When someone is considering undertaking a project, be it a residential renovation or a new space for their business, we sometimes hear them say "we can't afford a *design,* we just need things drawn up." Or, "architects just make things more expensive."
Well, sure. Architects don't work for free, so their fee is included in the cost of the project.
But, you GET a lot more, like creative solutions no one would've imagined.
Design isn't the icing on the cake, it IS the cake...and the recipe...and the experimentation the baker did before you showed up so they know how to make tasty, creative cakes...and skills to bake well...and the knowledge of what ingredients are available and taste good together...and the icing too!
Good architects bring exponential value to their clients and projects, just like a good contractor, good engineers, and good subs. You get what you pay for, and these days, with construction costs going higher and higher, the temptation is to cut out planning or design or "expensive" professionals.
Your best hope for getting a project done well, done efficiently, and done beautifully is to have a stellar team, a team with deep experience, a team that loves this work. A team that can make magic, that understands your goals and your market, and can knock it out of the park for you.
Turns out, owners have busy lives and businesses to run, and are delighted to rely on solid teams to bring their technical and aesthetic expertise, efficiency, and eye to projects! And good building professionals value *them* too - the best clients are engaged and active in their projects, and the best collaborations are with teams that value each others' contributions and expertise. No one can - and most don't want to - do it alone.
Many people don’t exactly understand what architects do, or for that matter, what general contractors do, or project managers, or owners’ reps, or subcontractors, or engineers, or other consultants. Project teams can get quite large, and it’s up to the owner to hire, manage, and wrangle them. And it’s true, you don’t always need all those professionals on every project. But…it’s the rare project that doesn’t benefit from the input of a skilled architect.
So next time someone tries to tell you that “design is the icing on the cake,” tell ‘em, nope, design IS the cake!
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