Choosing an architect design firm is a huge choice. This choice will impact your entire project from start to finish. According to IBISWorld, there are 78,909 architectural businesses in the US as of 2023, so there are plenty of options to choose from. If you are hoping for your home construction or building construction to stand out from the rest, you should choose your architect carefully. Let's look at some qualities of a good firm.

1. Longstanding Business History

You want to work with a firm that already has a long-standing business history. This will ensure that they have a good portfolio of work for you to reference before signing a contract. A newer company will simply not have the track record of clients that you need in order to make an informed decision. Most long-standing firms put a priority on partnerships and collaborations. If you find the firm has long-standing relationships with clients, that is a good sign.

2. Industry Experience

Closely related to the first point is industry experience. This is slightly different, though, because this has more to do with experience building certain types of structures. Even if a company has been in business for a long time, if they have only had limited experience with certain types of structures, they may not be the best choice for you.

This can get a little tricky because you might think that broad experience is preferred over focused industry experience. The truth is, a company that has broad experience in many different types of structures may not have the expertise you need for your particular type. An architect design firm will often specialize in one or two areas. That is great, just make sure that you are choosing a firm that specializes in the type of buildings you need.

3. Sustainability Minded

If there is one industry in which sustainability is crucial today, it's construction. Any type of construction project will need a careful eye focused on sustainable practices and green building. This will start with the architect design firm you choose. Your building contractors will only be following the designs that the architect created. If those designs are not focused on sustainable building, then the contractors will not be executing sustainable building. If this is a priority for you, you need to discuss this early on when interviewing firms.

Our company is experienced and ready to start your project. If you are looking for a quality architect design firm in your area, please contact IGW Architecture today. We hope to hear from you soon!