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How to hire an architect: An architect explains how to find your perfect match
Planning a custom build or major remodel? Find out how to hire an architect who can bring your dream to life. Get an insider’s take on how to vet your architect, signs of a good fit, and more.
Photography by Spacecrafting
Once you have a clear vision for your project and an understanding of what you can afford, you’re ready to hire an architect. Hiring an architect includes steps like looking at their portfolio, checking references, and interviewing.
But an architect isn’t just a technician, they’re a partner who you could be working with for 10 to 24 months — a custom home can take that long. This means your architect’s professionalism and personality are also key considerations.
“You should come out of the initial meetings with a positive impression of the architect and excitement about the journey, because it’s a fairly lengthy one,” said Christopher Strom, AIA.
So how do you identify such an architect? We turned to Strom — founder of his own studio, Christopher Strom Architects, and a leading architect in Minneapolis — for his insider perspective.
Understanding architectural services: It’s more than just drawings
A common misconception is viewing architecture as a product, rather than a service. “A lot of times people come to us asking, ‘How much for a set of drawings?’” Strom said.
The drawings created by an architect are a reflection of what’s called a program — the needs, values, and preferences that you express during a series of meetings in which you’ll be interviewed by your architect. “Our drawings need to reflect the homeowner’s substantial time and investment,” Strom said.
So, while you could purchase generic plans online that meet your aesthetic preferences, they won’t be tailored to your family’s life. Hiring an architect for a custom home means engaging in a process. Your architect isn’t just looking to understand your aesthetic preferences. They’re looking to understand you. With that understanding, they can create a custom home design that balances form and function.
"Our drawings need to reflect the homeowner’s substantial time and investment”
Christopher Strom, AIA, Founder of Christopher Strom Architects
3 signs you’ve found a good architect
Just as the best doctors have good bedside manners, the best architects have an equivalent skillset that blends intuition with curiosity and respect for their clients. These interpersonal skills are an essential complement to an architect’s technical skills as a designer.
When you feel that your architect not only cares about what’s important to you but also has the skill to translate your needs and preferences into 3D, you’ve found a good architect. You’ve found someone you can trust. Trust is the foundation of any good relationship, of course, but it has a unique meaning in the context of building a home, because building a home is such a personal process.
Here’s what it means to trust your architect:
1. You are comfortable speaking openly with them
In order for your architect to design a home that truly suits your style and functions according to your needs, you need to be open about who you are and how you live. You are the key to the design.
This is done by discussing the things that don’t necessarily come up in polite conversation but are vitally important. Things like:
- Health and mobility: Do you need extra wide doorways, an elevator, curbless showers, etc.?
- Religious practices: Does your faith affect how you cook? Do you need designated spaces for prayer, etc.?
- Habits: How could your habits (good and bad) be supported or curtailed by good design? As Strom put it, “You need to feel comfortable telling us how you hang up your pants.”
- Budget: How much can you afford to spend? Being upfront about your finances is fundamental to achieving the best outcome.
- The intangible: What moves you? How do you connect with your environment? For example, “Do you appreciate how natural light moves through a space?” as Strom said.
The more you can share, the better your architect will come to know you and the better they’ll be able to design for your unique life.
Building a home is one of the most personal projects you’ll ever take on, which is why trust is so fundamental to a successful homeowner-architect relationship. Photography by Spacecrafting.
2. You want them around the table
Architect, builder, and homeowner make up the three essential legs of the stool when you’re building a home. “We like to work as a team,” Strom said. “Some clients think they’re managing costs by having separate conversations, but there ends up being a lot of redundancy. The risk in not having everyone around the table at the same time is they’re going to be looking at things two or three times.”
So rather than saving costs, siloed conversations between just the homeowner and another pro can actually add to the costs by requiring more time overall. In addition, this can make communication more complicated than it needs to be. If you can trust that your architect is asking to be included in conversations to ensure alignment, it will be to your benefit.
Keeping your team together for the whole project results in the best possible project outcomes, especially when there are tricky details like this floor-to-ceiling window from our E-Series. Photography by Spacecrafting.
3. You involve them through construction
If you haven’t been through the home building process before, you might be wondering which pro to hire first. A design must be created before building can begin, necessitating the architect’s hire at the start, but you might not realize that the builder is often brought in early, too. The benefit of involving the builder during the design phase is that they can advise on cost and construction. As the pro in charge of purchasing materials and managing labor, they are the experts on the true cost of the project. Bringing them in early means that as the home’s plan evolves, they can make sure it stays aligned with the budget.
Similarly, the best projects are the ones where the architect stays involved through construction. Everything you share with your architect during the design phase gets “embedded into the drawings,” as Strom said. But he added that “sometimes, changes are requested during the construction process.” The architect can help the builder interpret the drawings in a way that preserves the original design intent. Strom gave the example of a window intentionally placed off-center to frame a specific view, which then gets moved to accommodate ductwork without the rest of the team being consulted. The architect can help ensure subtle-but-important details like this don’t get lost, and the finished home reflects all the intention that the architect and homeowner worked so hard to develop.
When an architect is hired for construction administration services, they can help ensure that the design intent stays true — even as changes are made during building.
Practical steps to vetting an architect
When you're ready to move forward, it’s usually advised to consider several candidates. Follow these steps to vet the architects you’re considering.
1. Review their portfolios (but look deeper)
Have they designed a home in the style you’re envisioning? Maybe, but maybe not. This doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker so long as you like their aesthetics. Remember that architects work for clients whose visions they bring to life. Just because they haven’t yet had a client who wants a home in the particular style you’re dreaming of doesn’t mean they aren’t up to the job.
2. Know what you want from the architect
Do some reflecting on what you’re looking for in an architect before approaching them for an interview. For example:
- Are you looking for a "big personality to put a stamp on a design," as Strom said some clients want?
- Do you want someone who will execute your vision in the most exacting way?
- Do you want a partner who elevates your ideas with their professional experience?
3. Interview and assess
When you meet with an architect in advance of hiring them, you should trust your gut and look for the following:
- Do they listen? “If they ask follow-up questions, that demonstrates it’s not all about them,” Strom said. You should hear them verifying what you've said, “What I hear you saying ...” for example. Ultimately, they should be demonstrating an effort to understand your goals for your home.
- Are they quoting you prices that are too good to be true? If so, Strom’s advice is to “be careful.” The sooner you understand the true cost of building a home, the sooner you can sort through your finances and figure out what you can truly afford.
- Do they offer past client references? It’s standard practice to ask for references when you’re making a hire, and this is no different. Ask if they’d be willing to connect you with a past client whose project was similar to your own.
Want to know top questions to ask when interviewing your architect?
Your FAQs about hiring an architect answered
When should I hire an architect for a custom home?
Ideally, you should hire an architect early. Before purchasing land, for example. Their input can help assess site feasibility and so much more. Similarly, you should consider hiring a builder early as well. Bringing design and construction together from the very beginning is the ideal scenario.
Can an architect help me save money?
Yes, a good architect can design in a way that reduces energy usage and utilizes durable materials that last. A good design that’s detailed and accurate can also help avoid costly construction errors.
How do I prepare for my first meeting with an architect?
Review their portfolio, read reviews, bring a rough budget and reflect on your vision—you could bring inspirational images or a mood board that represents your style. You could also review the list of questions we recommend asking during an architect interview.
Meet Christopher Strom
Christopher studied art at St. Olaf College prior to receiving a Master's Degree in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. Upon returning to Minnesota, he became a Project Designer at Ellerbe Becket, working on the design of both domestic and international projects including convention centers, health care facilities, and high-rise office towers. He was lead designer for the Tostrud Athletic Center at St. Olaf College. From 2003 to 2014 Chris designed and managed construction for many new homes, additions, and remodels. Upon earning the 2014 AIA Minnesota “Emerging Talent Award” for residential architecture, he founded Christopher Strom Architects.
His work has been selected for nine AIA Minnesota Star Tribune "Homes of the Month" and several Mpls.St Paul Magazine RAVE Awards. Eight of his designs have been featured on AIA Minnesota “Homes by Architects” tours. Most recently, Chris was an active participant in crafting the Minneapolis and Edina Accessory Dwelling Ordinances and serves as an instructor at St. Olaf College for an upper-level studio course on architectural design. In 2016, Chris was honored with an AIA Minnesota “Young Architect Award” for exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the profession.
Christopher Strom Architects celebrated their tenth business anniversary in 2024. Also in 2024, Chris received the highest residential honor in Minnesota, the 2024-25 American Institute of Architects-MN “Residential Architect of Distinction.” He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two sons.
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