How do architects work?

Architects may work for an architecture or engineering firm, they may work for a government organization, they can work for a construction company, or they may be self-employed (freelance). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that architects spend a large amount of their working time in the home or company office: meeting with clients; creating reports and architectural drawings; and working with other architects and engineers. When not in an office, an architect is often at the construction site either as part of the development of plans or to ensure building progress is following the blueprint.

When a client interacts with an architect, it is typically to have them design drawings for the construction of a house or a building. If you are a client who has hired a large architecture firm, there may be a team of people working on your design. But if you are working with a freelance architect or a smaller firm, one person (or a small group) will take your concept and translate it into an architectural blueprint that a builder can use to construct a house. The plans will lay out everything from the depth of the foundation to the materials to use to the type of metal to be used in the reinforcement. Once the plans have been created and handed off to the builder, the architect may remain on the project — depending on budget — and oversee progress.

How do architects charge for their services?

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median salary of an architect in 2016 was $76,930. This range included architects with every type of company as well as self-employed architects. Depending on the architect and whether they’re with a firm or independent, they may charge per hour or by the square foot, or they may charge a percentage of the total budget for a construction project. An hourly rate is typically used for smaller projects such as providing consultation, helping clients hone their concept before the design process begins, or drafting documents and plans. If an architect is working on an hourly basis on a larger project, there will usually be an agreed-upon cap on the number of hours they will work. For larger projects, such as new construction or total overhaul remodels, architects may charge a percentage of the total construction costs. The architect will usually set the percentage you will pay after the total cost of construction has been accounted for. Percentages can range within a firm depending on the extent of the services they’re providing. For example, a lower percentage of the total construction costs may include drafting and minimal consultation and guidance along the way, while a higher percentage could include on-site project management services with every detail attended to. Architects may also charge by the square footage of the project. The rate per square foot can vary depending on the individual’s training, the services they are providing, the complexity of the project, and other factors — such as obtaining permits. The national average cost to hire an architect is between $1,690 and $2,500.

Carly L.

Verified review

My fiancé and I hired Cook Contracting and Remodel to complete a project that was very important to us, the complete renovation of our spare bathroom and Den. This project was very important for us for 2 reasons: 1) This is our main entertaining space for company. As you can see from some of the before / after splits, this entire area was embarrassing to host our family and friends because it looked like Big Bird threw up all over the walls. Don’t even get us started on that disgusting carpet. 2) Before we discovered Thumbtack, we were actually ripped off by another “contractor” we found on Facebook for the same job. To be fair, he had reviews and seemed legitimate enough but we soon discovered he was a fraud, pressed charges, and thankfully recovered most of the money he stole from us. Anyway, because of this fact, we were completely scarred from having someone literally come into our home and steal from us, making it understandably hard for us to trust anyone again. Then we downloaded Thumbtack and met Teddy Cook. From the onset, it was very clear that Teddy was not only incredibly knowledgable about all aspects of construction, but also enthusiastic about the prospect of working for us. He told us on more than one occasion in the estimate process that he really wanted to do this project for us, which was refreshing because a lot of other contractors we looked at on Thumbtack couldn’t even be bothered to produce a quote after coming over for an estimate. Teddy’s passion got him the job, and we are in complete and total love with the results! It is worth mentioning that everything Teddy worked on for us was custom work. There was really nothing standard or cookie cutter about what we asked for; we are both very creative people and had a very specific vision for what we wanted the space to look like and Teddy’s creativity and skill was able to bring our vision to life! The work he completed for us as a part of this project included but was not limited to: - New Tile Floors Throughout (included leveling of all floors, as our our slab the old tile / carpet was on was COMPLETELY uneven) - Full Bathroom Gut - Brick Wall in Bathroom - Curb Shower with Rain Head, Niche, + Bench - All Tile Work - Heated Floors in Bathroom - Sliding Barn Door - 3 New Additional Interior Doors - New Exterior Door + Storm Door - Rehabilitation of Existing Den Walls (in VERY rough shape from previous homeowner garage conversion) - New Paint Throughout - Brick Wall in Den - Custom Bar Built from Scratch - Custom Header Beam - Rehabilitation of Existing Staircase - New Base, Crown, + Door / Window Moulding - Upgrade of Electric Service to 150 Amps Teddy performed all of this work either himself or with various assistants. None of this work got subbed out to any other companies which speaks to what a professional Teddy is. We were amazed at not only his ability to do so many different elements of construction work (plumbing, electrical, tile, sheetrock, carpentry, millwork, painting, masonry, etc.) but to literally be an expert in each and every area. This was such a nice departure from going the General Contractor route and having a parade of different trades tear the house apart for weeks on end, blaming the people who came yesterday for today’s problems. Besides his level of expert craftsmanship, one of the traits we liked most about Teddy was how great of a communicator he was. He was constantly in contact with us throughout the entire project and kept us in the loop every step of the way. Communication is a two-way street and we made a point to meet with him every morning to see what the day would bring. If we couldn’t be there to greet him first thing because of other obligations, he would always call or text us. But above all else, what we most appreciated about Teddy was how trustworthy he was. It isn’t easy hiring a contractor who will spend time in your home when you are not there (and remember the horror story we told earlier regarding the bogus contractor we first hired), but Teddy earned our trust by being polite, respectful, reliable, and a good communicator. We cannot possibly sing Teddy's praises loud enough or recommend him more highly, and hope the pictures of the work he completed for us says more than words ever could. Teddy, thank you!

Joy D.

Frankie D has construction in his blood. His family has been building for over 50 years. The project I needed done exterior painting was done the next day after I spoke with him. They were fast, courteous and did a great job! I would recommend hiring Spirit Contracting for any job big or small you will be satisfied with their work. Thank you Spirit!!

Raina M.

We purchased our dream home and Dimension Construction was able to support us in truly turning our house into a home. From a custom fireplace, to incredible finishes, floors and closets, everything was done in excellence. This team is quality craftsman that are able to really bring your visions to life. We have recommended them time and time again and everyone has a similar experience.

Christopher S.

We hired Bruce to remodel and update our bathroom, kitchen and to install washer and dryer hook ups in our 1920 Colonial. The project included new electrical, new drywall, building custom cabinets and doors as well as installing new plumbing. Bruce did not disappoint and the work was excellent and exceeded our expectations. It passed inspection with no problem and we are happy that our historical house now has modern ameneties such as a dishwasher, ceiling fan, and light timers. Bruce communicated with us every step of the way and always made sure to clean the work area (since we had to live in the house during the remodel). I would highly recommend Bruce again.

Jay D.

I highly recommend Vivax for any home remodel or work project. Vitaliy has gone above and beyond on a recent home project which included total gut renovations of 2 bathrooms, rebuilding an enclosed screened in porch, painting and drainage/foundation remediation. His workers did a meticulous and great job by paying close attention to the details. His carpenters did a fantastic job rebuilding cabinetry and showed many years of experience and excellent craftsmanship. They were also very professional and reliable. My family and I are very pleased with their work product and are enjoying our 'new' bathrooms and porch. Jamal Davis

Eric D.

As a military family managing a rental property in New York while stationed in another state, it can be extremely stressful and inconvenient when things go wrong. Last winter (2015), we found that out first hand, when we had a pipe freeze while our tenants were on vacation. The resulting flooding and water damage required us to completely remodel our kitchen, upstairs bathroom, family room and basement. We turned to KW Building and Remodeling for the job and could not be more pleased with the result. Not only did they work with our insurance company for us, they managed the entire project from start to finish while we remained out of state. They stayed in constant communication with us and made us feel at ease as they restored the home we hope to one day retire to. Knowing what was happening every step of the way (including photo updates) was invaluable to us and we can't thank KW enough for their willingness to stay in touch at all times. The experience was positive for reasons far beyond the communication aspect, however. The work done by KW Building and Remodeling was top-notch and the sub-contractors they brought in for tile work were equally great. We have since recommended their company to several family members and friends and will continue to do so. For a stress-free, high-quality experience, you can't go wrong with KW Building and Remodeling. Thank you Karl for all you did for us!

Holly C.

I had my kitchen and bathroom entirely remodeled. The overall renovation was amazing and great. I'm really satisfied with the outcome. Maurice was extremely nice to work with. He provided alot of ideas and suggestions that works well and to my liking. Even when I'm not satisfied with something both John and Maurice will work with me to ensure it's done to my satisfaction. They are responsive when you need them. In addition, when the job is completed and there's some issues, they would work with you to make sure the problem is fixed. Despite some of the set backs of delay, I rather have the job done perfectly than rushed. I was able to select all the materials on my own from custom cabinets, backsplash, floor tiles, cabinetry knobs and handles to grout color. I had my wood floors sanded, filled, stained and polished. The results came out perfect. Even though the floors had been stripped several times before, they were able to preserve it and made it look like new. I had two single closets which I wanna to combine into one. I wanted this coat to be custom built so I drew out a design and the outcome came out exactly what I wanted. Hanging on one side, the middle as shoe rack and shelving space on the other side. Maurice put the nice perks of making it adjustable shelving. I would recommend the service to anyone. I'm living in my apartment for the past few days and I'm loving it.

Vin A.

Dakota had built my home 28 years ago , I was very pleased and have hired them for many projects since. Kevin is very experienced and is a perfectionist in all aspects of the project

Jennifer G.

Mike has been hired for numerous jobs over several years. He completely renovated two bathrooms and our kitchen before moving into a new home for our family, while our house was on the market our washer machine hose let go and damaged our first and second floor of our colonial, Mike came through and calmed us down and went step by step how everything would be fixed and really took the pressure and stress off of us. He turned the house over to us in less than 30 days. My insurance adjuster was shocked due to the extent of work that needed to be done and praised how great the house looked when it was completed during his final walk through. Mike does odd jobs for us along the way and this week just finished renovating our basement in our new house. Mike is very knowledgeable and professional. His work is always completed on time and budget but also the number of compliments regarding the quality and workmanship of our renovations definitely makes Goodman Building Company our first and last stop with all home projects and renovations.

Elvin N.

Kevin Installed an 11 x 13.5 lifetime shed in my home on top of concrete slab. Kevin did an amazing job, the shed was complicated to install and Kevin did it all by himself. Eventough it ended up being a harder project than expected Kevin didn't once complained or requested more money. Always stayed focused on his job and did a great job. Would Highly recommend Kevin due to his professionalism, behavior, and work quality. Very happy I hired him and his price was the best out of several quotes.

Lisa L.

ASG was hired to paint the front of our four story apartment building. Andy was very professional and communicated with us through every facet of the project. The project was completed in a timely fashion and came out wonderful. His skills and expertise was apparent in all the work performed. I look forward to continuing to have ASG provide their services for all our painting needs.

Molly Z.

Peter was the architect for us on a major renovation we did to our home. He did a phenomenal job and I highly recommend him. He listened to what we wanted, suggested new ideas and worked with us to create exactly what we were looking for. He is extremely detail oriented and was also very patient with all of our questions and comments. We love our home now and owe it all to Peter.

Jose R.

I hired JE&SONS 3D Home Design to create plans for a home that I purchased that was in need of a complete teardown and remodel. From the start, Jonathan and his team were very attentive and responsive. Jonathan delivered the design that I wanted in the time that I needed. He helped me applied for the building permit and has been stopping by the construction site to make sure things are going well. I have another house that I plan on building, and I plan on hiring JE&SONS again. I highly recommend Jonathan and his team!

Henry V.

KPC Remodeling Inc. is an excellent, reliable, highly recommended contactor to remodel your home. Zdzislaw Wszeborowski aka Jerry the contractor helped me remodel my kitchen, bathrooms, and deck. It took him 6 weeks to finish the job and he was on time. Anything the he promised me he fulfilled it. Jerry is an excellent carpenter. He customized part of my cabinet and it came out just perfect. Thank you, Jerry, you made my dream came true. I am so in love with my kitchen. It's my new favorite room.

Jason S.

We had the pleasure of working with Mark Troiano from CJT Development to build our custom new house. He is everything you would want in your contractor. He made great suggestions and helped keep us stay within our budget. When we met with him to go over out blueprints he came back with ways we could save money and not lose the integrity of our dream home. He did an amazing job sticking to the time table that we discussed previous to starting our build. Mark does an amazing job of explaining the process of everything and stayed in constant contact with us throughout the entire project. He was always available to answer our questions whether it be in person, on the phone, text or email. Mark was always willing to help out where ever it was needed. He is hard working and honest and works with quality subcontractors. Our house came out beautiful and the quality is amazing. I would highly recommend Mark to do any project, and would hire him again in the Here is a link to our home on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/projects/1482269

James I.

Tom has done many jobs at our home in Carmel, NY, installed a two layer deck , installed 4 sliding galss doors which opened out to the new deck, riped up old style slate floors in the kitchen and installed new ones, repaired the ceiling in our living room(house was built in 55 so its this ole house,LOL) and has always done a fime job. After all this work which was done since we moved in July of 2013 plus when we moved that day he also installed a wood fence around a large part of the back yard which he started the day we moved and finished within 2 days(210' of fence) so our 4 dogs would have a play/poop area. He works with you and comes up with some very good idea's on the jobs as well and his prices are fair, I would recomend Tom for any home remodeling /improvements. He will be doing our master bath floor soon as well.

Mike S.

I have had the pleasure of working with Dennis for approx 10 years now. Dennis started out redoing our outdated bathroom, from there it turned into a complete demo and finishing of basement as well as other bathrooms, portico and too much to list. He is helpful with guidance and shares his past experiences. Dennis genuinely cares about his work and his customers. We look forward to working with Dennis in the future.

Karen L.

Danny Rummo and his team from Constructive Design, Inc. have done extensive renovations for me and I would recommend him to anyone. He has re-plastered several rooms resulting in beautifully finished walls. He has replaced interior and exterior doors, all of our windows, window wells, siding, shutters, and roofing and some underlying wood that he discovered was rotting. He also installed all the finishing touches, including custom window trim to match existing woodwork (none that was ready made was an exact match, so he fabricated it himself). He also prepped my stairway and oversaw the choosing and installation of beautiful new stair railings and ballusters. He is honest, thorough, neat, creative and fair, with a great eye for design and he pays full attention to minute details. He is great at keeping the homeowner informed of what he has done, what still needs to be done and how and when he will do it. His prices are fair and he always explains how he calculated the price he quotes. He is a great contractor to work with.

Sara H.

In December of 2011, I purchased a dim, run-down townhouse suffering from a bad case of shag carpeting, band-aid carpentry and nearly 30 years of neglect. To call it a "fixer-upper" would be an understatement--rather I had to completely gut it and start over from scratch. I hired Tom Mucherino to take care of the remodeling and bring it back to life, and I couldnt be happier with the work. Tom is very easy to work with--he shows up when he says he will, stays in good communication, and was always very helpful and informative when it came to making decisions. Among other things, he handled all the demolition, completely re-did my kitchen and bathroom, replaced all of the damaged drywall in the house, sanded and refinished the upstairs floors, and installed new floors on the other two levels. Tom is a perfectionist, taking the time to make sure everything was done right, and his committment to his work shows; everything he did met or exceeded my expectations. He even put in a custom spice rack, and built me a new set of stairs to my upstairs loft! Today, my house is absolutely gorgeous--I get compliments from everyone who visits about how light, bright, and airy and modern it is. I would recommend him without reservation to anyone needing a good contractor.

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