Look for local/state-wide architects who have a successful practice which includes single family custom homes, and, particularly, those architects whose practice includes a variety of styles, rather than a single approach to designing houses. Good luck--exciting times ahead.

Often, it's the "designers" and CAD drivers who just parrot a single, local style, modifying their basic designs to try and please each new customer.

Be sure you are talking to architects who have the ability to be original and creative on each and every new design.

You need to talk to them in person not just look at online portfolios (if that's what you are doing). Some architects will jump at the chance to do something different and be creative, others will say they can do it but won't be able to pull it off. If you see styles you like you can show some photos to the architect as part of your initial meeting. You'll be able to sense whether there's enthusiasm or if it comes across as just another job. It's also possible the architect has done designs like you want in the past but doesn't put them on a website because "most people" want something different than you. Websites are marketing.

My limited experience is that there's a lot about Louisiana that's unique so yes I would try to find someone local before looking too far astray.

Disclaimer: I have not hired an architect yet, so if I'm approaching this incorrectly, I'm sure someone will point it out, and then we'll both learn from my mistakes, lol.

Okay. Here's my method so far....

Online portfolios are helpful in weeding out the obvious "No way," folks for me. But in my area, that still leaves a few dozen folks I have to actually call/email.

I read every single page on an architect's website, and I scrutinize the houses that I see (immediate dismissals include "pork chop" roof returns, exteriors with multiple cladding materials, and inability to instantaneously locate the entry). After awhile, you get a feel for it. I don't dismiss someone on style alone, unless they make it clear that they love/specialize in/focus on doing the one style that I don't like. ;-)

I do, however, reject a practice if there are more than two architects. This is not only a strong personal preference (I want a sole practitioner; will consider a single partner or an architect/interior design duo), but also a fantastic whittling tool.

My list is still being compiled and organized. But I already know who I'm gonna call first -- A gentleman whose portrait, on the bottom of his About page, shows him, his granddaughter, and his dog, all playing outside. :-)

Mark- ask everybody you know in the neighborhood you plan to build in for recommendations. Latest build was my first teardown/ground up one-off custom, and I had no idea where to start. My new neighbors referred me to a GC who used to live in the neighborhood- their kids used to play together. Great! I 'll start there.

Lol- "El Hefe"- his handle- was 'hot", as in decorated with all the "Bests" you could possibly get. As a consequence, he'd decided to focus on very high dollar projects. Spending less than $1 million, and he wasn't that interested in building it. He was incredibly friendly, very honest and still peppering me with questions about my specific project.

BAM. From that one conversation (from that one referral) he referred me to our architect. Himself, decorated and celebrated but? With a penchant, at that moment, for "value propositions" and for the style we wanted. And the main recommendation was "he really listens".

It was a successful "connect", that led to us hiring the architect who brought the builder- also a great fit.

So- ask and chat, and ask some more. BTW: Last thing "El Hefe" said to me was that he'd "consider" bidding my project, if he knew it was designed by his favored architect, for the project. Sort of sweet, as he now had an idea of what this project would be- completely spec'd, no detail left out, and easy to build. And in a neighborhood that is still near and dear to his heart/soul, as that's where his kids grew up.

He wasn't our builder. Instead, our builder ended up being the "next" very decorated guy, only we got him on his way up.

And it all started with one conversation with a person I barely knew.

i like one devoted dame's approach.

she hasn't said it in words, but she's zero-ing in on someone who 'feels' right.

i'm guessing you've not found that feeling in your area...lots of practitioners just end up feeling too stuffy.

if i were you, i would cast a bit wider net, and when you connect with someone who feels right (even if they're a state (or a country!) over), ask them about what they can do in Louisiana...they should know or at least be able to find out if they can serve you there.

For example, I'm a big fan of Bob Borson at "Life of an Architect" blog. He's in Texas and I know he does out-of-state work and 'modern farmhouse' would be right in his wheelhouse.

Thank you all so much! I know there's so many variables, but on average, what should I expect to spend on an architect?

How much involvement do you want?

For full service (design and supervision/representation during construction), my budget is $20k, but I'm willing to increase that by 50% if necessary. I'm in central Texas, and I want something simple, historically inspired, and medium-sized (2000-3000 sqft). I was told to expect $100-$200/hour.

Oh, and I love Mr. Bob, from Life of an Architect!

As another architect (Mark B) on this forum advised “Don't put time constraints on the selection of an architect. It's akin to selecting a spouse, you will know when you find the right one. It's even easier, you don't have to sit through boring dinners or watch movies together.”

And I'm a big fan of Bob and his blog "Life of an Architect" too. Another architect and I where finalists one year in his annual playhouse design competition and he let me take over his blog for a day a few years back to write about my design process https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/design-in-a-day/

As far as working with an architect, I've written about the roles of trust and preconceived ideas in the design process here before and I'll do so again not only for you but for all the lurkers out there.

A good architect, when given the chance, will provide a design that can give a client everything they want, but often in ways completely unexpected. But for that to happen it takes a critical element necessary on the part of the client in every successful project and that element is trust.

Often during our initial meeting, the client will reveal their ability or inability to trust others. If I feel the element of trust is not there they will likely be referred to a permit drafter. A creative person should explore other approaches with you in the spirit of "That's great but have you thought of this.......". But for that to be carried forward successfully it takes a trusting client to not only allow the architect to expand on alternative ideas but to objectively look at other approaches in a collaborative effort with the architect. And that's an intangible that all successful projects are born out of.

And as an aside, that's why the charrette process works so well in that ideas can be explained, heard, modified, explored, remodified and evaluated all in their rough form and all in real time. I can't tell you how many times a client sitting across the table from me has said "Wow! We never thought of that. We like the kitchen idea but how 'bout if we move the entry here and the...." As I hand them the pen. In some of those design sessions the client commands the pen almost as much as I do!

Just be ready to expect any preconceived ideas to be questioned. They may in fact turn out to be perfectly valid but at least they've been evaluated against alternates as any good architect should do.

Finally, regarding preconceived ideas, I've quoted on this board before these two quotes by two creative people.....

Henry Ford observed "If I had asked people what they wanted they would have told me "A faster horse".

And Steve Jobs mused “A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them. Everyone wanted an iPhone when they first appeared, but no one could have described what they wanted before seeing one".

So put trust in your architect to carry you through the process in the spirit of Mr. Ford and Mr. Jobs and you'll have a home that is the very best.

And speaking of the best, here's wishing you the best of luck with your project. Exciting times!

ARG - thank you so much! Funny you should comment on this - I have looked at hundreds (maybe thousands?) of floor plans while scouring the internet and one of yours hit on almost every need/want that my wife and I have been looking for...

Often during our initial meeting, the client will reveal their ability or inability to trust others

This is true, and it goes both ways. Best question I ever asked an architect was:

In your design process, how do you weigh client wants/needs/ideas, against your own?

WOW. He told me with a straight face that he likes to "consider" client ideas, but prefers to do what he wants. His reasoning was that he had much more experience than clients, and so knew better what to do. He told me it would be fine, though. After all, he has award-winning projects from Seattle to Austin. OK- his bottom line truth.

Backed out of there as fast as I could. Congratulated him on his work, thanked him for his time. But really- nobody on my project was going to supersede our ideas and spend our money without absolute consideration.

A true story, working with an award-winning architect who was designing a project two doors down.

Wow ARG, I remember when that post came out, and I've very literally worked that into my workflow. Thanks for you helpfulness!

Mark J maybe you've found your guy?!

This is true, and it goes both ways.

It does go both ways. I've fallen on my sword in the past trying to get a client to think differently and when I don't prevail I look on it as just another design constraint in making a design work. Recent case in point is this house http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4469981/reveal-of-draft-bethohio3-arg?n=4

Please read the part about the side load vs. front load garage issue. And as Beth wrote, I did really try! LOL!! But I made the front load work pretty well I think. Got it pushed back, down to four bays from six with two "stacked" and it's on the far side of the house (dead end road).

There is a line however between a true collaborative effort between the architect and the client to blend the best of all ideas and a "Here. Draw this up" scenario.

"There is a line however between a true collaborative effort between the architect and the client to blend the best of all ideas and a "Here. Draw this up" scenario."

Of course- why spend the money if you're not interested in collaborating/taking advice of pros? My problem, in the scenario above, was that "collaboration" meant something much less to that particular architect than we needed.

It's a two way street, one you truly seem to drive. Great for your clients!

EDIT: It is truly a dance between client and architect vision. I worked with an architect that I trusted enough to sometimes say "sure"- even when I wasn't. I also trusted that he trusted me enough to know when his "vision" wasn't going to work in my home. Like a very high, vaulted ceiling with exposed duct work in the upstairs living/office. Yes, I have a contemporary-to-modern home, but it didn't "fit" well with other features. I was also concerned about the level of noise in a very open home. He fought for the feature, right up until I mentioned noise. He admitted that he has it in their very cool offices, and that it's very loud. So he found a way- furred it in, still with a lot of ceiling interest but in a way that doesn't ruin the environment. Our builder, further, blew in insulation in a place that wasn't planned and PRESTO- quiet.

My point is that if I had just acquiesced to what the architect wanted, I would have ended up with an an unacceptable environment from which we run a company. He was thinking function, solutions (we have no attic/no basement) as well as aesthetics that worked for him. But he did come to a great conclusion/solution, based on our needs, even though he was very sold on the feature. Now that's collaboration!

As 902 Juaniata notes, design is a collaboration. In my experience, the best designs are the product of well considered design inputs from the client and the design competence ot the architect. I don't ever, ever, ever want to design a home starting with the client's vision on graph paper (the squares are four per foot, really....) Okay, the stairs are in the wrong place and the walls have no thickness, but just draw this up.

Oh.. I was quoted the cost is usually a percentage of the build. We have a strict budget of $175. Maybe I should be quiet now! This is our second home construction project. I just wanted to say that we have very specific cost in mind.. we don't have the challange of so many choices. We are also GCing.. we are stock market investors.. I am 36 DH 51.. we are farmers and homeschoolers.. we are trying to put feelers out for retired contractors that can advise us for weekly pay by the hour for a once a week meeting and some emergency calls. We have done a massive amount of research and changed house sites and so glad! For our budget we have a lot going for us! We nearly paid off the land (22 acres with a stone cottage guest house size), installed septic, many driveways, and a lot of farming planned and started.. electrical right in line to house..... I wouldn't say it is for the fiant hearted even at this point!!! The one thing that I don't like about what you are saying, is that your farmhouse, houses normally married to site, may not have a site visit by the designer- oy! That is so huge! That was so huge we bought a ladder and went up to see the amazing view from the upper story... ya know? It over looks the pond but when you get up there, the new site overlooks the rolling blue ridge hills! It wasn't the first choice because we thought too close to the neighbors, but because we got up there, got an amazing long range view with a 5 acre buffer instead of split 12 acre and 10 acre middle, but... lots to say.. too close to farming, bee meadow.. the top 5 acres is the best spot.. best views.. best rolling layout, best walkout basement.. best slope.. very gentle and perfect. So yes all of that is hard to do. Would better pay a local site advisor and possibly choice far off architect.

Notes.. you should have a lot of choices made..if you seriously don't want to do any shopping and have no opinions, okay fine, but you should go look at some windows.. you should make some clear choices. I would! I would give clear direction! I would even find pins I didn't like! And of course pins I loved :).. I would make a room by room speciifc list.. you should know a lot about yourself! As far as a modern farmhouse goes, after specific chooses (or admitting you are also undecided) you should have enough for them to design one.. go ahead and find exteriors you love and farmhouse moderns that turn you off too! There actually is a pretty big area! Ours is white on white with wood and some black hardware with French pea gravel. Some others are white with bold black or other bold color and often darker roofs. Some are white with silver or metallic windows and wood accents.. I knew I was white on white with wood for a long time. I looked at so many for the style and imagined each and every seasonal change... and also in each room and how we would use it, what time of year and how the climate could change for it.. going out of state btw may not trigger important design responses for your climate.. unless you tried Georgia! There are east coast farmhouses there for sure and some in South Carolina too. Great luck to you!

Mark, what is "pork chop" roof returns? Love your other screening techniques... solo practitioner was one of our's too and it worked well. Would've gone with ARG if we hadn't found a local who was familiar with our complicated local code and willing to work in our parameters. Really like the charrette concept.

greenacresmama, what exactly are you trying to say?

building 2017, this is a pork chop roof return.

Thanks, CP! I'm hoping our Architect and the "Getting Your House Right" book helps to save us from such mistakes.

Cpartist, Mark j wrote a post on finding an architect for his new modern farmhouse. He is also considering one out of state. Others have voiced concern over the codes.

(Cpartist- I shared our lifestyle because while we are not millionaires- yet! We have to be careful right now in early retirement with kids! We are headed towards legacy funds for our kids, their own home down payments, college etc. We need to be strict about our plans running over budget to balance all our dreams, including our yearly vacations! We need to be on the ready to find good deals and not spending up to get the design right!.. in this regard working with our own "real" farmhouse needs (root cellar, wood stove heat, wood storage, solar farming, 8 new pets/strays!) was unusual and we decided the cost of hovering carefully over our project was the best way to control the budget.. )

I wanted to share, however only having experience with our $350k total budget including land and site development, that with our small budget for house left, we had to spend a large amount of time on setting the home ourselves. We even designed a home and changed our minds to an even better spot that was hiding from us because we felt the urge for privacy, in retrospect, the most private acres are best for growing food and very hot (2.5/5 acre buffer vs 10 acres.. enough afterall) He should maybe think about a site helper for new raw land if out of state best Architect may not have the chance to visit site for a good amount of time to understand best site.

Additionally, studying modern and old farmhouse design ourselves for two years, we noticed a lot of trendsetters. We grew strong feelings overtime for the moods that each of the exteriors gave, he may easily look over many Pinterest pictures of white farmhouse and other rural homes to get a feeling for how much of a sharp contrast or softness his family home will have.

I tried to leave it open if he will be giving so much thought to the interior, full of choices (and headaches!) But invited him to think of how each room in each season will be used for his dream the best. This helped me and I hope his architect will ask these questions rather than leave them to their art. To us, It is much more about family time and living well in the end (and how we use our home.) You don't have to pick out finishes, (or design artful floor plans!) but consider room dreams and wishes for living. (Though in the end we hyped up the modern and light, the "matte" and "flow simple minimal" to drop the custom time consuming work older farmhouses seemed to have and in the end found it seems easiest clean anyway ;) nice! We also decided on traditional building practices using all solid wood beams that are still standing today vs glued TJIs.. but that is not so easy to do!)

I highlighted windows! Because windows are a big deal! From the installer and the manufacturer. If his architect told him Anderson for example, it would be easy to go with the high high end! But it would be hard to not compare that with? Marvin? Or some one else.. even if they said to go with a certain type of window they were not expecting; due to weather and they thought looked to industrial or whatever. They may want to be prepared to understand the intellect behind that choice and to double check and concur. Especially if they hire one from another region. A local architect may have strong reasons for a window design, not the simple farmhouse grilles, how the window operates in muggy heat!

.. forgot to add.. last one I would concur or make sure they think right is the roofing material for the region. I would double check the warranty true expectations. For us we wanted the least amount of pollutants, grape vines close by and new orchard plans.. Surprisingly.. after rain barrel study ready.. asphalt is at number one! Not the treated pine natural shingles I was hoping for (the worst) or metal..so I need to understand the lifetime of the asphalt in my area. I understand the hotter they are the faster they wear out.

From experience as a client point of view, you NEED to have total trust in your architect. We hired ARG and a long story but after discussions he had our total trust. Despite working remotely it did not pose issues and the outcome was terrific. We are actually doing some changes now due to our homesite and ARG is on it. So, trust is crucial.