Do You Need Both a Building Contractor and Architect When Building Home Extensions?

Building an extension to your property can be a costly business. Home extensions in Sydney and the surrounding areas don’t come cheap. Therefore, it can be tempting to skip the step of hiring an architect to draw up the plans, particularly if you can find a building contractor that offers in-house design as part of their service.

We look at reasons to hire an architect and what to expect if you choose to hire just a building contractor.

Hiring an Architect for House Extensions in Sydney

For some house extensions in Sydney, it will be necessary to hire an architect. It may be that your local council requires that you use an architect, your project is particularly complicated or that you’re planning to develop a challenging site. An architect can adapt clever designs to fit awkward sites. Plus, they can often achieve council approval more easily. This is especially true for home extensions for traditional homes in Sydney that need to be sympathetically designed and built to blend in with the original structure.

Always bear in mind that only architects are qualified to administer building contracts and by law, must carry PI insurance. This makes them the best choice if you want a complete service from design through to completion.

Hiring a Building Contractor Only

Many building contractors now offer in-house design services using CAD software to produce 3D drawings specifying how your finished extension will look. These architectural drawings can include everything from internal and external measurements to the plumbing and electrical requirements to give a full blueprint of the project.

However, you may find that these designs tend to be standard and lack the vision that an architect can bring. Architects have spent many years learning how to utilise space and can add design elements that will give you more usable and cohesive areas. But if your extension is relatively straightforward, using a building contractor to design the space may be a more affordable option.

A Complete Service from Start to Finish

With the introduction of CAD software, more and more building contractors can offer a complete design and build service for house extensions in Sydney that includes everything from the plans to the finishing touches.

 

Whether you choose an architect or a building contractor or a combination of both, it’s beneficial to have a team working with you who will take responsibility for the project from start to finish. This not only ensures that the project runs more smoothly but you’re likely to have your extension finished on time, on spec and on budget.