In a fast moving world of design development and construction, many owners simply do not have the time to make effective decisions or the educated wherewithal to fully understand the impact of their decisions. Home owners also do not comprehend the impact of their indecision and quite often in their uncertainty, they defer these critical choices to their architect or designer. There is also an experience component to timely decision making that leads to accuracy of outcome, which most owners in virtually all markets lack.
Most owners incorrectly assume that their first choice is to hire an architect, then negotiate with their attorney a contract to design their project. In most cases, their very first decision begins on wrong footing. I believe the best decision any owner can make is to hire a seasoned consultant with a solid foundation in contract negotiation, design development, local municipality and building department fundamental understanding of this network and certainly a fully vetted comprehension of building practices, “construct-ability” of designs, budgetary boundaries, schedules and customized, nuanced, quality control.
By engaging a consulting partner, before the architect is even considered, an owner will clearly be relieved of the day to day aggravation inevitably encountered in the process of program development. Most importantly, with a knowledge-based partner, such as my firm, CDH, owners will reap the savings in real time, money, and aggravation, from the outset of their project through turnover.
- Principal & Founder, Cole D. Haynes