Working With an Architect
What to expect from the relationship – before you commit.
If you’ve decided a custom home is right for you, the next question is who guides the design. You likely already know what an architect does. The more useful question is what to expect from the relationship – and how to tell whether it’s the right fit before you commit.
An architect designs buildings and produces the drawings to build them – but that understates the work. We translate how you want to live into spatial organization, structure, materials, and detail. We study the site to understand where a building should sit and how it should orient. We develop and refine options through iteration. We produce documents clear enough for builders to price accurately and build correctly. And we advocate for you during construction – answering questions, reviewing work, and helping resolve issues that come up in the field.
What we don’t do is just as important. We don’t build – we design and document; builders construct. We don’t guarantee construction costs, since markets move and sites surprise. We don’t make every decision for you – the goal is collaboration, not delegation. And we don’t replace structural engineers, civil engineers, or interior designers. A good architect coordinates these disciplines but doesn’t substitute for them.
Licensure is what sets an architect apart. An architect is licensed by each state after education, internship, and examination – with that license carrying legal responsibility for the health, safety, and welfare of building occupants. Building designers and draftspeople can produce drawings, but their scope and liability differ. Bristlecone’s founder and principal, Matthew Grunert, is a Registered Architect (NCARB) licensed in Nevada, Utah, and Washington, working with clients across the American West.
Design is a conversation that unfolds over time. You bring knowledge of how you live and what you value. We bring knowledge of how buildings work and how spaces feel. The best outcomes come from clients who engage actively – not from architects working in isolation.
Fees are usually structured as a fixed fee, a percentage of construction cost, or hourly rates. The right structure depends on the project’s clarity and how the scope is likely to evolve. Percentages commonly run 8%–12% for full services, though the relationship is inverse to scale: luxury homes often sit in a lower range (6%–9%) because total cost absorbs the work differently, while smaller projects trend higher since baseline effort doesn’t scale down proportionally. Ask directly and compare carefully. Low fees often mean less service, not better value.
Experience with projects similar to yours matters – scale, complexity, climate, and building type all shape what an architect knows. So does communication style; you’ll work together for a year or more. Look at completed work, not just renderings. Ask about process and how decisions get made. And trust your instincts about fit.
What to expect from us. We read the land before we draw. We design for comfort and durability, not just appearance. We communicate clearly and keep you informed. We advocate for you with builders, consultants, and review boards. And we pace the process so decisions feel manageable rather than overwhelming. Our process describes each phase in more detail.
Working with an architect is an investment of money, time, and attention. Done well, it produces a home that fits your life, responds to your site, and rewards the investment for decades. The choice of architect matters. Choose carefully, engage fully, and expect the process to be challenging and rewarding in equal measure.