While many home builders offer stock floor plans or a design service as part of their building process, we have seen an increasing number of builders looking to partner with an experienced residential design architect to help them stand out in the crowd in this competitive market. While some builders have traditionally viewed architects as luxury items for wealthy customers, many are beginning to realize that smaller efficiently designed homes or additions require an even greater level of design than they generally get from traditional drafting services.

Smaller homes and tighter budget mean that every square inch of space must be accounted for with no room for inefficiencies. At the same time, they are also hoping for a finished product that will give them an edge over their competitors that has a special look and feel. In addition to builders showing more interest in architects, we have also noticed that the more sophisticated and educated homeowners are bringing in an architect more often these days even when their builder offers traditional in-house drafting or design services.