Who's who

Everyone at the table is a professional. Only one works for you.

This isn't about bad actors. It's about incentives. Tap any seat to see who they answer to, how they're paid, and where that can cost you.

The table

Your project

YouHomeowner

Choose a seat

Paid more if costs go up?Often

What they do: Designs your home, prepares the plans for permits, and often oversees construction to make sure the design is built as drawn.
Who they answer to: You, but their focus is the design.
How they're paid: Often a percentage of construction cost, sometimes a flat or hourly fee.
What they're optimizing for: A beautiful, buildable design that wins awards and future clients.
Where that can cost you: Plans can leave gaps that become change orders. Most architects don't audit the builder's pricing line by line.
How I work with them for you: I review the plans for gaps before they go to bid, and I protect the design when the budget gets tight, so cuts don't gut what you paid them to create.

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You don't need to become a construction expert. You need one at the table who works for you.