Finding an architect to renovate

At its worst it’s just stressful, but at its best it’s utterly rewarding. One thing is for certain; renovating your home is never a small undertaking. Whether you’re extending out into the yard, up to another level, redesigning the current layout or completely rebuilding, the right architect is out there for you. All you need to do is find them.

Ingrid Mountford is an architect from Archicentre, a division of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Archicentre offers a paid match making service putting home owners in touch with suitable registered architects to alleviate all the time and hassle of looking around to find one on your own. Ingrid says a good architect will be able to get inside your head about what your priorities are, your future needs, budget and family situation.

“It’s important to think about renovating in terms of the whole life of the project, not just about extending or putting on a second floor on. Find an architect you are comfortable with, who’s friendly and approachable and who you can talk to openly at an involved level.”

Renovations to an existing home come from three different perspectives. They can be designed to look seamless and in-keeping with the original home, can make a bold new statement, or simply update a home with a contemporary edge.

“The first is a traditional renovation that retains the home’s character, and is designed to look as though it was part of the original home. The second way is to create something contemporary and cutting edge, making a deliberate statement that it’s a new addition to the original house. But most clients sit somewhere in middle, wanting something in harmony with the existing home that also offers a bit of a wow factor without being hard-edged.”

While it may seem logical to appoint an architect who has experience renovating homes that are similar to yours, Ingrid says that doesn’t necessarily apply when it comes to architectural periods. “Architects don’t need to be highly skilled at say, working on Federation homes, to do a really good job on that type of house. It’s more about looking at the proportions of the home and the rooms, and the quality of spaces being created and how they relate to the existing house. It helps if the architect has a few projects to show you, which can help you understand where they’re coming from and also the process.”

Her best advice is to be clear about what you want, but stay open minded. “Projects that have worked well for me is when my client has given me an atmosphere, saying they like having breakfast in the sun or want to catch a particular view. People can get bogged down with the list of rooms rather than the life they want to lead. Architects can create spaces that don’t necessarily have a defined name. People can be extra delighted they get something they hadn’t expected; things they initially hadn’t thought would be possible.”

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