I bought an old fixer upper. It is big enough but has alot of "do it yourself" design disasters. With a little design I think it could be made a very pretty arts and crafts. I am trying to find someone who can help me focus a small budget on items that will make the most difference. So I put off my builder and tried going down the architect path. I paid an architect to put my existing house in Cad program. However plans had multiple errors even after I went back and asked for corrections so I am reluctant to go further with him. I then had a designer whose exterior work I had seen and liked meet with me and review my plans. After much time with her and a $700 bill, she said she would not be able to give me any ideas or feedback until I spent a few thousand more dollars. I was reluctant to do this when I had no idea if I would even like her ideas or if all our discussions had generated any thoughts on her part So that ended. I have been checking out architect websites (including those for Austin on this website) but have yet to see one where any one varies cieling height, uses beltlines, etc. Since I have a limited budget I have to do this right. I can't make it beautiful by just throwing tons of money at it. I am willing to invest a few thousand in a good design if I can find the right person. I called the AIA to see if they could give me any suggestions and they were not willing to make recommendations. I don't know where to go from this point. Any suggestions?
<w4w>
Posted
Maybe I am just being unrealistic. What should I expect to pay an architect? When should I expect sketches? How do I make sure it is a good fit?
There is also a lot of good information on the AIA website about working with an architect. The links to those pages are on the same page I named above. Sarah also talks about working with an architect and "doing your homework" in The Not So Big House. This may be helpful to go over before you proceed.
