1316 Why you might need an architect

My husband is trying hard to retire, but when a former client or a good friend comes to him with a tale of woe, he's an old softy. As he rushed out last night, drawings in hand to meet with a widow, I said, spitting into the wind, "I thought you were retired."

He admitted it was like rescuing an abandoned puppy kicked to the side of the road. Her husband had died before their project was finished, and never saw it. She's enjoyed it all these years, but now wants a new house in her other community and didn't know how to start. So he drew up two plans and then met with her.

Next week he'll be presenting a talk to potential or current home owners here at a public program about what will go into a remodeling project. He needed a typed outline, so I reworked his chicken-scratches. Here's what you'll need to think about, at least if you are dealing with an association, a local design or preservation committee, a township, a county zoning board and your neighbors:

1. Establishing a relationship between client/owner and architect.

2. Preparing the program.

3. Contracts and Agreements.

4. Design Phase.

5. Finding contractors.

6. Working with clients.

7. Cost statements.

8. Construction Documents Phase.

9. Governmental agencies.

10. Construction Phase.

11. Examples of completed work (this will be done with slide projector--will need a projection screen)

12. Show examples of finished drawings.

13. Post relationship between client/owner and architect.

14. Questions and answers.