How to Choose the Right Architect for Your Project

But how do you find an architect who understands your wishes and has experience that matches your specific project? You should not make your decision based solely on portfolio photos of beautiful buildings. It is also important to consider the architect’s experience, the scope of services offered, their approach to collaboration, and their fee proposal.

How to Choose the Right Architect for Your Project

But how do you find an architect who understands your wishes and has experience that matches your specific project? You should not make your decision based solely on portfolio photos of beautiful buildings. It is also important to consider the architect’s experience, the scope of services offered, their approach to collaboration, and their fee proposal.

1. Start by Defining Your Needs

Before looking for architects, think about what you want to achieve. Are you planning to build a detached house, renovate an old building, design a holiday home, or develop another property?

You do not need to know all the technical details or have a finished project at this stage. An initial understanding of your goals is enough.

Consider the following questions:

• What type of building or space do you want to design?
• Who will use the building, and what are their needs?
• What is your preliminary budget?
• Do you already have a plot, sketch, survey, or other relevant information?
• When would you like to start the project, and when would you like it to be completed?

The more clearly you can describe your wishes, the easier it will be for the architect to assess the scope of work and propose a suitable solution. If you do not have all the answers yet, that is perfectly fine — an architect can also help you refine the project brief.

2. Review the Architect’s Previous Work and Experience

An architect’s portfolio provides a good overview of their style, approach, and previous experience. Consider whether their designs appeal to you and whether they have worked on buildings or projects similar to yours.

However, you do not need to find an architect whose previous projects look exactly like the building you have imagined. What matters more is whether they can develop a suitable solution based on your needs.

When reviewing a portfolio, ask yourself:

• Does the architect have experience with projects of a similar size and purpose?
• Do their designs appear well thought out and functional?
• Can they take into account the plot, the surrounding environment, and the needs of the building’s users?
• Do their previous projects demonstrate versatility, or do they reflect the particular approach you are looking for?

If you particularly like one of their projects, ask the architect about it. This will help you understand their role and the decisions made when developing that specific design.

3. Find Out What Services the Architect Offers

Architectural projects differ, and so does the scope of services offered by different professionals. Some architects help develop an initial idea and spatial layout, while others provide a more comprehensive design service or coordinate work with other designers.

It is therefore worth clarifying from the outset what a particular proposal includes.

For example, find out:

• Does the service include preparing the project brief and an initial sketch?
• Which drawings, visualisations, and other documents will be delivered?
• Does the proposal include preparing the documentation required for a building permit, or does it cover only one stage of the project?
• Will a structural engineer and building-services designers be involved, or will you need to find these specialists separately?
• Will the architect assist with communication with the local authority and other parties, if necessary?
• Does the service include revisions, consultations, or architectural supervision during construction?

Do not assume that all these tasks are automatically included in the architect’s fee. The exact scope of services should be agreed separately for each project.

4. Assess Communication and Whether You Work Well Together

Working with an architect involves discussing both practical requirements and personal preferences. A good solution often emerges through several discussions, refinements, and compromises.

During your first conversation, pay attention to whether the architect listens to you, asks relevant questions, and explains their suggestions clearly. Good collaboration does not mean that the architect must agree unconditionally with every idea you have. Their role is to help find a solution that reflects your wishes while taking the project’s possibilities and professional requirements into account.

Communication throughout the project is also important. Find out who your main contact will be, how often you will receive progress updates, and how questions and changes will be handled.

If you feel during the first conversation that your needs are not being heard or that the arrangements remain unclear, it may be worth considering other candidates.

5. Compare Proposals Based on Their Scope, Not Just Their Price

The cost of an architect’s services depends on several factors, including the complexity of the project, the size of the building, the availability of initial information, the amount of work involved, and the agreed scope of services. The cheapest proposal is therefore not necessarily the best-value option.

If you request proposals from several architects, try to provide each of them with similar initial information. This will make it easier to determine whether the services offered are comparable.

When comparing proposals, check the following:

• Which tasks and project stages are included in the price?
• Which services must be ordered separately?
• Is VAT included, or will it be added to the price?
• What is the estimated schedule, and what factors could affect the deadlines?
• How many rounds of revisions or consultations are included?
• Under what circumstances might the price change during the project?

If one proposal is significantly cheaper than the others, ask why. The scope of services may be more limited, or some tasks may need to be commissioned separately later. Be cautious about proposals whose contents and assumptions are not clearly explained.

A good fee proposal should help you understand not only how much the service costs, but also what you will receive in return.

6. Ask the Right Questions Before Starting the Collaboration

Before making a decision, discuss a few practical questions with the architect. This can help prevent misunderstandings later and give you a clearer picture of how the collaboration will work.

For example, you could ask:

• What similar projects have you worked on before?
• What information and documents do you need to get started?
• What are the main project stages and the estimated schedule?
• Who will be responsible for designing the building services and other specialist systems?
• How will design approvals and revisions be handled?
• How will the final price be determined if additional work becomes necessary?
• Which documents and drawings will be delivered at the end of the project?
• What are the payment terms, and how will the contract be concluded?

The answers do not need to be complicated or overly technical. What matters is that you understand the arrangements and know what to expect at each stage.

7. Agree on Clear Terms Before Work Begins

Once you have found a suitable architect, agree on the terms of the work in writing. The contract or its appendices should clearly describe the scope of work, deliverables, deadlines, fee, payment schedule, and procedure for making changes.

It is also worth agreeing on how to handle situations in which the project brief changes or additional work becomes necessary. This helps both parties understand their agreed responsibilities and when the terms may need to be revised.

Do not rush into signing a contract simply because you want to start the project quickly. Well-considered agreements help ensure a smoother collaboration and reduce the risk of disputes later.

How to Find the Right Architect for Your Project

Finding the right architect does not have to mean searching dozens of practices individually and starting from scratch with each one. If you already have an initial project description, you can use it to explain your needs and connect with suitable service providers.

BeforeBuilding.ee allows you to submit an enquiry about your project in one place. Describe what you want to design, your initial requirements, and the kind of help you are looking for. Service providers interested in your project can then review the information and, if appropriate, submit a proposal.

Submitting an enquiry helps you begin your search with a clearer project brief and compare different options before deciding whom to work with.

Your project starts with a good brief. Submit a free enquiry on BeforeBuilding.ee and find the right architect for your project.