Designer referrals: connect with local architects

Custom Home, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Al Trellis

Scenario: Barry was jealous. A friend from his Builder 20 Club had shown him pictures of a house he had built that was a true showstopper. It boasted exquisite finishes and materials, wonderful spaces, and a generous profit margin. "How did you find the client?" he asked his friend. "'We were referred by the architect," John replied. "In our market the most prestigious homes tend to be created by a small number of well-connected architects."

That started Barry thinking. In the past, he had often avoided bidding on projects when an architect was directly involved. Some architects treated builders like hired help, like someone who required constant supervision to ensure that the house was built properly. Others he had dealt with had provided ambiguous specifications, and then felt free to criticize Barry's interpretation after the fact. Dealing with custom clients was hard enough without some artsy architect turning everything into a power struggle. "You're a glutton for punishment," Barry said to John. "Every time I've had an architect overseeing construction, it's been a nightmare.'"

"It doesn't have to be that way," his friend told him. "The trick is to find architects who are easy to work with and who respect builders. Some actually treat the builder as a partner who can contribute to the design by suggesting better ways to build and ways to save money for the client. Good architects like to work with good builders. Just like you, they're looking for people who can make their life easier and who can translate their concepts into a three-dimensional work of art. They want someone who can satisfy their clients and keep their costs under control. They want a partner, not an antagonist."

"You could have fooled me," Barry said to his friend. "The architects I've worked with seem to go out of their way to get between us and the client. They view us as the enemy and themselves as the good guys protecting their clients from us."

"Then they're not good architects," John responded. "There are some out there who seem to be driven more by ego than by a need to satisfy their clients. But not all architects are like that."

"So how do you find these architects?" Barry asked. "They haven't been beating down my door."

"Why would they?" John replied. "What have you brought them? Have you referred clients to them? What do they know about your work?"

"Well, we've won lots of local awards. If they follow the real estate news or visited our open houses, they'd see we build a very nice house."

"Yes, but that doesn't tell them what the process of building was like," John answered. "Was the house brought in on time and under budget? Were the client expectations exceeded? Were there cooperative and friendly relations between the client, the designer, and the builder? Just like you, those are the things they need to know."

Barry pondered this for a while. "So what can I do now?" he asked.

Solution: Finding good architects to partner with is like finding good subcontractors. You have to listen to word of mouth and find out who the good architects are. Then you have to make personal contact with them and give them a good reason to work with you in the future. One good place to start meeting builder-friendly architects is your local NAHB chapter. It will have a listing of associate members who are architects. You can even join the local chapter of AIA in order to meet architects.

What architects want to know about you is the same thing you want to know about them: Will you be a good partner? They are looking for builders who can build a beautiful house on time, on budget, and with a minimum of hassle. They want to know how accurate your estimating is and if your allowances are reasonable. And they want to know how good you are at hand-holding difficult clients.

You can't just tell them these things; you have to show them. Show them examples of your work and also introduce them to your process: how you prepare estimates: how you handle client selections, scheduling, construction management, and client contact. One builder I know created an entire process manual that explains his estimating, scheduling, and construction management procedures and shares the manual with potential architectural partners.

You'll need to demonstrate to each architect how the type of home he or she designs is a good fit with the type of home you build. Help architect partners understand that working together would be enjoyable and financially beneficial to both of you. Then, when you get a chance to work together, do everything you can to make that experience a pleasant one. If you can do that, you will likely find a mutually rewarding partnership that can last for years.

Al Trellis, a co-founder of Home Builders Network, has more than 25 years of experience as a custom builder, speaker, and consultant. He can be reached at altrellis@hbnnet.com.