how to find your Mr Architect

halo.. here i would like to explain how to.. find your Mr. Architect .. its more like finding your boyfriend or girlfriend... u must be very careful.. so..when u are about to engage an architect.. u must not sign an agreement.. u must let him propose something... same like when u just met a guy/pretty girl.. unlike men.. they just stupidly assume the gir is nice..they are like." this is it..my finding is over..then few months after.. they dump u..coz we are not in the same direction.i m not the one for u...lol" but remember not all of them are like those.. even on the first date.. so .. be like women.. lets go for a few dates .. then u can make decision either he/she is the right one...

okkaayy.. so when u meet the architect.. talk to them..ask them what kind of design that the architect prefer.. is he like a modern style..or classic temporary.. or western design..or anything... coz from then..u know.. that this architect is up to your design expectation.. and before u make your decision.. the architect must do few works.. more to probono thingy.. he need to measure the house.. take some study on the house.. and check if he ask u..what is your taste? if he dosent ask u that.. maybe he is rubbish.. u ask him to propose something.. maybe not the whole design... not the complete design.. but.. at least something to show that he is studying about u... make sure he is really interested in u.. i called it .. " finding the design mood" .. like me i ll present my client a few sample.. my design..or any images i find in my book..or on the google.. to study the "mood" of my client.. so i get to know them.. how are they like.. even sometime ..i terminated my own client.. its not that i didnt like them personally.. its still being professional... its just that their interest not up to my standard.. i feel like..if i do this project.. it will destroy my portfolio... coz every project i've done.. i ll compile it as my experience..as my company profile.. as an architect.. we need to find clients that suits us... or if the architect think that he can blend in or suits in... thats good... i m afraid.. later on .. "its like a snake eating its own tail.."

Once the architect propose u the "mood diagram"... and u are happy with what he has.. like.. he proposed u a basic diagram of the planning.. u seem that u like his idea.. then..u can engage him as your architect.. meaning.. that u will trust him.. then the design process start.. the architect u will ask u to sign of an agreement.. that will explain u about his fee, his scope of work.. his time schedule..

But remember..architect's fee is varies..sometime its too cheap... but remember this.. there are a basic formula..that have been used ages.. like 1000 years already... "pay more..get more..pay less..get less" .. maybe if u are lucky.. u can get pay less..get more.. but max for architect fees as stated in the UBBL 2003(uniform building by law) is 10%. there is a schedule of it-if its rm500k and below.. and it will decrease if the construction price is higher...

But dont worry... its not that much actually.. its not a one-off payment... it ll be claimed by percentage proportion to the job he rendered.. there're 5 major stage...(a) Schematic Design Phase; (b) Design Development Phase; (c) Contract Documentation Phase; (d) Contract Implementation and Management Phase; (e) Final Completion Phase. .. and even on every stage.. there will be like 3-4 times of claims... for example.. schematic design phase.. it will be like 2 - 3 times they will invoice u.. let say it took 2 months to get the chematic design phase done..meaning..if the fees is RM50k.. u are paying this guy RM10k for 2 months..basicly RM5k permonth... its like a salary of a 3 years experience salesman..right.. not that much...coz he's the one who will bear the headache to figure out you house to be your dream house...

But there always a cheaper choice.. if you not really fussy of the design.. u just want them to submit to authority.. if u dont mind if the design is so typical...u can hire them..

they charge u with a cheaper fee because - maybe they are a freelancer(no overhead) ; they dont need to do design work..they already have the template... they just re-adjust the plan as per your need and reprint.. and they can sell the design/idea to multiple person.. unlike the architect.. they cant or they wont..coz the design that been paid.. is not allowed to sell to others..

Usually those who want architect..to design their house..is someone who need a special treatment for their house.. special design.. they want their house to be unique.. like it was customized design... its rare...

And u also need to know and understand architect's scope.. what he really do.. and u need to know that u also need to engage a few more consultant to work under the architect... u can either ask the architect to find it for u.. or u can hire your own...i ll explain that in a later post... see u soon..

well.. thats a bit of explaination of it.. its not all of it.. but that will do... i hope so.. finding your architect.. is really important.. coz u are making a huge commitment to pay quite a huge amount to a guy..that will either destroy your dream or make your dream come true...