How to choose an architecture and engineering design company?

Mechanic Street Rendering_Best Architect and Engineering Design Firm_Russell and Dawson

Every construction project starts with a vision and real need is to transform that vision into a reality. One of the most important decision is about choosing an Architectural Design Firm fitting both project needs and at the same time making financial sense. The most methodical way is to formulate a RFP and send out RFP to all architectural design companies/firms and evaluate their responses based on following three criteria.

1. Experience

The most important aspect when selecting an architectural and engineering design firm. Experience speaks a volume, how long they have been in the business and how many projects they have executed. The architecture company having diverse project experience and credentials will do the job for you. There were times when decisions were taken to hire a big firm but not any more, now who can do the job or fit against the needs.

The most important aspect when selecting an architectural and engineering design firm. Experience speaks a volume, how long they have been in the business and how many projects they have executed. The architecture company having diverse project experience and credentials will do the job for you. There were times when decisions were taken to hire a big firm but not any more, now who can do the job or fit against the needs.

2. Expertise

What you need to make sure is firm’s expertise and how well that specific expertise fits into your needs. The firm providing comprehensive services will show you their past and ongoing project works and will provide customer references for you to talk to them.

3. Effectiveness

You need to discuss and evaluate following with company, you need to make sure how good is the company in their deliverable

  1. Schematic design
  2. Design development
  3. Construction documents
  4. Selection or complete management of sub-contractors
  5. Bidding or negotiation
  6. Construction Administration

What are some of the questions you should ask, here is a brief list

    • What types of services do you offer? Are you open to providing a la carte services that I need?
    • Will you design to a budget?
    • What is your experience with energy-efficient design, green building, affordable design etc.?
    • What kind of collaborative tools that you use for client communication?
    • Do you assign a single point of contact (SPoC) for every project?

Having a checklist table in RFP covering all key aspects of your needs and evaluating all responses against this checklist would be a simple process to shortlist.

Contact us and let us be your partner, we are an architectural company and Engineering Design Services firm based out of Hartford, Connecticut, USA having experience of executing over 10,000 projects across commercial, residential, hotels, industrial, community, and government. We have been in the business since 1965 and have worked with various customers in last 50+ years. We offer comprehensive or a la carte A & E services to our customers.