DESIGNER CHECKLIST

What qualifications do they have? Certificates aren’t everything, but if a designer doesn’t have any formal training they should have to work a bit harder to prove they have the skills to do the job.

Do they regularly design private houses? Working with a family to create a home requires a different skill set to those needed for, say, the governing body of a school or a board of directors.

Who will work on your project? With a small firm or sole practitioner you should always have easy access to a partner or director.

What is their attitude to design? You need someone who will tune into your requirements and tastes and not try to impose their own. A short discussion about their favourite buildings might reveal a lot about how open they’ll be to your ideas.

Do they have professional indemnity insurance at the appropriate level? This covers you for any mistakes they might make and is a mandatory requirement for members of professional institutes and anyone describing themselves as an architect.

Can they assist you throughout the whole design and construction process? Some can come up with fabulous ideas but have little interest in working out how they can be built.

How do they calculate their fees? Get a clear explanation in response to this question, which should be tied into the level of service you’ll get.