Architect as trusted advisor

I thought I would expand on a topic that I touched on in a previous post in "Architect selection in the Samoa market" and the idea of an architect as "trusted adviser". It got me to thinking of why I established my architectural practice in 2001 and its mission statement and at the core value was that I wanted to help people navigate issues with the building process risks, strategies in procuring buildings or homes and dealing with a unregulated cowboy construction industry to ensuring clients got a fair deal for the financial risk they are putting themselves into procuring a building. So the skill I was offering was more than just picture drawing or architectural design services but also that of advice which requires trust from clients not easily earned.

Now with the flood of foreign construction companies offering design-build services, design-build and finance services, unregulated cheap untested products into the Samoan market there seems to be an extreme shift in Samoan building owner thoughts to eschew local design costs and focus on extremely cheap and fast buildings at the expense of good building, and a growing anecdotal list of shoddy buildings.

However, building owners who forgo an architect as trusted adviser, may cost them down the line with unforeseen consequences that could of been avoided with timely advice. An architect with experience who can design buildings to be less costly over time, vet potential builders and who will undertake contract administration to oversee your investment during construction.

If I'm a client looking for an architect as a trusted adviser I think I would be looking for the following qualities:
1. Someone who has a long history in the Samoan market and not a fly by night operation out to make a quick buck. It means you'll want to be working with someone with significant local knowledge and someone a phone call away to help you because they're local and are there when you need them the most.
2. Someone who will put your interests ahead of their own, willing to forgo potential fees to point you in the right direction if they can't do your project in the time frame you need or has enough restraint not go off in a tangent with architectural artistic license at the expense of your brief and budget.
3. Someone genuinely interested your needs if your a residential client and your business if you're a commercial client. Asking the questions, without it, the building may not meet their needs. Understanding your business visions and strategies for the future and able to convert those strategies into built forms that will support your employees and give strategic advantages over your competitors.
4. Someone proactive who will dig deep in the briefing process and think beyond your intinial wants and expectations. Understanding your needs and advising on issues that you may not have considered, that makes/does something better, be more efficient, reduce risk or add value to your project.
5. Someone reliable who "walks the talk" and delivers what's promised.
6. Someone credible and has a list of projects to back it up.
7. Someone who believes wholeheartedly he/she can help you with your project and isn't afraid to give you bad news if your budget and expectations don't align with reality.
8. Finally, someone affable, because you know life is too short to be working with a crusty ol' sod, worse still you then have to pay them.

Architect as trusted adviser, forgoing the costs for one may save you money initially, but potentially could mean owning a problematic building, which costs you more than you intended in capital or operational expenditure and/or increases your financial risk or decreases your competitiveness.