Architect Extols the Virtues of Her Craft

In the Aug. 11 “Real Estate Q&A;,” a reader asks the best way to remodel the kitchen, giving an example of a “horror story” of a friend who dealt with a contractor who was not responsive to the client’s needs (“Choosing a Remodeler Can Be a Daunting Task”).

Robert Bruss’ response was how to find a good remodeling contractor.

Nowhere is there any mention of starting with an architect. Architects don’t just design pretty spaces. We establish the standards of care that the client can expect from the builder, through our specifications and general notes and through our diligence during the bidding and construction phases.

Throughout the project, the architect addresses the needs and desires of the client and puts them in writing and on drawings and relates them to the builder.

The fees one pays for architect’s services are, most often, returned many times over by the reduced stress during construction.

GINA G. MOFFITT, AIA

Los Angeles

The writer is an architect.