are architects worth it?

1. The architect is the contract umpire.

Many clients find out, are architects worth it? when a building enters the construction phase. Architects typically perform the administration of the contract which is called ‘superintendence’.  The architect performs the agency role for the client in accord with standard AIA contracts.

Superintendence involves the administration of clauses of the contract:

• Architects assess of monthly progress claims submitted by the builder -typically retaining 10% of the builder’s monetary claim;
• Architects assess any builder claims during construction for contract ‘variations/change orders’;
• Architects approve or deny ‘extensions of time’ claims by the builder;
• the Architect approves ‘liquidated damages’ in favor of the client should the builder take longer than the construction program;
• identifying the defects during the ‘defects liability period’ and releasing monies to the builder after 12 months.

Builders contracts don’t included these five contractual triggers as standard contract clauses due to the accountability they create.  Without a superintendent Architect umpire; a client quickly determines are architects worth it?  If the contract lacks superintendence, the builder determines the time/program, value and scope of building work.

2. Architect’s duty of care.

The professional standards placed on an architect through legislation in conjunction with registration/licensing bodies is more stringent than draftsmen.  Most jurisdictions also make it compulsory for architects to ‘Continuing Professional Education’ and hold Professional Indemnity Insurance.  This legislative framework ensures clients are engaging a more adept competent professional with an insurance policy for peace of mind.  It’s very easy to assess, Are architects worth it? when you’ve engaged an Architect superintendent.

3. Architect’s create Environmentally Sustainable Designed (ESD) buildings.

Architects are trained in energy efficient design at a tertiary university and through Continuing Professional Development during their career. The integration of green technologies and ESD generates significant annual monetary savings over a building’s lifecycle.

Architects incorporate renewable energy systems, eco-friendly materials for an ESD which reduces embodied carbon and annual energy consumption costs.  Many green technologies generate tax savings or a eligible for generous federal grants.  The key to value engineering is understanding the architectural brief and meeting it in a cost-effective way.  Architects foresee design impacts immediately can guide the client through decision making and the project opportunity costs.  There can be many alternative solutions to meet an architectural brief that a draftperson can miss without onsite experience.

4. Project management and co-ordination.

It is prudent to engage an architect until practical completion and to the end of the defects liability period.  The architect can project manage the builder and through robust contractual clauses within the AIA contract.  The architect can oversee and superintend sub-consultants, suppliers and contractors as we know when builders are lying.  Invariably, builders endeavor to make some easy money through contract variations; which can be mitigated with an architects involvement.

A prudent safeguard involves having both parties agree to the Architect approving or denying builder’s variations/change orders.  This ensures the design is executed as intended, keeps the building program on schedule and within budget.  If you don’t haven’t an architect on-board through construction; you haven’t got a client-side verifier for builder honesty.