Choosing an Architect/Designer

Look for someone whose work you like or an area of expertise relevant to your particular job, and who you believe you can work with. Use recommendations from friends or visit our pages here, or the New Zealand Institute of Architects and Architectural Designers New Zealand websites to find them in your locale.

Those who can prepare a custom-designed home are:

1. A Registered Architect (Please note – only those registered can call themselves an ‘Architect’)
2. An Architectural Designer
3. An Architectural Draughtsperson
4. Some Group Home Builders have Registered Architects or Architectural Designers who can design your home from scratch
5. Alternatively, there are companies and designers who are not Group Home Builders who have prepared designs that can be reworked for your site. The Department of Building and Housing has a scheme called 'Simple Homes' that are included in this group.

The foundation decision to help ensure a successful project will be selecting the right designer to guide you through the process

   1. Set simple criteria for selection and evaluate a small group who can offer you the service you’ll need.
   2. It is important that the designer you select can understand your needs and adapt to that particular architectural style. This is a good place to begin culling designers who are not suitable.
   3. On establishing a small list of suitable designers, you are ready to begin the detailed process of finding the best fit for you. In doing so you’ll need to consider what is important to you and define selection criteria. Typically the criteria may include:

•      scope of service required
•      experience
•      personality fit.

Range of Services

Designers will offer a wide range of services from the purely creative aspects of designing your building to the technical aspects of preparing construction documentation and providing support and oversight to you and your contractor during construction.

It is important that you thoroughly discuss the range of service each offers to be sure that you will have the right support throughout the whole building process – and no nasty surprises.

The world of architectural design is incredibly varied and while all architectural designers will be able to demonstrate their experience in some areas, it is important that they are able to competently deliver your unique project. Looking at relevant examples of their work and talking with client and contractor referees will help you establish the designer’s competencies.

Finally, given that the building project is likely to consume many hours of your time over a number of months, a key element is for you to have an effective professional relationship with your designer. Finding this fit is perhaps the single most important item. Be comfortable with the way your designer communicates and their alignment with your personal values. Positive relationships lead to positive outcomes.

Price

... is a small consideration specifically not considered. The value the right designer will add to your project will far exceed any small difference in fee. While it is important to have a clear understanding of your costs, emphasis should be placed on achieving the project budget. Perhaps the matter of architectural fees could help separate the final two designers on your short list!

Registered Architects

In order to register with the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB), architects must first graduate from university with a Bachelor of

Architecture Degree, and after some three years’ practical experience in a mentored environment, submit to rigorous registration assessment. 

Registered architects must re-register every five years, and to do so must demonstrate that they have undertaken Continuing Professional Development (CPD).  Most registered architects are members of the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), which actively supports graduate development and CPD, provides a wide range of technical documentation to its members, and promotes excellence in design through award programmes.

For more information on Architects or to find a Registered Architect visit www.nzia.co.nz or www.architecturenz.net
Important Information: Not all architects are members of the NZIA, and not all members of the NZIA are architects (architectural students and graduates are encouraged to join).  There may be designers who infer that they are an ‘architect’, or call themselves ‘architect’ who do not have the professional standing for this to be valid.

Architectural Designers

To be eligible for membership of Architectural Designers New Zealand Inc (ADNZ), members must hold a recognised certificate or diploma, undertake compulsory professional development, and have their skills assessed to ensure they meet the requirements of the ADNZ Competency Standards. They are also bound by the ADNZ Code of Ethics.

ADNZ (Architectural Designers New Zealand Inc.) is the national professional body representing architectural designers. ADNZ members are specialists in building design and construction, undertaking residential and commercial projects at all stages of the construction process. To be eligible for membership, ADNZ members must hold recognised professional qualifications or relevant experience, undertake compulsory professional development and have their skills assessed to ensure they meet the requirements of the ADNZ Competency Standards.

In selecting a professional member of ADNZ, you can be confident that you are engaging an architectural designer who will bring professionalism, accountability and integrity to their work.

For more information and to contact an ADNZ member visit www.adnz.org.nz

Group Home Builders

Group home builders can offer a cheaper and faster option, especially now that there are consents available for pre-approved designs that can be built anywhere in the country – meaning you can build that design without having to go through the normal consent process, thus saving you time and money.

however, using a designer to tailor something specifically for you will give you a home that is unique and often with elements that will give you values both in real terms and intrinsic.

Pre-Designed Plans

There are websites and designers offering homes pre-designed that can be customised to suit your llfestyle and site. Unlike working through a Group Home Builder, you get to choose the your own builder. Choose a design from an on-line house plan company and they will supply drawings and specifications some of which may be guaranteed to get you a building consent anywhere in New Zealand.

The Department of Building and Housing also offers a 'Simple Houses' scheme that is a pre-acceptable solution for building consents, meaning pre-approved  designs for a simple single-story home (with a number of other specific criteria) have a blanket nationwide consent pre-issued which means a much faster and lower-cost consent process.

You can work with their Architect to customise the design if desired to suit your site and lifestyle, and you choose the materials, fixtures and fittings, and - most importantly - the builder!

The price of the plans is fixed (not scaled to the build cost), so you know exactly how much it will cost before you order. They will also help you set up the building contract to minimise the building cost..

Hints & Tips

• Make sure the person you employ has professional indemnity insurance that provides cover in case of professional negligence.

• From November 2007, architectural designers and draftsmen have to be assessed for voluntary licensing by the Department of Building and Housing (DBH) as Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP Design) under one of three classes limited by size, complexity and type of buildings undertaken. 

• Further rules with regard to LBP design of ‘restricted work’ will be introduced in 2010.

• Start putting together files of looks and designs you like. Use magazines and websites and even photograph homes you like.

• Begin collecting brochures on the materials and fittings you like – and start getting costings on them to see if they’ll fit within your budget.

• Take a Measuring Tape to all your friends' homes so you can see how much space is required for rooms, kitchen benches and items you like...Do NOT rush the Design process.

• It’s better to take longer here and get it right, than do it too quickly and regret it for the rest of the time you own the house.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Not all architects are members of the NZIA, and not all members of the NZIA are architects (architectural students and graduates are encouraged to join). There may be designers who infer that they are an ‘architect’, or call themselves ‘architect’ who do not have the professional standing for this to be valid.

Make sure the person you employ has professional indemnity insurance that provides cover in case of professional negligence. From November 2007, architectural designers and draftsmen have to be assessed for voluntary licensing by the Department of Building and Housing (DBH) as Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP Design) under one of three classes limited by size, complexity and type of buildings undertaken. Further rules with regard to LBP design of ‘restricted work’ will be introduced in 2010.

HINT: Start putting together files of looks and designs you like. Use magazines and websites and even photograph homes you like. Begin collecting brochures on the materials and fittings you like – and start getting costings on them to see if they’ll fit within your budget.

HINT: Take a measuring tape to all your friends’ homes so you can see how much space is required for rooms, kitchen benches and items you like.

HINT: Do NOT rush this process. It’s better to take longer here and get it right, than rush and regret it for the rest of the time you own the house.

Written with assistance from the New Zealand Institute of Architects www.nzia.co.nz and Architectural Designers NZ www.adnz.org.nz