“I couldn’t afford not to use an architect”
I know architects seem expensive. Sometimes our fees are compared with new kitchen fittings. Obviously, the kitchen units are big, shiny and tangible. They win over boring old architect’s fees right? I’m not offended.
What many people don’t realise is how much money we can save our clients. We ensure that good choices are made early on, saving thousands of wasted pounds later. Here are two examples of how we have saved our clients money:
#1 A family wanted a large extension and more light and feeling of space. We remodelled their existing interior, reorganising to create flow and make the spaces work much better. Result was that a much smaller extension was needed, which gave them everything they wanted. Saving was £40,000. More than four times our fees!
#2 A Bungalow Remodel. Again, we reorganised, made it flow and improved the external appearance. We actually only added one new bedroom and a small kitchen extension, but it increased the house value by £400,000. The owners spent £200,000 on doing the work, so that means they raised £200,000 in profit when they sold their home. The estate agent described it as ‘unique to the area’.
And it’s not just us – when I visited and interviewed clients of the brilliant architect Saegezahn in Germany (for my book Contemporary Vernacular Design, How British Housing can Rediscover its Soul), they also said “I couldn’t afford not to use an architect”.
