Like a successful football program, a successful home construction project requires drafting a great team.

Creating a high performance team to make your dream house a reality starts with scouting for the best players.

It’s September in South Louisiana, and that can mean only one thing! LSU and SAINTS FOOTBALL. With all the excitement over football, there is always talk about the team: who got drafted, who’s being scouted, who’s performing well, who’s underperforming and who’s calling the shots.

And that brings me to the topic of designing and constructing your forever home. When it comes to realizing your forever home, there are many players involved in the process from start to finish. You may be asking yourself, “how do I find an architect, designer or contractor?” As any football fan can tell you, it begins with knowing what players and positions you need to fill, and then knowing where to scout for talent.

The Players and Positions

You’ll be the “team owner” and your architect will function as the general manager of the team. You, your architect, and you contractor make up the team’s foundation, and you may choose to bring in other players later on in the process, like an interior designer or landscaper. While we recommend that you recruit a complete design team for design development, you can get by with just your architect and contractor if your budget is limited. During design development, your players will collaborate to create the foundation for your forever home.

Next, your contractor will be the lead of the construction team. The contractor’s job is not only to oversee every aspect of construction, but they also work with your architect throughout the design process. Contractors troubleshoot development of the schematic design and help develop more precise costing.

Scouting for Players – Where to find an architect, designer and contractor

Now that you know who the main players are, it’s time to begin searching for them. You alone get to choose who you want to recruit to your team — after all, it’s your money! Choose a talented team that will best serve your interest.

Below are sources to look to when scouting your forever home dream team. We recommend that you look for players within your geographical area, but if the players you need aren’t available nearby, then you should broaden the scope of your search to other areas.

Referrals

Look to those you trust, such as friends and family, for recommendations for contractors and architects. Know someone who’s recently built a custom home? Ask them about their experience, what architect and contractor they used, what was it like working with these professionals, and were they satisfied and comfortable with the process from start to finish.

Once you’ve identified your architect, look to this professional for recommendations of designers and contractors. Same goes for your contractor — if you’ve found a contractor you’d love to work with, ask for recommendations of designers and architects they’ve worked with on past projects.

If you are working with a realtor, you may ask them for their recommendations. They may also be able to provide you with contacts to homeowners who have used the recommended professionals, so you can hear first-hand what their building experience was like.

Internet

There are many great resources online that will help you identify star players for your dream team. Look on the websites of professional organizations, which will allow you to search their membership in your area. You can also uncover more information about potential players through the resources available from professional organizations. Below are some sites to get you started on your search:

AIA: American Institute of Architects……………………..   www.aia.org/

NAHB: National Association of Home Builders………… www.nahb.org/

ASID: American Society of Interior Designers………….   www.asid.org/

ASLA: American Society of Landscape Architects…….   www.asla.org/

Also, look at the websites of architects and contractors in your area. Perform a search to begin identifying those who serve your region. Next, take a look at their website and evaluate their qualifications, portfolio, and testimonials. Don’t forget to see if they’ve received any local or state industry honors and awards, as these are often a sign of peer recognition, quality work, innovation, and a high level of talent.

Magazines

Visit your local bookstore or supermarket and you’re sure to find many publications dedicated to residential custom home projects. There may also be features in your regional magazines dedicated to custom home building and design, which can help you identify potential candidates in your area. Plus, these publications are great resources for generating your own design ideas.

Drive-bys

Take a drive to the area where you will be building your forever home. Chances are, there are current building projects underway. Scan the construction site for signs identifying the contractor or architect involved on the project. Make note of their details, and add them to your list of candidates.

Once you’ve identified your potential team picks, it’s time to make contact. Most communication is handled through telephone calls, the Internet, and mail rather than face-to-face meetings. If out-of-towners will be on your team, you may only see them at critical reviews, such as design formation, detailed resolution, and perhaps to confirm implementation periodically during construction. Luckily, technology can connect all members of your dream team, making it easy to participate and see progress through digital photos, on-site cell phone calls, and more.

These scouting suggestions are just the start. Have you have great success in putting together a team for your forever home? I’d love to hear about it.

If you would like to learn more about putting together a winning team, check out my Amazon #1 Best Seller, The Forever Home: How to work with an architect to design the home of you dreams. You may order it  from your local bookseller or online from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

A high functioning, well selected team results in smoother projects and better results. Here Kevin, as architect, consults with the contractors and brick masons to work out the details of an elliptical arch.