The Value of Hiring an Architect for Construction Administration Services

Happy December everybody! Can you believe we are entering the last month of 2022? I sure can’t. 

As the year soon comes to a close, I wanted my last monthly blog-post of 2022 to provide some educational content and my personal viewpoint on a topic. Therefore, I will be touching upon on a topic that adds to my last post and latest booklet on the stages of a Construction Project, Construction Administration and the value of hiring an Architect for these services. 

You may or may have not read my booklet. If you have not I highly recommend you do. Here is the link to the English version and the Spanish version. In the booklet, one of the key Sub-stages of the Construction Stage is Construction Administration. This is a must for the General Contractor as it coordinates the work between all trades and making sure the project is being built per the drawings and to schedule. With that said, when an Architect or even an Engineer is not hired to conduct these services it allows the GC to an extend be left unsupervised. Sure the Building Inspector and Client oversee and provide comments to the GC’s work, but it is the Architect who understands the drawings the best and is able to pick up any mistakes, and/or help provide solutions to any unforeseen issues that happen during construction.

As mentioned in the booklet, in most cases of single- or two-family residential projects, usually excluding custom designs, the client does not hire an Architect/Engineer to extend their services past the Construction Documents phase. Sometimes they hire them for one to three visits, but in theory it would be highly beneficial to spend the money for more visits; such as, Bi-weekly or weekly depending on how fast the project is going and size of project. For other types of projects outside of single- or two-family residential projects, it is more common to have the Architect/Engineer hired for Construction Administration. For these types of projects the Architect/Engineer can be limited to going on site to review progress, or more hands on by reviewing submittals of materials specified to make sure the Contractor is purchasing the correct materials. As well as, reviewing the payment applications/invoices as the project progresses. 

For single- or two-family residential projects, having the Architect/Engineer visit often would allow any questions or issues to be addressed in person. As well as, have the Architect/Engineer review and verify things are going smoothly and catch any mistakes before it costs the owner more money and/or dispute some added costs the Contractor may impose on the client. For instance when electrical outlets and lighting fixtures are being installed, the Architect can review location prior to closing of the walls in case they do not follow the drawings and if an Engineer is involved they can review that the wiring is done properly. If discrepancy is noticed later on, then it would be added work for Contractor to correct this mistake, unless the client is willing to live with it as is.

As part of Construction Administration the Architect could also be hired to review the material selections and if design left it up to the Client then provide further guidance for selections. Furthermore, the Architect can review the invoices and provide guidance if the amount being requested is in line with what has been completed and the materials needed to be purchased in that point in time. This creates a fair review of payment, as the client may not understand why such amount is being asked for or to make sure the Contractor is not asking for too much upfront. 

All in all, it is a great asset to the Client and even the contractor to have the Architect onboard for the Construction Phase. It is understandable that sometimes the client would like to save money as this service is usually charged hourly or per site visit. When discussing scope of services with your Architect or Engineer, make sure to request a cost estimate for Construction Administration if you are interested in the service.

Rooted Architecture Studio does their best to include at least 2-3 site visits for each single- or two-family residential projects, if the client is not keen to including more. If you’re interested in our services, we are taking on new projects for the new year. To schedule a preliminary free meeting, visit our contact page and fill out our questionnaire. Also, feel free to call or email us. 

Keep growing,

Katherine Serrano Sosa