Architect Interview Questions
Hiring the right architect is crucial - they have a huge impact on your project, from design/aesthetics to systems/structural coordination to entitlements/zoning/permitting processes to materials/fixtures.
They also have a huge impact on the cost of a project, not just because of their fees [which are a drop in the bucket of a large project] but because their knowledge and management skills [or lack thereof] are directly reflected in project costs. A good architect makes their fee back many times over, a bad one drives costs sky high and grinds timelines to a halt.
So how do you make sure you have a good one?
If you’re a developer, and you don’t have an established relationship with an architect you can trust, you should work on building one - that means treating them with respect and being a great collaborator. Even if you’re a homeowner doing a one-off project, having a relationship with an architect you trust is very valuable - to refer to friends, to do future work with, to ask advice of, etc.
Assuming you’ve found a few architects you’d be interested in working with, here’s a list of questions I’d suggest you ask them in an interview. Note that not all of these might be appropriate to your project!
Generally, an architect will have a presentation or an overview that will cover most of these items, so you can use this list to make sure they didn’t miss anything.
Let’s start with the obvious ones. Keep in mind that your knee-jerk preference might not always be the best - just because they’ve been in business for 30 years doesn’t mean they’re a good fit for you, and maybe they’ve done so many of the same type of project that now their work is stale.
What is your experience with similar project types?
How long have you been in business?
Do you have experience working in this jurisdiction?
Are you licensed in this jurisdiction, in good standing?
Do you or have you had any legal action taken against you related to a project?
Why did you become an architect? What do you love about what you do?
A note about licensure - architects are licensed by state, so you can look that up to confirm they really are licensed. Architects are licensed and insured as *individuals,* so look up their personal name, not their firm name.
A note about legal action - the building industry is pretty litigious - it’s not unusual for a responsible, qualified architect to get named in a suit or be brought into various proceedings. Your goal is to ascertain the nature of that stuff and the architect’s involvement.
Ok, now for some schedule/process questions:
When can you start my project?
What is your typical process, and how long does each phase take?
Will this project require zoning relief?
How do typical design meetings with you work? Who from your team will I be working with the most?
Do you meet in person, or virtually?
Now let’s dig into the typical phases of a project, starting with planning/schematic design:
What is your process for getting to know me/us and our priorities?
What is your process for documenting existing conditions?
What do you include in your schematic design/pricing package?
Will you do a zoning review/feasibility study? Do you have a zoning attorney you work with?
How do you handle entitlements/zoning hearings/review board hearings in your fee?
Do you have experience with public process, community meetings, etc?
Next, the bidding/selecting a contractor phase:
Do you have contractors you typically work with? Would it be ok if I brought some contractors in to bid on the project?
How will you help me compare bids and select a contractor?
What is your process if the project comes in way over budget?
Will you be available during bidding to answer contractor questions?
What do you look for in a good contractor?
Next, the full design process and construction drawings:
What is typically included in your construction documents package for a project like mine?
Do you provide interior design services? Fixtures/fitout/furnishings selections?
How many meetings do you anticipate during design? What will the character of those meetings be?
How do you balance keeping the design process creative while sticking to a budget and timeline?
Do you have consultants you regularly work with, that are appropriate to this project? [engineers - MEP/FP/FA, structural, civil; specialty consultants - PHIUS, commercial kitchen, parking, traffic, conveyance, facade, etc; designers - landscape architect, interior designer, etc]
What’s your favorite part about this phase?
Next, construction:
What’s your role during construction?
What happens if there is a problem or discrepancy on your drawings that the contractor discovers?
How often will we have construction site meetings, and what is your role in those meetings?
How do you document construction meetings, design changes during construction, and contractor questions?
Will you review invoices/pay apps, change orders, and other budget/schedule documents from the contractor?
What is your personal experience working in construction, either on the construction or architecture side?
Next, you’ll want to know what the business and administrative relationship will be with your architect.
Do you require a deposit?
What kind of contract do you use?
How do you handle invoices and billing?
What is your fee, and how is it charged throughout the project?
How do you charge for changes to the design, after the design has been finalized?
How do you keep track of your hours?
How do you handle billing from consultants?
What happens if our relationship sours, and we need to break our contract?
After you’ve peppered the architect with these questions, take some time to digest and think it over…and ask *yourself* the following questions:
Does this architect seem like someone you’d enjoy working with?
Do they listen, and ask you questions?
Does their design aesthetic align with yours?
Did they say or do anything that turned you off?
What does their social media look like?
What’s your gut saying?
And, quite possibly one of the most powerful tools you have…ask for references, and CHECK THEM. The questions you should be asking boil down to this:
Would you work with this architect again? Why/why not?
You’re looking for someone with vision *and* ability to execute, with creativity *and* the chops to help deliver your project on time and on budget. Architecture fees and services vary quite widely - like anything else, you want to make sure you’re comparing “apples to apples” - the one that sounds like they’re the most expensive might end up being the cheapest in the long run!
At the end of the day, you’re going to spend a lot of time with your architect, and they are an integral part of your project - you want someone who you can work with, who you can resolve things with, and who will treat you fairly and bring their experience fully to bear on you and your project’s behalf.
There are a ton more questions you could ask, so I’d suggest thinking about *what you need to know to feel comfortable making this decision* and ask the questions you need to get you there. Unless you are an architect yourself, it will be hard for you to judge their technical ability...but that said, listen to others who have worked with them, listen to how they talk about the work and how they talk to you, and listen to your gut.
PS: if you’re interested in how *we* answer many of these questions at my firm, take a gander at our FAQ page!
Thank you for reading! Please share, and/or consider becoming a paid subscriber. It’s just me over here putting together these posts from my hard-won experience in the trenches…your support means a lot, and makes a difference!
You can try it out for 7 days, give a gift subscription, or just subscribe right now!