How to Choose an Architecture Partner: 6+ Questions that Reveal the Best Fit
The right questions can turn a good architecture partner into a great one.
Choosing an architecture firm is a big decision—but it shouldn’t be an overwhelming one. It’s not just about credentials or cost. It’s about finding a partner who listens deeply, thinks holistically, and knows how to translate your goals into spaces that work beautifully now—and well into the future.
Here are key questions to help you evaluate potential architecture partners (Edge included).
1. How do you approach long-term planning?
Great design isn’t just about what’s needed today. It’s about where your community is headed. Ask about experience with master planning, phasing, capital planning, and visioning.
At Edge, we’re often brought in before a site is selected. We help assess options, define scope, evaluate feasibility, and build consensus from day one.
2. How do you collaborate?
Design is dialogue. Ask how the firm gathers feedback and involves your team and stakeholders.
At Edge, we lead with empathy and expertise—through surveys, community charrettes, idea boards, and interactive design reviews. And we back it up with market research on usage trends and spatial needs, including data from our own statewide library studies.
We also work alongside a broad network of specialists: acousticians, historic preservationists, furniture specifiers, energy experts, educational planners—even a zoologist. If your project needs it, we can bring in the right voices.
3. How do you help with funding?
Architects typically don’t write grants—but the best partners know how to support them.
At Edge, we help define scope, document feasibility, provide cost estimates, and generate compelling visuals that strengthen funding applications. We’ve worked side-by-side with clients on successful phased grants and can advise on what to plan, when.
And while some firms like LaBella may offer direct grant-writing, most don’t—so it's not usually a differentiator.
4. How do you control costs?
Cost control is about foresight. Ask about budgeting, value engineering, and how the firm stays aligned with market realities.
At Edge, our sister company, Edge Building & Construction, keeps us in tune with current material costs and schedules. That integration gives our clients a smarter, faster, more flexible design-to-build process.
5. What makes you different?
Edge is nimble, transparent, and obsessed with design that works. We’re not the biggest firm—but we’re big on listening. We stay close to the details and connected to your mission.
6. How early should I hire an architect?
Earlier than you think. Even before you have a budget or a site, architects can offer critical guidance—from zoning and schedule realities to high-level scope and size.
Edge excels in master planning, visioning, and feasibility—not just design execution.
7. What else do you do?
Beyond design and permit drawings, we stay with you all the way—assisting with contractor selection, answering questions during construction, and serving as your eyes and ears to ensure work aligns with your goals.
8. What is design-build?
Design-build is a project delivery method where the architect and contractor are part of the same team. With Edge’s integrated architecture and construction services, you benefit from faster timelines, clearer communication, and tighter budget control. It’s an ideal approach for clients who want accountability and efficiency from start to finish.
The best architecture partner isn’t just the one with the strongest portfolio—it’s the one who listens, plans with purpose, and delivers with integrity.