Choosing an architect designer is about the same as choosing a doctor. You will spend more than one month together (or even a couple of years if the object is large and not urgent), the designer learns a lot of facts about you, including very personal ones (from who you work to, and ending with how you sleep and take bathroom), and he will also be aware of your financial affairs. Therefore, it is so important to find not just a professional architect designer, but your person with whom you will be comfortable working and communicating.
Where to Begin
Therefore, before looking for an architect designer, leaf through magazines on interior themes, take a look at Pinterest, or at least search Google and save your favorite options in a separate folder.
According to Building Guide, this step will help you understand what style of interior you prefer to see in your apartment in principle: minimalism, classics, hi-tech, Scandinavia, pop art, boho, or some other. This, in turn, will help narrow down your search for the right designer. After all, good designers tend to like to work within multiple styles. And those who perfectly succeed in, say, minimalism, may not be so good at creating an interior design in the Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau style.
Determine the Budget
Before you start looking for a designer, it is advisable to understand how much money you are willing to spend on paying for his services.
Of course, the range of prices for interior design services on the market is great: you can order a design project from the “draw and sell” series for a fixed cost of “$ 99 per project”, or you can invest in developing the appearance of a future apartment for almost all the money of the world.
But if we operate with averaged figures, then, in general, the development of a design in a basic format (stylistics, selection of colors, a set of drawings and explications) will cost about $500-600 per square meter, depending on the renown of the designer. A more complete package, including a plan of floors, ceilings, and walls with a layout of materials, will cost about $700-1000 per square meter, and if you ask the designer to also indicate the specification of finishing materials and equipment (model, article, store, cost), then the project will cost at least $1000-1500 per sq.m. A separate line will go to “field supervision” – this is when the architect-designer periodically visits the object and controls the correctness of the implementation of the project. The cost of such a service can be calculated based on the area of the premises, the finishing of which is to be “supervised.” Moreover, such prices may include infrastructure solutions.
For a general understanding of the order of expenses for paying for the services of a designer, you can use the following proportion: 8-15% of the cost of repairs, which, in turn, make up about 20-30% of the cost of an apartment in a new building. That is, if your apartment is conventionally worth $ 50 thousand, then you can safely pledge at least $ 10 thousand for its renovation, and at least $ 1,000 for designer services. At the same time, a professional architect designer could help save budget on construction projects.
Explore the Portfolio
Specialists with a small portfolio have much less development experience. Besides, they do not have a large team, thanks to which any project can be done in the shortest possible time.
Now let’s talk about how to choose an architect-designer designer using a portfolio. First of all, it is important to look not only at the quantity but also at the types of projects that the specialist does most often. So, if the portfolio is dominated by the interiors of cafes, fitness centers, and beauty salons, then the designer specializes in the development of public projects. If the portfolio contains many more residential buildings and apartments, then he is an expert in this particular area.
There are situations when a designer’s portfolio is approximately equally filled with different types of interiors. This suggests that a person is open to everything and has a lot of experience and talent. It is better to choose either him or a specialist in the field of residential development.
The best way to find a needed specialist is to appeal to architectural design companies & solutions at Engre.co. It is also important to pay attention to the completed objects. It will be great if you have the opportunity to see photos of finished projects or visit the facility during the renovation phase.
