The Benefits & Process of Working with an Out-Of-Town Architect for Your Custom Home
When it comes to designing and building a custom home, nothing beats having a trusted, experienced team of architects on your side. With 25 years of residential architecture experience and a trusted, detail-oriented team, we’re determined to create a seamless home-building process that relieves your fears, fulfills your vision & provides a sanctuary to love for years to come. The end result? A lovely, unique home for your entire family.
Sounds pretty great, right?
As you embark on your journey to creating a custom home, you may be wondering if our work is limited to Dayton & Cincinnati, Ohio. Maybe you’ve been a long-time follower of ours via email, social media, or our free Facebook group. Or perhaps you recently stumbled upon our website and like what you see (welcome!).
If you happen to live out of town, we have some good news: While the majority of our project work is right here in the Springboro and greater Dayton/Cincinnati area, the percentage of our work that is located further away has been growing. We are always excited to work with those living in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and even out of state, like Florida and South Carolina!
All that being said, you might be interested in knowing how the process of working with an architect long distance actually works. Does it matter if the client is near the architect but the job site is remote? Is it more difficult to manage a project when the client and the job site is a plane ride away?
Let’s take a closer look at the process for working with an architect who isn’t in your city…
Do I need to hire a local architect?
The short answer? No, you don’t need to hire a local architect. In fact, modern technology makes it easier than ever to hire an architect that’s out of town or out of state—and there’s a pretty good reason to do so. Choosing your architect is a very personal decision. You may have several options of architects with excellent design skills and wonderful client service. However, much like in dating, you need to “click” with the person you’re entrusting with designing the home of your dreams. You need to feel that your architect really understands you and your lifestyle and that you communicate effectively. Sometimes, the architect that just “gets you” isn’t located near you. Finding an architect that listens, understands, and works well with you is more important than finding someone in the neighborhood. Remember, building a custom home is a big commitment. Never settle!
How do custom home meetings and site visits work while working with an out-of-town architect?
If you happen to “click” with an architect who happens to be located out of town or out of state, how do you handle the logistics of meetings and site visits?
Ten years ago I would have said that to have a successful project, the architect must be local to the project. However, the internet and the Covid pandemic have changed everything. Our job is mostly about communication—aka, expressing ideas to you, the client, and ultimately communicating how to build your project to your builder. Communication is essential for a successful build, but it’s even more important when working with remote clients. This usually comes in the form of phone calls, texting, video conferencing software to have virtual “face-to-face” meetings, as well as clear and precise emails to keep our team and clients on the same page. 3D visualization and on-screen sharing make meetings very efficient and can, in fact, easily be more productive than sitting down across a table.
That being said, there are still a few necessary times we’ll want to meet face to face. Let’s take a look at each…
Initial Meeting & Site Visit
There is no digital medium that replaces a site visit. This helps us get a feel for the land, its surrounding context, and your sight lines. To make things a little easier and more productive, this is also when we’ll hold our initial meeting to share photos, ask plenty of questions, and understand the essence of what your home should be for you. This is best done sitting together; possibly at your existing home so we can discuss how you’re living currently.
Design Development Phase
We’ll also meet at the beginning of our design development phase for material selection and contractor meetings. By this time, we’ll have worked together to create a design that you absolutely love. You may also have a builder you’re committed to working with—or you’ll be working with our construction arm of the business, Springhouse Structures. During this in-person meeting, we will make major material selections in a very specific order so we have solid pricing and design direction before we get too far.
Construction Document Phase
The third time we will meet face to face is at the end of our construction document phase for final review. If you happen to sign with a builder outside of Springhouse, we will also conduct a pre-construction meeting that involves the owner (that’s you), the architect (that’s us), and the builder (that’s them).
Construction Site Visits
Construction administration should be negotiated. There are many variables at this time, depending on how complex the construction is, the experience of the contractor, and the experience of the homeowner.
I generally recommend four site visits:
End of rough framing
Before drywall
During finishes
Substantial completion punch list
For site visits in-state, we’ll hop in a car and make the long drive or a short flight. For our out-of-state sites, we strategically plan when we make site visits throughout the design and construction process.
Should I be concerned about zoning and other local ordinance requirements?
Investigate what the rules are in your state and local jurisdiction. For residential architecture, some places require a registered architect, while others do not. Springhouse Architects happens to be registered and in good standing with AIA and NCARB, as well as the state of Ohio. Most states recognize reciprocity to architects in good standing. We have also been successful partnering with local engineers to get the structure and local method of construction just right.
As you can see, hiring an architect that isn’t adjacent to you is quite manageable with careful planning and lots of clear communication. Our team finds the challenge of working with remote clients fun! It’s always a great feeling when you’re working with someone you connect with—whether they’re down the street or the next state over.
Want to know more about our custom home design and build process? Contact us directly to start the conversation, or you can also schedule a free consultation here. We can’t wait to meet you!
Have any questions?
Although we covered a lot in this post, you may still have some other questions about working with Springhouse Architects as an out-of-town client. Whether you’re involved in the custom home process now, or even just considering it, join our free Facebook group—we’ll help you answer any questions you might have! Also, feel free to invite anyone that you think would benefit from this collaborative. You’ll not only get advice from me, but from other people who have been through this, too.
Start the process.
When it comes to designing and building a custom home, nothing beats having a trusted, experienced team of architects on your side. Let’s set up a call to meet, discuss your goals, answer your questions, and settle your fears. We can’t wait to meet you!