Will An Architect Have Your Best Interests In Mind?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Traditional Architect Model: Hidden Costs and Surprises
• Design-Build Firms: A Solution Aligned with Your Interests
• Making The Right Choice For Your NYC Renovation
• Essential Questions To Ask Potential Renovation Partners

Whether you’ve undertaken renovations yourself or heard stories from friends and family, experiences with architects can vary widely. In some instances, hiring an architect can wind up being a wonderful experience, with your home becoming a living masterpiece fit for AD. In other instances, many homeowners find themselves giving up way too much design control when looking to accommodate their dream home via an architect, while paying a pretty penny doing so. In these latter instances, neither the architect or homeowner is in error, the renovation solution they’ve agreed upon simply doesn’t make sense for the project. 

In this article, we’ll establish when an independent architect is warranted for your residential renovation in NYC, and ultimately answer the question: are architects always working in your best interest, or could there be a better alternative?

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[#1]The Traditional Architect Model: Hidden Costs and Surprises[#1]

As you may realize, hiring an architect for your NYC renovation isn’t completely straightforward. When considering costs, budgeting and even personal responsibility, you're left with a lot of questions when assessing a partnership with an independent architect for your NYC renovation. Below are a few gray areas to weigh when hiring an independent architect: 

Additional Contractor Costs & Risk 

In the traditional architectural model, architects often charge roughly 20-25% of total project cost. This is because they are generally involved only in the design and planning phases, which can result in key details being lost in translation to your build contractor and conflicts when plans are ready to be executed. Consider misalignment between aesthetic goals and construction, change orders, and budget overruns. 

Excessive Material Costs & Less Design Control 

While most independent architects pass off the project once design is settled, some will stay involved as an owner’s agent. This turnkey architectural approach suits clients with flexible timelines, budgets, and undefined scopes. Yet, that approach isn’t for everyone. 

As architects focus on extravagant, creative designs for industry recognition, clients often face higher material costs and reduced design control. Think indoor atriums or water features that use exotic materials. Sounds amazing, but how practical is the feature? Such architectural exclamation points can inflate your budget by 50-100%, often leading to late-stage change orders and a disconnect between the vision and practical reality. All of this makes accurate upfront budgeting difficult to pin down.

Additional Interior Design Costs

The added costs of hiring an architect don’t end with excessive material costs and added bid plans for contractors. In most cases, you’ll need to bring in a separate interior designer as well, adding another layer of expense and logistics for you to manage. 

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[#2]Design-Build Firms: A Solution Aligned with Your Interests[#2]

If working with an independent architect doesn’t quite feel like the path of least resistance, consider a more modern approach. Enter a full-service design-build firm, which is a general contractor who employs an architect, as well as interior designers, construction managers, and builders - all under one roof. In this all-inclusive approach, the design-build firm serves as a consultant, who thoroughly guides your renovation from start to finish, executing on your behalf every step of the way. They work together with you to craft a space based around your objectives (timeline, budget, and design inspirations). 

This approach typically makes sense for clients who have a sense of what they want with respect to design goals, timelines, and costs. These are often busy professionals with a somewhat defined timeline and budget and those looking for a level of design sophistication without sacrificing function. (Think: I don’t want the fuss or to manage multiple teams. I want a good quality, well built/well thought out space but I’m not looking to make the front page of Architectural Digest).

For more information about a more modern design-build approach, review what a start to finish design build process looks like. 

[#3]Making The Right Choice For Your NYC Renovation[#3]

Choosing between a traditional independent architect and a modern design-build firm isn’t easy. As we discuss in our popular blog, The Pros and Cons of Design-Build vs. Architectural Firms, each option brings its own set of benefits and challenges. For homeowners, asking plenty of questions is not only expected but encouraged.

If your renovation is nearing reality, factors such as budget, timeline, and the scope of your project need to be considered now. 

Are you aiming for a completely custom design that exemplifies award-winning design, or do you prefer a more integrated approach that simplifies the renovation process and focuses on your own personal style? 

Once your stance is confirmed, choosing the right renovation partner comes down to meeting your needs. 

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[#4]Essential Questions To Ask Potential Renovation Partners[#4]

To lock in expectations when choosing a solution for your NYC renovation, we recommend vetting various potential partners and asking the following questions: 

How Do You Approach Budgeting, And What Measures Do You Have In Place To Manage Costs?

When planning a renovation in New York City, always make sure to request an itemized cost breakdown from potential renovation partners, even if it’s an approximate estimate. A legitimate architect or design build general contractor in NYC should have no problem providing a transparent breakdown of costs for materials, labor, permits, and other necessary services such as subcontractors or payment schedules. Without this clear estimate, understanding the project’s scope and comparing potential partners is nearly impossible. 

As a full-service design build general contractor in NYC, Gallery provides all-encompassing costs and payment details up front in the process, in ways traditional renovation methods like a design-bid-build general contractor or independent architect cannot. In order to determine project feasibility, we fully assess your project and do a full cost analysis up front, allowing for comprehensive pricing and scope of work that serve as agreed-upon goal posts we work towards for your renovation. 

What Is Your Typical Timeline For Projects Of This Scope?

When choosing a renovation partner, people often make the mistake of taking the behind-the-scenes logistics for granted. Who will accept materials, inspect them, and deal with defects? If your architect or contractor doesn’t include these in the proposal and timeline, then those vital checks and balances fall on your shoulders. Before hiring, it’s essential to ask your renovation partner about the timeline you can realistically expect for your project. Including the legwork, a typical NYC kitchen or bath renovation takes four to six weeks in an apartment building, with full home renovations taking significantly longer. Be wary of any timeline that seems too good to be true. To get an idea of some baseline timelines, view a few of our relevant NYC renovation articles form our Design & Reno Blog: 

• Learn More: How Long Does A Full Apartment Renovation In New York City Take?
• Learn More: Full Home Renovations In NYC 101: What To Know & Where To Start
• Learn More: Gut Renovation Vs. Other Renovation Types In NYC: The Pros And Cons

What Unexpected Issues Could Arise And How Will We Prepare?

When renovating in any of the many historic building types in NYC, there are a variety of surprises that may arise upon opening up the space, especially when doing a larger renovation that requires opening up walls. This often means there will be unexpected challenges you’ll be faced with, which could incur additional costs. A good partner should be able to identify these issues ahead of time, or at the very least, prepare you for the potential of them - along with potential cost and timeline ramifications. That includes securing approval from your building’s board, handling materials, and purchasing finishes.

• Learn More: Common Surprises When Renovating A NYC Apartment

Can You Provide Examples Of Your Past Work?

References are important but don’t put too much emphasis on them. Unless those references are your own friends and family members, they’re likely not completely accurate. After all, would you provide a reference that doesn’t speak highly of you? Instead, ask to see their portfolio of work or even a few previous renovations in person, especially those that are similar to your own project. Only by seeing past work for yourself can you truly see the quality of the finished project and how well the contractor’s work holds up over time.

Wrapping Up

When renovating your apartment in NYC, the question of whether to enlist an independent architect or a fully-integrated design build firm with architecture services is significant. With their keen eye for technical design, understanding of structural intricacies, and ability to navigate complex building codes, independent architects can be valuable assets in ensuring your renovation is award-ready. However, that level of ultra-luxe may not be for everyone and in instances where a peace of mind is preferred above all, a fully-Integrated architecture design build firm can be the most comfortable route. 

Considering an apartment renovation in New York City? View our portfolio of NYC apartment renovation before and afters, learn more about Gallery, or contact us today.

We are an award-winning design-build firm in New York City with a full-service approach to renovations in Manhattan and Brooklyn that includes everything from interior design and architecture services to filing permits and construction management. We’re experts in pre-war apartment renovations, apartment combinations, room creations, full gut renovations and all that falls in between. Let us bring your dream home to life.