Find an architect
Questions to ask before you appoint
Nine questions. Take them to the first meeting, write down the answers, and ask every candidate the same ones.
| Ask | What the answer tells you |
|---|---|
| What is your registration number, and are you licensed for 2026? | Whether they can lawfully do the work. Check it afterwards — it takes fifteen seconds. |
| Will you do this work personally, or someone else in the firm? Who signs the drawings? | Who you are actually hiring. In larger practices the person who wins the work is often not the person who does it, which is fine as long as you know. |
| Have you designed this kind of building before? May I see one? | Relevant experience. Ask to visit something built, not only to see images. |
| What exactly will I receive at each stage? | Whether you are buying a complete service or a set of plans. Compare the answer against the document checklist. |
| What is the fee, on what basis, and what is excluded? | The real cost. Ask for it in writing. |
| How long will each stage take? | Whether their timescale fits yours, and whether they have capacity now. |
| Who handles the approval submission, and whose fee covers it? | A frequent source of surprise costs and stalled projects. |
| Will you visit the site during construction, and how often? | Whether anyone will be checking the building against the drawings. |
| What happens if I change my mind after a stage is agreed? | How changes are priced — better understood now than during construction. |
Reading the answers
Hesitation tells you more than a portfolio
Someone who answers the first question without hesitation and the fifth in writing is usually straightforward on the rest. Hesitation about a registration number, or unwillingness to put a fee in writing, tells you more than any portfolio.
Find a registered firm
Have a registration number? Searching by number is faster and avoids name confusion.