meet for the first time, this is a good time to get a general feel for the other to see how well you would work together professionally. You want to work with a residential architect that you know you can get along with so that you can get the most out of your custom home design.
Go Through The Basic Process
Another thing that you can expect at your first meeting with your residential architect is that the both of you are going to go through the basic process of getting your custom home design. While there is a general overall process, you will want to know how your residential architect handles their projects specifically so that you know what to expect if you choose to work with them.
Check Samples and References
Checking professional references is another common scenario to expect at a first meeting with a residential architect. If you’ve decided to meet with a specific architect, then you probably already have an idea of their specific style when it comes to their designs.
However, the first meeting allows you to get a closer look at these designs, which can help you decide if this residential architect is a right fit for the design that you have in mind. In addition to this, the first meeting is also where you can expect client references to be checked.
Reputable architects will have no problems with providing with samples of their previous projects to help reassure a potential client of their credibility. This also gives you a good idea of what you, as the client, can expect during the process of working with that specific architect.
At Studio 250 Design and Planning, we have had plenty of satisfied clients that we are more than happy to refer to if you want to learn more about how we handle the design process with our clients.
Questions and Clarifications
As a client, it is perfectly natural to have all of these questions about factors that may affect the outcome of your design project, so go ahead and ask. Any professional residential architect will know how to respond to these questions professionally without making the client feel foolish for asking them.
How Do I Prepare Myself for That Meeting?
Understand What You Want
Make sure that you already have a good idea of what you want out of your custom home plan. Do you want a larger home? Are you looking to remodel your current home into something else? What kind of floor plan do you have in mind?
You don’t need an exact design in mind, but understanding what you want out of your custom home plan is a step in the right direction when it comes to working with a residential architect for the first time.
Be Specific
Of course, while you don’t need an entire plan at the ready when you meet your architect for the first time, it’s good to be specific about what it is that you want for your home.
When you say you want a larger home, how many rooms do you have in mind? If you say you want more natural light, does that mean you want an open floor plan, or do you want more windows?
Being specific with what you want will help your architect narrow things down to get closer to what your dream home looks like in your mind, which will help make the design process much easier to get through.
Be Open-Minded
Overall, ultimately the decision is yours to make when it comes to your final home plan. However, you should always be open-minded about any suggestions that the architect may have regarding your home plan, even from the first meeting.
Keep in mind that if they make any suggestions for your home plan, they are doing it with your best interests in mind. If they make a suggestion that you don’t entirely agree with, don’t hesitate to ask them for clarification on this.
But make sure that you respect the fact that professionally, they know more about what works in a home plan and how certain decisions can affect your entire living experience within that home.
Working with a residential architect doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience. However, it doesn’t have to be like this at all. At Studio 250 Design and Planning, our clients’ experience is always our number one priority. Whether this is your very first or your tenth time with the custom home plan experience, we aim to make each an every client experience a memorable one as we work together to design the home of your dreams.
If you’ve got a design project on your mind and you’re looking for a residential architect to work with, then feel free to give us a call! Reach us at 307-734-2625 or send us a message on our website form, and we can get started on designing your dream home today!
