You need a new architect.

If you have high expectations for custom design services you should hire your own architect instead of using the builder's architect.

architechrunnerguy - thanks for the feedback. Your comment about the stairs made me laugh as this has been a major sticking point for me. Not sure why but since starting this process the stairs, their location and the design of them has been a big focus for me. It also sounds like the situation we are in is very similar to what that poster is working through.

catbuilder - this was an option my wife and I started discussing last night. For fear of sounding ignorant, is this general something a builder will be open to when they work directly with an architect. The lot is owned by the builder.

Sanford...Let me just type this to remind the OP that "If you have high expectations for custom design services you should hire your own architect instead of using the builder's architect" is a blanket assessment.

The examples in my links in the post four above came all from builder referrals as well as the all of the houses in the "outdoor to indoor" ideabook.

But if I'm reading Sanford correctly, it is true that many builders "architects" are not design professionals at all but drafters who have a couple of courses of community college CAD courses under their belts.

Yes, KV, as I said the stairs are the most under rated area of most houses. Pay special attention to it and you'll be a long way to a great house!

Like Architect said, are you sure your guy is an architect and not a draftsman? We started out thinking the same thing. We are buying the lot from the builder and the builder is working with what I thought at first was an architect but it turns out he's a draftsman.

I actually wound up designing my home myself and now after finding out it wouldn't work on the lot, just redesigned it. (Architectrunnerguy and sanford, want to double check my thread to make sure my new build looks ok?)

Honestly, I thought just like you that it would be the most fun part, and it was, up until this week when I had to redesign it to fit the lot.

Um you wouldn't happen to be in SW FL would you? LOL.

cpartist - ha, no, not in SW FL.....I was going to ask you if you were in my area. ;) Sounds like we are dealing with the exact same thing. Thanks for the comment about a draftsman. I did not think of that previously since the firm used is an architecture firm but that would make more sense. I'll check into that.

I worked with the builder's draftsman. Or should I say draft woman. It was a great experience. She listened to all of my feedback and my input. I listened to hers. We worked by phone and email for almost two months to get what I wanted. I also had what I call Florida expectations. And some things I did the Florida way.

You may not have a choice (perhaps the builders own all the land which was our unfortunate experience), but I would never, ever, never ever, again go land, builder, architect again. We lost a bunch of $$$$$$$. Seems every variation of the plan was just a puzzle put together of what the builder (who marketed as a custom home builder) had already built and it became us against the builder/architect. The land was narrow, so prior plans were not going to work, no matter how they tried to present them. Trying to be creative was a challenge -- the moment it became clear we wanted to go outside the builder's plans other costs started creeping in - windows started disappearing from plan drawings; costs we were told would be included - HA - suddenly they had amnesia.... So, we walked away from a substantial deposit.

KV, well you always can ask about using your own architect. Sorry to hear about your initial disappointment. For me the design development was the most fun part of the entire process -- we worked with great pros. We started with a meeting at the property where we discussed generally orientation, how we wanted to arrive at the house, where the kids would play, what trees we wanted to save, etc. Then some emailing back and forth re wants, needs, sharing photo ideas on Houzz/Pinterest. About a month later we met for an afternoon and after a lot of sketching ended up with something that is remarkably similar to the as-built. I might have the yellow trace paper drawings framed some day.

architectrunnerguy -- great sketches, thanks for sharing.

nightowl - sorry to hear about your experience. Yours unfortunately seems like the path we are going down as well and one I am hoping to avoid.

Oaktown - you pretty much laid out how I would have expected this process to go. What you laid out does sound like fun and is honestly what started us down the custom build route. If we were more inclined to settle for 50% of our want list we would just buy existing and be done with it. Out of curiosity, did you find your own land, builder and architect or did you go through a builder who supplied the land and architect?

I found my own land, builder and architect (some builders mentioned about his name but no phone nor location). This architect was working with many local builders. I found him on internet, and emailed to ask for price before started. Fortunately, he is very good to work with.

Some builders want me to let them do all the plans, which they claimed it would be cheaper (with that architect. He is the one they were dealing most of their builds ). I was on my own to have direct copy right of using.

If let builders deal with architect, you would have minimum structure. Mine has many steels beams and basement is opened for future finish.

Design build can often work well if you are working with a generous budget and a top notch creative team. All too often though, you will have teams that have drifted together out of economic alignment rather than out of streamlining the process for the end user.

The standard deign bid build model can also have its issues with plans that are wonderfully creative, but miles outside a budget. Architects can be detached from the rapidly changing costs of building.

Often the best approach is to build your own team. Choose your architect for the creativity that you seek. But also bring a respected builder in to consult at key points in the design phase so as to keep the design more grounded in real work costs.

Yes, it's harder on you than turning things over to a design build firm. And maybe you aren't up for all of that involvement. If not, then you need a different design build firm. But, be sure that you are comfortable with the level of costs that you will be committing to before going any further down the building road at all. Building costs more than buying existing. Custom building is a level above that. Unique costs more than cookie cutter.

Ah KV, the difference is my builder had no problems with my coming up with my own design vs using one of theirs. He admits that is why it's taking longer than he expected too because we are trying something different (A U shaped home on a corner lot) from the typical here in FL. However, he knows our budget and is very aware of what I want.

Additionally, I have the advantage of being an artist, (and was considering becoming an interior designer many years ago until I realized I'd have to work with people) so can draw out what I see in my head.

Is an architect in your budget?

Are you happy with this lot (builder-owned)?

How similar are this builder's homes to what you want? Some builders will 'customize' a plan they've built before. This is not a 'custom built home'.

You can have plans made by a draftsman, an architect or a *licensed architect* -- vastly beyond 'an architect'. You will probably not be permitted to build by any municipality without plans approved and stamped by a licensed architect.

I can understand that a builder and his draftsman may not want to devote a lot of time to developing plans if you have not committed to buying anything.

K V, we owned the property. Our situation might be a bit unusual as we knew the architect we wanted for the underlying design before we even started looking for a place to build.

We haven't had that problem with the architect our builder recommended. He's been very creative and it has been helpful having our builder involved in the process because he often will bring up practical considerations such as budget and safety (our area has problems with hail and tornadoes.) Since our architect and builder have worked many times together the process has gone smoothly. Our building area within our lot is an oddly shaped triangle and our architect has risen to the occasion with a layout that will use all of the buildable land. The key is that we saw some of his work before we approved using him.