You’ve interviewed architects and decided on the firm to design your new church building. How can you and your church leadership be a great client to the architect? The following are some words of wisdom from an experienced architect, giving an outline of ways to be a great team player with your architect, throughout the building process.
Introduction
- Pastor the process
- Expect adversity
- Be intentional about relationships
- Cast spiritual vision
- Know your DNA
- Distinguish between fashion and ministry needs
- Speak with one voice
- Unite the staff and BC
- Commit to the agreed upon communication process
- Thoroughly discuss expectations
Main Points
- Choose the project team well
- The building committee – What are you looking for?
- Aesthetic appreciation
- Construction knowledge
- Bean counters
- Ministry knowledge
- The building committee – What are you looking for?
- Architect – What are you looking for?
- Experience and talent – How do I know they have it?
- Visit local AIA for suggestions on firms
- Interview proposed project team
- PIC, PM, PA, ID
- Knowledge of church/ministry dynamics
- Depth of staff
- Outstanding references
- Run references and visit finished projects
- Talk to contractors of recently completed projects
- Cultural fit
- Size of firm fits project
- Heart and passion
- Speak the same language
- Appropriate technology culture
- Busy, but not too busy
- Schedule has some wiggle room
- Attentive to our needs/ideas
- Experience and talent – How do I know they have it?
- Contractor – What are you looking for?
- Delivery methods
- Construction Manager at risk (CM@R)
- Traditional design bid build by invitation
- Design-build by invitation
- Integrity
- Respected by owners and subcontractors
- Quality
- Visit built projects and projects in progress
- Best value
- Experienced team
- Project Manager
- Superintendent
- Estimators
- Outstanding references
- Run references and visit finished projects
- Talk to owners of recently completed projects (not necessarily the pastor—people who were very involved in the process)
- Run references and visit finished projects
- Cultural fit (cowboy vs. suit)
- Accept wise counsel
- Allow the team to serve you
- Expect professionalism
- The balancing act (size, quality and budget)
- Manage change
- Develop and communicate your priorities
- Scope creep
- Schedule creep
- Develop and communicate your priorities
- Delivery methods
- Contingency budgeting
- Estimating during the process
- Owner
- Soft costs
- Construction
- Celebrate
- Don’t gain a whole building and lose a thousand souls!