How to prepare for the first meeting with your architect
What to prepare before the first meeting: a description of your needs, an approximate budget, the land documents, examples you like, and questions to ask.
The first meeting with the architect lays the foundation of the whole project. The better prepared you arrive, the clearer the vision and the more accurate the proposal you get.
Write your needs clearly: the number of family members or users, the rooms and activities required, and what you expect to change in the future. Set an approximate budget and your priorities in case you have to choose between two things.
Bring the documents relating to the site if you have them, such as ownership and survey documents and any earlier drawings, since they decide what can be designed and what the regulations impose. Bring examples and pictures of what you like and dislike; a picture conveys your taste faster than a description.
Ask about the stages of work, what the proposal includes and does not include, how fees are calculated, the delivery dates and how changes are handled. Note the answers and ask for them to be written into the contract. These are general guidelines, and details differ from one project to another.
This article is general engineering information for awareness and is not engineering advice on a specific case, nor a substitute for a specialist engineer. Requirements, procedures and durations change, so confirm the rules in force with the competent authority.
