Architect or Designer? - Advice From the Experts

ABOVE: Designer Stephen Mattick worked on this award winning period style property. Read more about this project.

Because of our new desire to push our homes to their engineering limits, in terms of open spans, energy efficiencies (solar gain, etc.) and so on, architecture is more about engineering than it’s ever been. We need that artist/architect less and less, but we need that architectural engineer, that technologist more and more. So what's the difference between the service offered by an architect and that which is offered by a house designer? And which is best suited to what type of project? Designer Stephen Mattick, architect Julian Owen and design expert Pete Tonks offer their opinions on which design professional is best suited to the job. Plus three vital tips to help you decide whether a designer of an architect is right for your project.

“To be able to draw, you have to be able to look”
Acclaimed designer Stephen Mattick thinks titles mean very little

Cambridge-based designer Stephen Mattick has established an impressive reputation not just amongst the self-build world for his beautiful home designs: Mattick is one of Prince Charles’ favourite designers — who said, “Two houses in Suffolk, designed by Stephen Mattick, show that it is possible to build really beautifully in the old traditional manner.” They also show, along with the rest of Stephen’s collection of one-off homes, that you don’t have to be a registered architect to be a master of design. Stephen got into design through construction work on an old timber framed manor house in the late 1960s. “At the time the architectural world was obsessed by Modernism, which I didn’t really agree with. I developed through experience — for me the key is looking at old buildings in the area and drawing on their best bits. To be able to draw, you have to be able to look. I approach house design from a practical sense — sometimes I feel architects don’t have a notion of how things are put together. As a result, I’m happy as a house designer.”
Visit mattick.co.uk or Read an interview with Stephen..

“Architects Give a Sophistication of Design”
Julian Owen thinks architects offer the best available service to self-builders.

“For some self-builders and renovators – those perhaps on a limited budget and requiring an unexciting scheme – an architect is not the right choice,” admits Julian Owen, Nottingham-based RIBA architect and well-known designer of one-off residential projects. “For those willing to invest in design, however, an architect is usually the best choice. When you employ an architect you get a sophistication of design – we’re judged not just on the drawing but on the whole design process – and also a wealth of knowledge on the back of, at the very least, seven years worth of training.” Julian is happy to admit, however, that the success of the relationship depends on both parties. “The client needs to be realistic about costs and ambition, but the architect must be willing to engage in a frank discussion — and it’s important to find architects experienced in one-off homes.” For this reason, Julian co-founded Associated Self-build Architects (ASBA) in 1993. Today it remains the go-to source of architects specialising in on-offs. “ASBA architects see these projects as a key part of our work, rather than ‘fill-in’ jobs while waiting for the next office or factory project to come along. Nowadays ASBA members handle between 150-200 one-off houses a year, and four or five times as many more house alterations and extension projects — and most of our members charge around £60-80/hour, making it a very cost-effective service.”
julianowen.co.uk; asba-architects.org.

ABOVE: This traditional style home built on a sloping site is just one of the many self build projects Julian Owen has worked on. Read more...

“Architects are generally overrated…”
Pete Tonks – H&R’s Design Expert and one of the UK’s leading designers of one-off homes – gives his views.

My house design journey began back in 1984 when I joined Potton at the age of 16. I served an apprenticeship at the company, learning the basics of construction and architectural design. I did day release for three years to Cambridge College of Arts and Technology but, to be honest, I am not very studious under controlled conditions – and the anarchist in me does not respond well to authority – so I flunked out after three years of a five-year course. In the meantime I’d also become drawing office manager and later support designer which, for me to do properly, became a full-time job. I do, in fact, have a lot of admiration for a small minority of architects although – cards on the table – I think they are generally overrated and overpaid. I believe architects have a great role to play in large commercial projects and public buildings but for the general ‘grass roots’ level self-builder, they are often seen as daunting and expensive to work with. I also would say that a lot of them do not have the patience that is required to work with self-builders, who through their very situation have little or no knowledge of building and as such it can be time-consuming through the early stages of design.
Visit pjtdesign.co.uk or read more of Pete's views in his blog.

Three Tips for Choosing Your Design Professional

Tip One: FEES
For a full service – including contract administration and the full ‘hand-holding’ relationship – an architect will charge between 7-10% of the build cost, according to architect Julian Owen, whereas for a partial service – initial design work – they tend to work on an agreed hourly rate, which will depend on the size of the project. RIBA quotes between £55-150/hour for design work, and clients would be expecting to pay £5- 10,000 for work on this basis. Julian continues: “Fees are not that different between architects and technologists.” CIAT (the techno logists’ association) agrees: “It is a common misconception that CIAT members charge less than architects, but fees will vary from practice to practice.” The world of house designers contains a huge disparity in fees. You could easily find someone willing to charge less than £1,000 for plans; while the more experienced and accomplished designers might well charge as much as an architect. Whether it’s a fixed fee or an hourly rate will usually depend on how much uncertainty goes into the scheme.

In general, whoever you go to, you should expect to pay between £5-10,000 for design fees. As mentioned, this may be as low as £1,000, or it may be as high as (H&R took a call from a self-builder who had just been quoted this from a big-name London firm) £50,000. It’s worth noting, too, that architects aren’t all getting rich out of their work. According to the RIBA Salary Survey 2009, more than a fifth of architects are out of work, and average earnings are £45,000.

Tip Two: BUILD COSTS
The most accurate form of establishing a build cost estimate is to use the Building Cost Information Service, published by RICS, who has established a cost/m2 price for new build homes in different regions of the UK, and for different qualities of homes (you can see the latest guide at homebuilding.co.uk/extra). Architect Julian Owen feels that it’s the best any designer can offer their client, but admits it can be a difficult issue. “I’ve lost potential clients through being honest about build costs,” he says. “In a small minority of cases, designers will tell their clients what they want to hear when it comes to big aspirations and small budgets, and it usually ends as you might expect.” Choosing a designer who is realistic not only about your budget but also about the expectation that it is only ever an estimate – a last-minute change of mind on a fancy kitchen, for instance, is beyond a designer’s control – is key.

Designer Stephen Mattick is relaxed about it. “I can give people estimates, but never accurate predictions,” he says. “I’d recommend clients with larger budgets use a quantity surveyor to get an accurate idea.” The emphasis is as much on the client to be realistic in terms of their aspirations as anything else, and be suspicious of designers who claim to be able to bring things in at much less than £1,000/m².

Tip Three: CHOOSING THE RIGHT DESIGNER
It’s best to approach choosing a designer in much the same way as you would approach choosing a builder — use the ‘trade association’ lists as starting points and come up with a shortlist of between three and five. There’s a slight difference with designers, in that you’ll want to be attracted in the first place by the quality of their previous work, and some designers build up a healthy following thanks to their reputations for a certain style. But that’s only half of the story — you’ll need to interview them, see how you get on, and agree a fee and a way forward that suits you and them at the same time. Most importantly, you’ll need to be clear about what you want — if you have your own ideas, put them on the table initially; if you want a concept, give them some guidance. The great problem for designers is really secondguessing what clients want (it can be difficult for them trying to weedle out clues) but the more work you put in at the initial meeting stage, the easier it will be for a designer to come up with something close to your expectations.

Don’t forget, too, that not all designers specialise in housing. Make sure you find a practice that does. That’s easier said than done — of the 4,000 member practices listed at RIBA, 2,576 claim to specialise in one-off houses. They just tick it off on the long list of things they want to be seen to do. It’s different in reality. Check out their websites to see the weighting of projects, although it’s fair to say that a commercial architectural approach to designing a one-off house can be refreshing and very successful.

Further reading:

• Architect or Designer: Which is Better for Your Self Build?
• How to Get the Most From Your House Designer
• The Essence of Good House Design