Custom home building is a team sport! In addition to the Architect and Builder, there are several other consultants that you may choose (or be required) to involve on your project. Many people are not familiar with these consultants or don’t understand their different roles in the custom home building process.
To help clear up some of the mystery behind this cast of characters, we’ve created a list of the most common consultants for custom home building. Some are required by law, while others are optional but recommended to add a personal touch and improved functionality. Here is a rundown of everything you need to know as you begin your building or remodeling journey.
Table of Contents
- Required Custom Home Building Consultants
- Recommended Consultants
- Optional Consultants
- A Final Word on Consultants
Required Custom Home Building Consultants
These are the non-negotiables, meaning most jurisdictional regulatory agencies require their expertise and evaluations to approve the construction of your project.
Structural Engineer
The Structural Engineer’s evaluation ensures your home will remain safe, stable, and secure. Their analysis will reveal if your home’s design will withstand the stresses and pressures of the environment (soil movement, snow load, wind, etc.), and the specific requirements of the architecture (clear-span, fenestration, economic considerations, materials, etc.).
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect or Builder recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect
Civil Engineer
The Civil Engineer consults on the home site’s drainage, water detention/retention, retaining structures, and final grading. Specific jurisdictional requirements are at the discretion of the permitting authority and are based on variables including lot size, soil characteristics, topography, and other site-specific criteria.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect
Geotechnical Engineer
A soils report is essential in the early project stages because it can significantly impact your home’s design and construction. A Geotechnical Engineer or Soil Engineer investigates and analyzes a site’s soil characteristics, composition, and drainage. They share their findings with the Structural Engineer and Architect along with recommendations on how to respond to specific soils.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect
MEP Engineer
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing engineering focuses on the disciplines needed to build safe, well-functioning essential systems for your home: HVAC, electrical power delivery, and water delivery and wastewater drainage. A MEP consultant’s services are typically coordinated by the home builder and included in the construction estimate.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Builder or Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Builder
WHO COORDINATES: Builder
Recommended Consultants
While these consultants are not legally required, they fall into the nice-to-have category and can help improve your happiness with how your home lives and feels.
Energy Rater
A certified Home Energy Rater will conduct a series of tests to determine your home’s energy efficiency. Their findings generate a score on the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index. The lower the HERS Index score, the more energy-efficient the home. The analysis reveals how your home’s insulation and envelope work together with its mechanical systems, which helps your architect optimize your home’s design for energy efficiency.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect or Builder recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect
Interior Designer
An Interior Designer’s services may encompass everything from the aesthetic attributes of a space to the safety and health/wellness characteristics of the home. Depending on your contract, the Interior Designer can be a source for spatial design, exterior and interior elevations, illustrations and renderings, finishes, lighting, color, specifications, and purchasing.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect or Builder recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Homeowner
Landscape Architect
Outdoor spaces are becoming increasingly important for today’s lifestyles. A Landscape Architect creates an outdoor design plan that considers landform, water, vegetation, buildings, paving and climate. Their expertise and creativity are ideal if you prefer an elevated outdoor living experience.
Another option is a Landscape Contractor who performs both the design and installation. While their ideas and creativity are more limited compared to a Landscape Architect, they are a good option for smaller or less complex outdoor spaces.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect or Builder recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect or Homeowner
Technology Consultant
A Technology Consultant will work closely with you to learn the automation and network infrastructure priorities you have for your home and develop the requisite design and installation plans. They offer a broad scope of services, from home theater and whole-house audio systems to security and surveillance and energy management (and much more!). Hiring them early in the architectural design process ensures the Architect’s design aligns with your technology and automation needs.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect or Builder recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect or Homeowner
Optional Consultants
These icing-on-the-cake consultants are more specialized. If you have the resources to invest in their expertise, they can bring an extra special touch to your home and help ease the burden of some decision-making required in the home building process.
Lighting Consultant/Designer
The right lighting improves the mood, look, and function of your home. Lighting Consultants are lighting specialists who create a bespoke concept for your home’s lighting. They consider your functional and aesthetic needs for each room, exterior spaces, safety and security, and energy efficiency. They are well-versed in color temperature, lighting products, and unique applications (home art gallery, studio, etc.) to enhance the architecture, interior design, and specific features.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect, Builder, or Interior Designer recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Architect, Homeowner, or Interior Designer
Kitchen Designer
The kitchen is a home’s central hub. (People spend more time in the kitchen than the bedroom, after all!) If you’re a home chef, entertainer, or simply love a great-looking kitchen, a Kitchen Designer is a consultant you should consider. They can collaborate with your Architect and Interior Designer to optimize your kitchen’s space, circulation, functionality, and features to align with your vision and preferences.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect, Builder, or Interior Designer recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Interior Designer or Homeowner
Color Consultant
A professionally designed color palette has the power to shape the look and feel of your home. While the interior palette is often selected by the Interior Designer, a Color Consultant or Colorist brings focus to the use of exterior and interior color, specializing in its complex effects. A Colorist discovers your goals and vision for your home and creates color solutions to meet them.
WHO DOES THE HIRING: Homeowner
HOW TO FIND ONE: Architect recommendations
WHO COORDINATES: Homeowner and Architect
A Final Word on Consultants
Custom home building and remodeling is like a production. It requires a variety of professionals to make it happen at various phases. Your architect typically coordinates consultant work in the design stage of your project, while your builder manages the bulk of the coordination during the construction stage. We recommend hiring your consultants as early as possible to keep your project moving forward and on schedule.
For more information about the custom home process, you might also like:
- 8 Tips for Working with an Architect on a Custom Home
- Remodel or Scrape? How to Decide
- How Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home?
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