Anyone have recommendations for architects they have used for a new custom home in DFW? Thanks

http://pages.suddenlink.net/tgivaughn/
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Depends on what you're looking for… might be too much info, but here goes.

1) More of a tweak to existing plans using a mostly templated approach? Buy a plan online and tweak it with a drafter or use a design/build firm and tweak one of their plans. Some smaller custom builders who aren't "design/build" even have a few existing plans from an architect they know that they use for spec houses. Flat fee and/or baked into cost.

2) You already have a real clear vision, sketches, floor plan layout ideas? Talk to a drafter or maybe an up and coming architect. Typically a flat fee.

3) You have no idea what floor plan you want, but maybe have some design or style ideas via photos and a want it to be more one-of-a-kind? Then go architect. But make sure they e done houses in your style and price point. Some rare ones charge a flat fee, but mostly $/covered sq ft.

In #3, you need to make sure your architect and builder will work together through the process. We fell mostly in #2 I had sketched elevations and floor plans myself), but paid for #3 anyway. It was helpful to avoid some small mistakes but probably not worth the $ beyond trim and cabinet elevations/detail. We used Briggs, but interviewed many, many more. We were generally happy with the final product, but most architects are creative types and not great with the project management/communication and it can take forever if you don't stay on them.

Here are the firms that made it past our initial cut after we interviewed probably 10 - would've felt comfortable with any of them handling our design. Happy to send over pricing/specs if I can find them (from mid 2022) if you want.

Briggs Architecture
Larry Boerder
Lloyd Lumpkins
Richard Drummond Davis
Stephen B Chambers

In all these cases, make sure a structural engineer signs and stamps any plans, even #1. Worth the $$ and peace of mind.

Either way, depending on area of DFW, make sure you get a full geotechnical report and standalone foundation design (stamped by an engineer) after the house and site plan is done. Our clay-heavy soils need special attention.

And forgot to say, so much depends on price point. Make sure you get comfortable with both builder and architect choices/options before pulling the trigger on either. A lot of builders won't spend a lot of time until you have plans ready to bid, but they often make suggestions during design to save money or avoid issues in reality that I was happy we paid one a flat fee to help out during that stage.

Go look at houses they've designed/built. Talk to previous customers. We even had a former client of the builder let us walk through their home.

Odds are unless you want truly custom you can save a lot of money by going route #1 or even seeing if an architect will let you edit a previous plan.

Looking at 5,000 sq ft+, $2-3M+ is very different forms and process from 3,000 sq ft and $1M. Happy to give a good builder reference as well. Builder was top notch for us through the process.

Architect (full plans in listing cabinet and time detail) + geotech + engineers for both framing and structural I think ran us about $40k and we didn't even use an interior designer and had a good idea of what we wanted. Two of the firms I mentioned above were very high end over $12-15 a foot even for basic plans and were only for truly high-end custom.