So You are ready to reform your house but are unsure whether you should hire an architect or not.
In Spain they have the LOE (Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación - Law of Construction Planning). This states which works you are obliged to use an architect and these are the cases where you will affect the structure or change part of the house that has some kind of protection.
In works of a certain size you will almost always need to hire an architect. In some minor works you can do yourself but also for some minor works you will need to hire one too. Some examples are:
If you want to reform a seventeenth century place you bought then you will need an architect.
If you are just changing kitchen tiles then you can do that yourself.
If you replace the roof of your house, add a room or change doors and windows of the facade then you need an architect, but if you want to just replace the living room floor moldings, then no.
If you want to change the partitions of your house, for example, to create a bedroom with dressing room and bathroom included, you'll need an architect.
In any case even for some minor works you may benefit from using an architect as they will see problems you may face that you may not have thought of. They will look at your wishes and let you know if it will work and if it will function how you want it to. If you use an architect it is also their job to solve any problems that arise during work. They also have to coordinate with any workers hired and make sure budgets and deadlines are met.
How it usually works is that the architect will have a long talk with you to find out your tastes, your needs and your way of living. They will then pass all the necessary documentation. All the plans will be approved including plumbing, electricity, sanitation, air conditioning, heating, flat finishes and materials, carpentry, details of bathrooms and kitchen are included. They will do some measurements where everything is perfectly defined and they can tell you an exact price of what it costs to run the project.
Then is the stage of coordination and supervision of the various professionals/workers involved in the project. Here unforeseen problems will be found and compliance with both the conditions and deadlines are included.
How much will an architect charge? You should do your research and be sure to find a reputable one. Architectural studies take a percentage of the price which is around 7 and 10% of the budget of the material execution. Depending on the work and the materials it is usually around 600-1000 euros per square meter of the work done. From region to region it may vary so get quotes from different companies and see which matches your budget
The time your work takes can vary. Especially if you need licenses from the town hall - this can be a very lengthy process in itself. Then you need to consider the amount of work to be carried out, it could be from one month to six months depending on what you want to be done. Also if there are any changes mid way then that could delay work as well. It is also best to ask your architect before they start work what their expectations are.
It is always advisable to inform your town hall of the works to make sure you comply with the rules of your area. The other good thing about using an architect is that you will receive a warranty for the work done and if any problems should arise they can be solved by someone who already knows the ins and outs of your home.
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