When we started our business, Thomas ran the architecture firm and I was the general contractor building our projects.  In 2016 we closed our build business to be able to spend more time with our kids, and to also focus full time on what we love the most — architecture and design.  But because of our unique beginnings, we’re especially qualified to speak to what each partner brings to a job.

Both architects and builders are specialists in their own fields. Architects can create a fantastic design but may do a poor job of leading a team of subcontractors. Builders can organize and manage all of the changing variables involved in building a quality structure but may make design choices that in the end can leave a client scratching his or her head. Each half of the team, architects and builders, have such different skill sets, education background and personal experience. Both are vital to building something great.

When a client is considering expenses, he or she may feel that paying for both an architect and a contractor is unnecessary. North Carolina is one of the few states that allows a structure to be built without a design by a licensed architect, and because of that we’ve seen firsthand the results. We have been called in time and time again to fix a home or business that was built with a poor design and no architect’s involvement in the building process.

Occasionally with residential clients, someone will want to purchase the architectural plans to pass along to a contractor with no further involvement from the architect. Perhaps this would save some money. Can’t the builder just work out any issues that arise during construction? Not necessarily.

The architect may have made a design choice for a specific reason, and making a substitution could have an unintended impact somewhere further down the line. Additionally, the client would need to evaluate if the contractor were making the changes with his or her best interests at heart or if the change were being made to simplify things for the contractor. Having both the contractor and architect involved in construction, working collaboratively, ensures that the choices made result in the best possible structure for the client.

Rueger Riley couldn’t be successful without the relationships we have with some of the best builders in Western North Carolina. We value these relationships, and know that our clients would be poorly served without the commitment and different perspectives both architects and builders bring to the table. We are united because of our mutual interest in the well-executed completion of a project, and the ultimate satisfaction of our clients. Every project is complex, and having the right team of people committed to creating and completing your project is extremely important. Working together, we are able create the best possible outcome.