Face it, designing and building a home, office or investment property can be extraordinarily complex. Few appreciate how difficult it can be. Arriving at the right design, navigating the town planning process, setting a realistic budget, selecting materials, finding the right builder and managing the building contract, are just some of the tasks you will need to involve yourself with, intimately, if you decide to do it alone.

Each task requires specialist skills and disciplines. Combined, they can present a daunting, frustrating and time-consuming prospect. Get it wrong and you could be living with your mistake for a long time. Get it right, however, and it will be one of the most satisfying experiences of your life. You will increase your chances of getting it right by engaging a registered architect, who is also a member of the United Architects of the Philippines.

Architects have the qualifications, professional training, vision and experience. Architects have the qualifications, professional training, vision and experience to manage the entire design and construction process. A minimum of five years of university training, mandatory practical experience and a registration exam separates architects from other, less qualified building designers. More than a designer, an architect works with you on an intensive exploration of your requirements, to help you realize your dream.

An architect will help you set a viable and realistic budget, guide you through the town planning process, obtain competitive quotes for the work, manage consultants like surveyors and engineers, monitor the budget and administer the construction contract. Critically, your architect will inspect the work right through the construction period to assist you to get the quality and level of finishes you expect.

Architects create environments that define you and how you like to live and work. Architects see the big picture. An architect will help you define and create what you want to build, present options you may never have considered and help you get the most for your budget. Architects don't merely design, they create environments, inside and out, spaces that function well, that define you and how you like to live and work. Architects produce inspired solutions to often complex residential and commercial needs. Creative thinking, attention to detail and functional performance underpin everything an architect does.

Architect-designed buildings are more desirable and sought after…

Building a new home or office, or even extending your house, is likely to be the biggest single expenditure you are ever going to make. It is a major investment, and what you want from any investment is value and the knowledge that the value of your investment - your investment in good design - grows and continues to grow. Expenditure of such magnitude should not be considered without first getting the best advice you can. Start by consulting a registered architect. Architect-designed buildings are more desirable and sought after by an increasingly sophisticated, design-conscious market prepared to pay for the benefits and enjoyment derived from living with good design.

Well-designed buildings work efficiently…an architect knows how to plan for best environmental performance

Well-designed buildings work efficiently, solve problems of space and function and, fit comfortably into the environments that surround them. An architect knows how to plan rationally for best environmental performance, can advise about placing the building on your site to optimise views and aspect, to catch the sun, provide shade, promote natural cross-flow ventilation, reduce and conserve energy. Architects are attuned to new building technologies and materials, and their application, to create efficient buildings that are light, airy, comfortable and stylish.

Architect-designed buildings are more energy efficient, cheaper to operate and easier to maintain

Architect-designed buildings are generally healthier places; places that are better for you; and flexible, too, so that your building can grow and change as your needs change. Architect-designed buildings are more energy efficient, cheaper to operate and easier to maintain and adapt throughout their lifespan than traditional structures. In a world crying out for answers to issues of energy efficiency, global warming and climate change, an architect can show you how to integrate best practice sustainability features with leading edge design.

Good architecture has inner glow…a well-designed building should fit you so that it feels uniquely yours!

Whether you’re building a new home, planning commercial space or converting the screened in porch into a cozy enclosed television room, involving an Architect from the start is the key to success. The UAP Regional District A5 puts you in contact with some of our members. In the end, at your finger tips, you will have access to over 100 architecture firms.

FIND AN ARCHITECT

Few people realize how complicated it is to build. More often than not, the building owner gets lost in a circuitous labyrinth splashed with seemingly a boundless list of options but at the same time punctured with numerous parameters from existing laws and codes to the size and shape of the lot.

Given these, a LICENSED ARCHITECT is the perfect professional to call for the job. The architect is equipped with the proper education and training, which are necessary tools to get you through the complicated design and construction process in one piece, whether it may just be a simple renovation or addition or starting a new construction.

The Architect as PROBLEM SOLVER

- With an architect, you are ensured that the project is well-conceived. The planning process involves you, the client. Furthermore, thorough drawings make it easier for implementation on the job site.

- With an architect, you won’t be caught off guard with regards to the city or municipality’s several codes and ordinances regarding building construction.

- With an architect, you can maximize the use of the sun’s heat and light or the cooling comfort of the wind, thus making your buildings energy efficient. That would mean savings in fuel and electricity.

- With an architect, you make sure that your budget is on track. He helps you in material and workmanship selection without sacrificing aesthetics and function. He helps you get the best bang from your buck.

The Architect makes your LIFE EASIER

The architect helps look out for your interest in the long, tedious and messy construction process. He can coordinate with other allied professionals needed for equally important services like in structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical designs. And yes, periodic visits at the job site make sure that your project is always up to date and everything is in check.

Finding MR./MS. RIGHT

Each architect has his own style, approach and methodology. So, you must make sure that the architect you choose, understands you and your needs.

1). Identify your needs for your proposed building or space (i.e. extent of space to be utilized, financing, location, etc.)

2). You could get recommendations from friends, relatives, acquaintances or your local UAP Chapter. Membership in the UAP means the architect subscribes to a professional code of ethics and has access to various professional and technical resources and continuing education requirements that keeps him abreast of the latest updates in design and building construction.

3). Describe to them your project requirements, ask for their availability or maybe a short profile or description of his firm.

4) is where you find out if you “click” with the architect. The architect may show you past projects to give you idea of his works. Feel free to open up and inquire. Ultimately, you’ll be able to pick the perfect piece to fit your puzzle.

Word on How Architects Get PAID

Professional fees are established in a number of ways depending on the kind of project and the scope of work involved. Projects are either done by:

1)Hourly rates

2)Stipulated sum per unit on what is to be built (i.e. no. of square meters or no. of rooms)

3)Lump sum or a fixed amount

4)Percentage of construction cost

5)Combination of above methods

The Ultimate TAG TEAM: Architect and Client

Decision is not a one-sided affair. This makes it an exciting and creative challenge. Discuss your concerns with the architect. You don’t want to concede full control of the project to the architect to the point that the building seems not yours anymore. But you must also know your limitations so as not to make the architect look like your draftsman following your every word and restricting the architect’s creativity. Learn to trust your architect.

In BLACK and WHITE

When you find your architect for your project, you don’t immediately let him make sketches and drawings. You have to put in writing the terms of your agreement through a contract, on the scope of services, schedule, budget and architect’s compensation.

SIX STEPS TOWARDS BUILDING YOUR DREAM

Design and construction typically involves the following six phases. Some projects combine or add some phases. This listing reflects the design-bid-build sequence of custom work, most often done by developers and tract house builders where there is no independent architect representing the owner.

Programming and Designing What to Build

The client and architect discuss the project requirements based on the owner’s needs and budget. The architect will need a site survey, legal descriptions and other pertinent info about the property. He will also consult the city regarding building and zoning codes.

Schematic Design and Preliminary Sketches

The architect prepares rough sketches showing the general arrangement of spaces and of the site. Budget is adjusted according to project scope. Sketches are subject for owner’s approval.

Design Development/Refining the Design

More detailed drawings are made. Floor plans show spaces in their correct shape and size. Outline specifications and initial list of materials are prepared. Further budget development is made so design would fit the budget.

Preparation of Construction Documents

These consist of the final detailed drawings, cost estimates and specifications. These are prepared after the owner approves the final design. These documents are required in applying for essential permits at the office of the building official. Depending on project size, review of application could span weeks to months.

Hiring the Contractor

Homeowner selects the contractor. The architect can make recommendations. In many cases, owners choose through bidding. The architect can help prepare the bidding documents, invitations to bid and instruction to bidders. Cost inflation can be kept down by making decisions ahead of time with a professional architect.

Construction Administration

The architect can assist the owner in making sure that the plans and specifications are implemented to the dot. Site visits help the owner review and approve contractor’s application for payment and keep him generally informed of the project’s progress. The architect acts as the owner’s agent and represents his interest when contract disputes arise. The contractor is solely responsible for construction methods, techniques, schedules and procedures as well as obtaining sign offs from city inspectors. The owner is responsible for project financing and timely payments. This is the classic triangular structure of responsibility that has the checks and balances necessary to do a project well.

(Reprint from the Nationwide Architecture Week Exhibit leaflet made by UAP Sugbu Chapter during the event hosted by the Chapter. It was held in Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center last December 2004)

REGIONAL DISTRICT A5

UNITED ARCHITECTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

STRENGTH IN UNITY. RICHNESS IN DIVERSITY