When You want to Hire an Architect for Your Home Improvement Project

Not every home renovation project requires an architect. However, there are cases when you need an architect by your side to get the results you want, whether it is aesthetic, financial, or legal. Let’s look at when you would want to hire an architect for your home’s renovation.

When Engaging in Massive Projects

A small renovation like replacing the tile in your floor or repainting won’t involve an architect. A handyman replacing your toilet, tub or sink doesn’t need a plan drafted by an architect. However, a massive home improvement project should involve an architect. Don’t let someone rip out a load-bearing wall, try to convert an attic into a living space or add on another room without consulting with an architect. Architects and even handymen are unnecessary if you’re making little changes like replacing plumbing fixtures without rerouting the plumbing. If you’re rewiring the house or re-plumbing it, engage an engineer or architect.

For New Additions to Old Buildings

If you’re renovating a fifty-year-old kitchen, you probably don’t need an architect to give you advice on how to get a modern look. If you want to add another room or wing to a house while maintaining the same feel, you need to work with an architect. The architect will create a design that allows you to walk from the original house to the new bedroom suites without feeling like you’ve walked through a time warp. An architect’s advice may be necessary to ensure that your new mother-in-law's suite or garage meets the strict building code of communities trying to defy the passage of time. Note that you may want an architect’s advice to renovate a garage so that you get the most out of the building instead of just adding another storage building to the property.

When You’re Considering Renewable Energy Projects

Consult with an architect if you want to go implement a green energy project. For example, not every roof can support the load of a solar panel array. Furthermore, you may see a greater return on the investment if you upgrade the windows to triple pane windows or take other steps to improve the energy efficiency of your home. If you want to be able to live off the grid, you need an architect’s advice, as well. Let them assess your entire home and its energy usage. Come up with a plan on how to reduce energy usage without hurting your quality of life such as installing ducting that recaptures waste heat, putting in energy-efficient appliances, and fixing the little air leaks around your home. If you can reduce your energy usage by a third or more, you’ll reap the benefits whether or not you put solar panels on the roof. And if you do go forward with the solar panels, you won’t need as many of them.

When You’re Repairing the Damage of a Prior Renovation

It is fine to call in a handyman to fix the uneven tile your husband put in. You don’t need anything more than a handyman to repair the toilet or shower head you failed to properly install. However, if you’re unhappy with the layout of the garden or the roofline, you may want to contact an architect for their advice.