As online house plans come of age, what is the role of the architect?

You have just bought your plot of land where you want to put up your dream house and after completing the document transfer process and have all the papers in hand, you find that you really do not know where to start the whole process of building.

Starting a construction project is not as easy as there are various considerations that one needs to put in place to ensure the smooth flow of the project.

BDLife talked to Gad Opiyo the CEO of Diaspora Design Build and also Chairman of the Architects Chapter, Architectural Association of Kenya to offer expert advice.

What is the role of an architect in building and construction?

An architect has various roles which he performs depending on the contract agreed upon by the two parties. Their work is not only limited to designing the architectural structure of the house. They are also involved in project planning as well as project management.

After the architectural design is drawn and agreed upon, he then takes the plan to the county government for approval. They then are involved in the tendering process of contractors who are going to construct the house as well as evaluation of the tendering process.

Once it has been agreed upon and the contract has been awarded and the construction has commenced, the architect makes site visits for inspection as well as coordination of consultants and brief formulations.

An architect is also the person who will issue certificates for payment, prepare drawings and issue completion certificates

What are the pros and cons of not using an architect during construction?

Pros: The architect ensures that the contractor follows the plan to the core through design optimisation and cost control especially where one can save on cost during the construction. Unlike a contractor, the architect has experience and technical knowledge of the industry and a wide network to help in choosing the best contractor for the job.

An architect takes away the oversight burden from the client through constant follow-ups and they have a better understanding of the building codes and regulation to ensure compliance with the law.

Cons: As with every professional consultant, the services of an architect will often leave a hole in your pocket. High fees and technical terms are some of the snags that the client will be faced with. They also encounter inability to read plans and bureaucracy should they decide to deal with the project on their own.

Some of the other hiccups one may face without an architect are: the house design may not fit the client’s expectation, conflicts of interests, mismanagement of the design team, personal interest, lack of professionalism on the part of those chosen to draw the project.

Most people nowadays borrow house plans from their friends and family and later get a contractor to build for them. What are the risks of this?

There are various technical risks associated with borrowing house plans that an architect hasn’t been consulted on, for instance, the plan may not be not suitable for the soil structure of the area where you have bought your land or it may also not fit well on the plot of land available.

As you may know, an architect will visit the site in which one wants to construct their home in order to determine the kind of structure is ideal for the space as well as determine the best position and area which the house should occupy. The architect then draws the design of the house according to the client’s specifications and his valuation of the property.

An incompetent contractor will most certainly not see some of the hiccups caused by a borrowed house plan and runs the risk of escalating the cost of building. Poor workmanship may also result in collapsing buildings as in the case of the many collapsed buildings we are seeing in Nairobi and other parts of the country.

One also risks the use of poor materials, the construction running beyond the scheduled time frame as well as legal risks that are against the stipulated building codes and statutes.

If all the above are an architect’s role then what is the role of the contractor?

Just like the architect, the contractor also has a major role to play in construction and they should work hand-in-hand with the other players (architect, landscaper, quantity surveyor) contracted for the project.

The contractor is also involved in the tendering process, planning, mobilization and supervising the works. He is the person who is there all the time while the project is ongoing.

What is your take on websites selling online house plans?

It is against the statute which regulates the profession, however, this is the way of the future. CAP 525 of the Architects & Quantity Surveyors Act should be reformed to take care of new trends. Although there are risks involved as stated above, digitalising the industry through online house plans is coming of age.

Some of the advantages of these house plans is that they are time saving, cost saving, give consumers a wide choice, customer satisfaction, customer control and low production cost for the Architect as well as real time feedback.

One can browse through the various designs available and after choosing one that they like, the architect can then personalise it to the clients liking.

How credible are these online house plans as well as the hard copies sold on the streets?

By law all building plans must be produced by a registered architect.

Do you have architects who double up as contractors and or quantity surveyors?

Yes many. I happen to be one of them.

What is the average cost of using an architect for a residential house?

The fees by law is six per cent of the construction cost. However, most people will go for negotiated fees between client and architect.