Opinder Liddar breaks down what you can expect your architect to provide and what extra services they could offer for your project

Alison and Tony Jackson employed architect and daughter Kate Jackson and her colleague Matthew Ingham to come up with the plans. “It’s so important to work closely with the people who design your home if you want to create something really special,” say the homeowners

JAMES MORRIS

In conversation with many self builders over my 10 years at the Ask Our Expert desk at Build It Live exhibitions, it has become apparent that the role of an architect is a bit of a mystery to those outside the profession. In fact, many people ask whether they should just ask a builder to put together some drawings, which is a big risk and is unlikely to result in success. So, here I’m breaking down exactly what an architect does to help clients and hope to leave you in the position to be able to choose how and with whom you develop your scheme.

What is an architect?

You have to spend at least seven years in training before applying to be officially called an architect. During this time, they develop and hone creative skills to design solutions to fit a specific brief, eg for your dream home. When I was training, it was always apparent to me that architects should design structures with the aim of creating buildings to lift their clients’ spirits. After all, a self build can be demanding and complicated. Therefore, we don’t just ‘do drawings,’ we have the potential to take a holistic overview of your objectives, requirements, budget and how to deliver the designs we produce for you to facilitate the creation of your dream home.

If you want an architect, your first step is to check that you are appointing the right designer. All too often do I hear at events, “our architect didn’t do that” or “why didn’t our architect explain that to us like you did?” only to find that the person they have appointed isn’t, actually, an architect. The professional title is protected by law and only those who have passed the relevant qualifications, have experience and have been assessed by the architect’s Registration Board (ARB) can be called an architect.

You can check a designer’s credentials by searching on the ARB website (www.arb.org.uk). All architects are held to account by the ARB; the requirements include carrying professional indemnity insurance and being up-to-date in architectural training and ideas, meaning that you, the client, are protected in a variety of ways.