Some of the the usual answers are: “an architect is knowledgeable about all aspects of the design and construction process and designing a building can be a complicated task”, or “an architect is trained to take your desires and turn them into a design that responds to your needs.” While these are both true, also take into consideration that sometimes hiring an architect can save you money! Because they are trained to understand the process of construction, they can help make construction go more smoothly, avoiding costly change orders. They can help you site your house to best take advantage of views and sunlight, and develop drawings and specifications for an energy efficient building. An architect can help you choose low maintenance and long lasting products that can save in future maintenance costs. When it comes time to sell your property, a well designed project will often quickly sell for more because people value good design. In addition to all of the above, we at Gant Nychay Architecture believe that the process should be enjoyable and creatively satisfying for the entire team, and we work hard at making it gratifying.

We charge hourly for our services, unless an agreement is contracted otherwise. This allows us to be flexible with the extent of services we can offer. For usual services, residential clients should budget between 10% -12% of construction cost for new construction, and around 15% of construction cost for remodeling. Construction cost does not include the cost of the land, sales tax, the building permit, or fees of design professionals. We at Gant Nychay think it is important for the architect to be involved during construction and typically devote 20% of our efforts to that phase.

Oh, absolutely. We carry a Standard Business Owner Liability policy with a $1,000,000 single-occurrence limit, $2,000,000 aggregate limit, and a $1,000,000 Professional Liability Policy.

Many projects will require the design services of a licensed structural engineer. We may also recommend hiring a mechanical engineer to prepare drawings and specifications if you are interested in incorporating complex heating/ventilation/cooling systems. We typically hire these professionals and bill you for their fees as a reimbursable expense. These costs are usually included in our estimate of fees. If any other consultants are needed or desired during your project, we’ll help you find the best ones for the job.

While an interior designer can contribute a lot to a design, one is not always necessary. Our provided services include the design of everything that is built-in: cabinets, vanities, countertops, light fixtures, etc. We help you select all materials and fixtures, such as tile, carpet, plumbing fixtures, drawer pulls, towel bars and other accessories.

Some clients like to purchase a few special pieces, such as a fire pit or specific furniture - we often help with this. We have the same access to resources and can help you with these selections as an additional service. If you prefer an interior designer, we can provide you with recommendations.

We feature a few of these jobs in our Projects, but we have done countless small remodels and additions that are not featured. We have designed small porch additions, bathrooms, bedroom additions, basement remodels, new dormer additions, etc. If you can imagine it, we've probably done it before!

Many times a house has to be renovated in smaller phases when resources are available. We can help you determine the best possible process, and help you with each of the phases to end up with a cohesive end product.

We have found that not involving the architects during construction of the project can lead to a poorly executed project that does not follow the original design intent. Building a project is complex, and problems will arise on the construction site. An architect can help to solve these problems and is vested in maintaining the original design intent. A contractor's solution to the problem may not be as sympathetic, potentially costing you much more down the road.

Designing a house is much more complex than choosing the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and how many cars will fit into the garage. Our services for a new house cost only a few percent more than you will likely pay in sales tax (in Washington State) for your project. For the investment, you will get a house that is ideally suited to you. We have found from past experience that clients and building departments will request so many modifications to the stock plans that there is little, if any, cost savings in this approach.

We have designed projects in California, Oregon, Alaska, Michigan - even in the Bahamas and the country of Georgia! While the majority of our work is in-state, we like considering projects outside of our region. A variety of environmental requirements can add to the vitality of an architectural firm. Both of our principals are licensed in WA, and one of them is also licensed in Oregon.