Choosing the Right Architect:

Posted on April 8, 2025May 4, 2025 by JeanneAdmin

A Step-by-Step Guide

Selecting the right architect is essential to turning your vision into reality. Whether you’re planning a new home build, a renovation, or a commercial development, choosing an architect who aligns with your goals can save you time, money, and stress. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process.

Spacious attic room with a light wood floor, white walls, a ceiling fan, and various seating areas. Decor includes plants, toys, and a small desk. Large windows provide natural light.

1. Define Your Project Scope and Budget

Before contacting architects, clarify your project goals.

Identify your top 2–5 priorities (e.g., “3-bedroom, 2-bath home with mountain views”).
Establish a realistic budget range early. Contact us if you would like help with this.
Consider your timeline and any must-have design features.
Having clear goals ensures your architect can deliver a design that fits your vision and budget.

2. Research Potential Architects

Find architects who specialize in projects like yours.

Browse online portfolios and project galleries.
Look for professionals with experience in your preferred architectural style.
Check for licenses, credentials, and professional affiliations.
Read reviews and testimonials to gauge client satisfaction.

3. Consider the Design-Build Approach

Design-Build offers a unified solution for design and construction.

The architect and builder work together under one company.
Improves communication, reduces costs, and speeds up the construction timeline.
Ideal for custom, complex or large-scale projects requiring precise coordination.

4. Schedule Interviews and Build Trust

Trust and chemistry are key to a successful project.

Set up initial consultations with your top choices.
Discuss your vision, goals, and expectations.
Evaluate their communication skills and how well they listen.
Trust is crucial—minor issues always arise, and a good relationship helps solve them smoothly.

5. Ask for References and Client Feedback

Past clients offer valuable insights.

Request contact info for at least 2–3 previous clients.
Ask about their experience, satisfaction with the outcome, and project challenges.
Inquire how the architect or design-build team handled communication and problem-solving.

6. Review Detailed Architectural Plans

Thorough documentation is essential.

Ensure your architect provides detailed floor plans, technical details, and material specs.
Clear plans reduce the risk of cost overruns or misinterpretations.
Review all drawings carefully and don’t hesitate to ask for clarifications.

7. Assess Compatibility and Communication Style

Choose someone you feel comfortable collaborating with.

Communication should be open, responsive, and respectful.
Look for an architect who values your input and provides clear feedback.
Compatibility reduces misunderstandings and ensures smoother decision-making.

8. Understand Fees and Contracts

Transparency on cost and scope protects your investment.

Clarify how the architect charges:
- Fixed fee
- Hourly rate
- Percentage of project cost
Review the contract thoroughly—look for clear terms, deliverables, and payment schedules.
Ensure all services and expectations are documented.

Conclusion: Build with Confidence

Choosing the right architect is about more than aesthetics—it’s about trust, communication, and shared vision. With a thoughtful approach and the right partner, your dream space is within reach.

Modern open-plan living area with a spiral staircase, brown leather sofa, glass dining table, and kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Large windows offer views of greenery outside.

A modern bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, two mirrors above a double sink, and a glass shower. A wooden ceiling and large window offer views of the outdoors.

Bedroom with wooden ceiling and large windows overlooking a garden. Features a bed with red and white bedding, two framed mirrors, and two lamps on wooden nightstands.

Ready to build your dream project?
Contact the expert Design-Build team at Palo Santo Designs.
📧 [email protected] | 📞 505-988-7230
Schedule your free consultation today!

Santa Fe Architect Spotlight – Sandra Odems

Posted on September 27, 2019August 11, 2023 by Mark

We sat down with another one of our great architects here at Palo Santo Designs—Sandra Odems—to talk about her background in architecture, her favorite part of the whole process, and how she approaches architecture now in Santa Fe.

What Led You To Architecture?

For Sandra, it was her interest in drawing from a young age. “I remember (as a child) finding art books stacked near the road, next to someone’s trash, and thinking I had found treasure,” she says.

As she journeyed through high school she always chose art classes instead of foreign language classes. Once she arrived at Tulane for college, she determined architecture would be a great path for her, one that would nurture her creativity and allow her to become a professional.

What Did You Do in Early Your Architecture Career?

For her college junior year abroad, Sandra studied at the Architectural Association in London, which had a strong emphasis on design. After graduation she flip-flopped, and jumped into residential construction, getting her hands dirty learning how buildings are actually constructed here in New Mexico.

As a licensed Architect several years later, Sandra was involved in the construction of larger projects: schools, recreation centers and visitors’ centers across the state. After ten years as a principal in a bigger firm, Sandra started her family and her own practice, with a new focus on residential architecture.

She also spent some time working with Ed Mazria and his team on The 2030 Challenge, which is an initiative that aims to reduce carbon emissions from the building sector by the year 2030.

Sandra now has 15 years of experience in residential design & construction in addition to approximately 10 years of experience working in the public sector.

What Brought You to Santa Fe?

“I’m originally from New Orleans,” Sandra says, but she landed in Santa Fe after considering options in other areas of the country and moving around a bit. Sandra initially moved to Taos with her husband. They began building houses together in the area and learning construction.

“We were young and it seemed cool.” Sandra says. About a year later, they moved to Santa Fe together to pursue larger projects and decided to stay.

Sandra says they fell in love with Santa Fe because of the beauty of the area, the clean air, and outdoor activities. She and her family enjoy skiing, hiking and sailing on the NM lakes as much as possible.

How Do You Approach Architecture & Design of Custom Homes?

Sandra says it’s a lot about context: the owner, the site, tangible and intangible items.

“You’re always looking for something unique – something special that the client brings to the table – that inspires the project.” she says. For Sandra, it’s about being a great listener, and figuring out what is significant and important about each project. Then it’s about transforming what’s heard into something that can be built.

It’s also about creating a connection to the outdoors, especially here in Santa Fe where the climate is comfortable and enjoyable.

Sure, modernism influences design and trends, but sometimes it’s also about designing buildings to be timeless; something that isn’t so dated. That’s a real accomplishment.

But at the end of the day… what Sandra mostly wants is for a project to be successful for the client. Success defined on their terms, because she has listened to them and created a building that they can enjoy for years to come.

What’s Your Favorite Part of the Design-Build Process?

“I love the day-to-day coordination with engineers and just getting it right,” Sandra says.

The complexity of the design and construction is exciting to her. It’s everything from the big vision to the tiniest of details—the daily push forward to a great finished project.

At Palo Santo Designs, Sandra is pleased to work with a team of people committed to thinking everything out and putting together a great project for each client.

What Are Some of the Unique Solutions You Deliver to Clients?

“I’m always thinking about daylight and energy-efficiency, and context, and how these things can come together,” she says.

Palo Santo Designs is committed to projects that are energy-efficient and it’s also second nature for Sandra since she’s been working on energy-efficient design and construction since the early 1990s. “I was doing green design long before it was trendy”, she says.

Sandra is also a LEED certified professional. It’s everything from the orientation of a home for natural light to envelope design and efficient systems. “We like to consider all of this,” Sandra says, but we understand that each client has their own goals and needs in their home.

All-in-all, Sandra is passionate about architecture and loves walking a project from design to build with careful attention to detail throughout the process.

What Makes Santa Fe’s Architecture Different, Especially in 2019?

“I love that in Santa Fe we have both contemporary and traditional styles. Contemporary is just starting to gain in popularity, but there is a big push happening right now in this direction.” Sandra says.

She loves the historic quality of the area and the City’s commitment to historic preservation – and a desire on the part of the community to continue to blend architecture into the earth, but she also appreciates and enjoys designing contemporary buildings.

It’s not a greater appreciation for one or the other. It’s an appreciation for how both can exist side-by-side, and in doing so, create a place that is comfortable and exciting. Old and new, together.

Why You Should Hire A Santa Fe Home Builder & Architect Together

Posted on February 8, 2019August 11, 2023 by Mark

If you’re researching to build a home in Santa Fe and are wondering how to start and what’s involved in the process, then we want to provide some insight here. Building a custom home isn’t a small project and we don’t want it be a poor experience for you, which is why we want you know everything up front.

So let’s take a dive into what the traditional process for building a custom home is like and how our design-build approach is designed to make that experience better.

Understanding the Traditional Client-Architect-Contractor Relationship & Process

When it comes to building a custom home, the traditional relationship looks like a triangle with the client at one point, architect at one point and general contractor at the last point. Typically, the client would approach an architect to initiate the conceptualization and design of the project.

The triangle represents the traditional client – architect – contractor relationship. The dot represents how we’re innovating this relationship by bring everyone together as one firm.

It’s important to note that a general contractor is not involved in the initial discovery phase or even the design phase of the project, based on the traditional relationship. Selecting a general contractor only comes after the design is complete.

The selection of a general contractor typically goes through a bid process where multiple contractors bid on the project with the most expensive bids being tossed to the side and the more affordable bids fighting for the job. This, of course, is a race to the bottom in terms of price alone.

In some cases a design is kicked back to the architect for a re-design because the contractors cannot build the designed home at a price the owners can afford. It is simply too lofty of a design for the budget.

Redesign can be a very costly experience, and can add many months to a project timeline…unnecessarily, in our opinion.

Why Is the Traditional Relationship is Often Not the Best Approach?

As we mentioned, while all three points of the triangle must be involved to complete a home build, the traditional relationships are siloed from each other. To explain this better, let’s take a look at a real-life example:

Reasons Why the Traditional Client-Architect-Contractor Relationship is Flawed:

#1 – No matter how talented an architect is and how much they know, if they are not working with a builder from the beginning of a project then there is information they will not know and anticipate. Materials, labor, and the environment all constantly change, which directly affects costs and completion. The builder knows that information and can inform the architect but only if the architect is working with the builder from the beginning.

#2 – With the traditional process, expectations are not appropriately set. Again, an architect will surely provide a beautiful design and capture what the client is dreaming of. However, if all of the other building factors are not considered then the client is getting their hopes up for something that may not be a reality. These expectations can crush a project.

#3 – In most cases, 50-75% of custom builds that start in with the traditional relationship end up having to go back through the redesign phase because of unanticipated factors, such as material and labor costs, and other factors Again, a redesign often costs the client more money and immediately delays the build process.

#4 – The traditional approach often focuses primarily on the artistic perspective with little or no focus on cost implications.. As we like to say “our goal is to design to your budget, so that your dream home will become a reality.” This approach is not exclusive of aesthetic focus, but is an informed approach emphasizing the aesthetic in the most cost effective ways possible. So understanding all of the building factors influences the design we create rather than working backward.

#5 – After a design is ready for contractors to bid on, it becomes all about hitting the budget that is often too low for the scope of the design, which causes a race to the bottom with contractors. Typically, the best builders are tossed out in the beginning because their bid is too “high,” although realistic. In this scenario, you have a beautiful design but a contractor trying to cut costs as much as possible to hit a budget. This is not a recipe for a successful and wonderful build for the client.

#6 – In some cases, a design may never be financially attainable for the client. They have hopes and dreams for a particular home, and while an architect can design the home, it may not be feasible at all for the set budget.

How We Approach Architecture & Home Building in Santa Fe:

Like we mentioned at the beginning, we are innovating this relationship simply by bringing architecture and contractors under one roof and on one team here in Santa Fe.

Since we can collaborate as designers and builders from the very first day, we can overcome the majority of pitfalls that occur in the traditional process. What does this look like?

Expectations – we can set the right expectations from day one. No designs that won’t fit an actual budget. We can take your budget and dreams and create a realistic expectation.
Financially Attainable – you have a set budget and dream for your home. We take both and create a plan that is attainable financially versus starting with a grand design that cannot be built for your budget. It’s our goal to make your dream a reality and attainable for you.
Land/Lot Real Estate – we can assist you in locating and purchasing a lot that suits your goals and avoids many issues that may affect budget and timeline, such as soils, topography, utilities and jurisdictional restrictions. We can effectively prevent redesigns and delays in the design-build process, which saves you money and gets you into your home on time.
Compliance – our goal from the moment we start discovery with you is to chart a path of compliance so your project complies with everything needed, such as ordinances, jurisdictions, easements, utilities, and beyond.
Truly Design and Build – some firms claim to be a design/build firm but they actually hire an outside architect to come in for a project. We don’t do this. We are truly a design-build firm because we have the architect and builders on the same team here at Palo Santo Designs. We are committed to not only designing you a beautiful home but influencing your project from the beginning with true building knowledge.
Sustainability – because of our extensive experience and expertise in the design and construction of high performance green homes, you can be assured that the design will include numerous fundamental energy and water efficiency features, passive solar design and otherwise environmentally preferable materials and methods. Sustainability is our baseline, not an add-on.