An architect can also help them make the most of the money they've got. We can help them cut down on tear-out costs and put the money in new. For Gunter Shaffer, a designer with the Architects Studio, Inc., an architect's value can be in focussing on getting the most bang for the buck. That might mean putting more money in windows to help take advantage of a view, for example, and cutting costs elsewhere to compensate. Shaffer notes that architects can also clarify and simplify projects and help avoid costly oversights.
Architects can add value by helping clients bring life-style issues to design considerations.
Simpers points out that for one of his clients that meant working out a bedroom plan that would allow one spouse to get up before the other and shower and get dressed without ever stepping back into the sleeping area and possibly disturbing a later riser. These issues can also be addressed when you're looking at a number of development homes. But an architect brings more to the mix than just a hand with floor plans. An architect should see the potential for beauty and inspiration in what a client wants. Ideally an architect will take the same budget and the same materials and add aesthetics.