Choosing an architect is similar to selecting a doctor, dentist or lawyer: you must like his/her work. You can listen to your family, friends and business acquaintances for their recommendations, or go online to browse the sites of different Philippine architects.

One of the first things to consider is if the candidates to design your residential construction project are licensed architects registered with the Board of Architecture (BOA) and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Registration in the BOA and PRC provide automatic membership to the United Architects of the Philippines.

After you have initially “screened” your prospective architects, make appointments to interview your leading choices. You will get valuable insight on the architect’s approach to design when you visit his/her office.

View slides, brochures and photographs of their work. It’ a good idea if you can visit some of their finished and current projects. Take the opportunity to talk to the owners of the houses they’ve built to get their feedback. You can also contact the references that each architect has provided.

When you are viewing slides and photos or visiting projects, keep in mind that the requirements in the design and construction of your home are yours alone, and because your needs and tastes are different, the resulting design and building solution you will get will be different as well.

Aside from liking the architect’s work, as mentioned above, he/she must show genuine enthusiasm for your residential construction project. It’s also important to consider how well you and the architect get along because good communication between the client and builder is crucial to the construction process. The importance of good "chemistry" between client and architect cannot be over-emphasized.

Once you’ve made your choice, you and your architect should immediately sit down and discuss your requirements and expectations thoroughly. Your architect should then tell you more about their firm and how they work.

Be sure to be realistic in your budget and time requirements. You and your architect should agree on the professional services they will provide as well as your responsibilities in the project. At this point, the more information you exchange, the smoother the project will run and the closer the results will be to meeting your requirements and expectations.

After working out the details of the contract, seal the agreement in ink. Don’t proceed without a written contract is advised; oral agreements and understandings are not enough to protect you from short and faulty memories.

Want to start the process of building your dream house? Contact WA Gundan Jr. & Associates now. We would like nothing better than to build you a home that will be your pride and joy and give you great satisfaction for years to come.