For many people contemplating a straw-bale home, the most daunting task is the most immediate one: coming up with a set of plans for their dream home. Home design is a complex and involved process. It can be fun, enjoyable and playful, but it can also be a long, difficult and drawn-out affair.
While the skills required to draft one’s own plans are not that difficult to acquire, many people designing a custom home seek help from a design professional. It’s not a bad idea: a hired designer can apply his/her experience to your ideas and, by successfully marrying the two, help to create the building you envision.
Design professionals come with many designations. Often, experienced builders also work on home design. From many years of physically working out details and construction methods while building, they can have great insights into the design process, even if they have no accreditation to their name. If you are going to be hiring someone to do the building for you, it is often wise to include this person in the design phase to some degree.
A draughtsman is somebody trained in the drawing of house plans. They do not carry the kind of licenses and insurance held by architects or engineers, so the plans they draw will not necessarily meet the requirements of all building departments, even though they may be complete and accurate. They are often hired by builders to draw a set of plans. Costs are usually assessed by the square footage of the building being designed.
Architects are licensed professionals who have been trained in design, draughting, structural issues and aesthetic considerations. They can also provide scale models that, while often costly, can be very helpful to you in visualizing your design. Architects are usually the first professionals that prospective home builders consider, and for good reason. A good architect can offer a range of services that will help the owners through the entire process, from design to completion. Architects often bill clients as a percentage of the total construction costs, though other arrangements can be made, too. Some architects can be hired simply to review and stamp drawings, as structural engineers are also called upon to do.
Structural engineers do not necessarily design buildings (though many do), but they are often called upon to “stamp” drawings to ensure that the proposed building meets all the structural requirements of the local jurisdiction.
You might decide to use one, some or all of the above professionals in the design of your project. Each can bring important considerations and skills to the process.
The most important thing to remember in hiring design professionals is your own personal comfort and relationship with the professional. As with any profession, it is easy to “give up” your own preferences and ideas in the face of suggestions or criticism from a professional. You need to hire someone whose ideas, working style and personal presence makes you comfortable and confident. There is a huge amount of give-and-take in building design, and you need to stay at the centre of the process.
Just because you’re hiring a professional doesn’t mean you should hand over all responsibility. The best clients are well informed clients. Know what you want and why you want it. Know the options you’ve turned down, and why. Do lots of research, and ask a million questions. In the end, you can only make singular choices but, by extending the range of your own palette, you’ll have made informed choices.
Have a good contract with your design professional. It is important for both parties to understand what is expected. Are they licensed and/or bonded, if required? How long will the process take? How much will it cost? How will changes to the plans be handled? Will drawings be stamped? Who will apply for permits? Will the professional be able to handle calls from the work site? Make sure all of these questions are handled before undertaking any significant work.
It is important that you take time for your design. Rushed designs are almost always flawed. Take breaks from the process, then return to the work refreshed. Keep referring to your original needs and wants to ensure you’re staying true to your reasons for building. Make plans that are as detailed as possible. Any element that’s left to be figured out “later” will be sure to cause problems and extra costs when building.
Making a “paper house” is no small undertaking. Enjoy the process by choosing people to help who can enhance this enjoyment.