Extension help - engaging an architect?

[MiniMum97]

I am considering an extension but there are a few tricky things about the house which mean I am not sure exactly what I want. I had assumed I could get an architect round for an initial discussion to get an idea of how some of these things could be addressed and a rough idea of cost to see if it's something we would want to proceed with. But having read around it seems as if initial chats with an architect is for when you have already decided what you want and to discuss more of the detail????

Also how do you go about choosing an architect. Obviously you can look at their portfolio of work but you also want to meet with them.
Most seem to charge for their initial consultation. Do you just take that on the chin and pay two or three for an initial consult?

Thanks!

What I want is for someone to come round who can tell me what's possible from a structural and planning perspective, and to give me some good ideas for what would look good aesthetically.

It's a bit like any situation, you need to find out whether you will work well together before going ahead. That will have a cost and you need to get the best information at minimal cost.
Generally the best solution would be a phone chat, see how they they deal with you. If they're happy to come for a visit that would be ideal. We managed to get about 5 round and quickly decided which one would suit us best.
The important thing is to find the right one, but I'd be surprised if they can't meet you at the property

I 'vetted' about 10 architects before coming to a final decision. Most of the ones I came across did actually offer a free consultation. I wasn't interested in paying for one at an early stage.

After looking though their portfolio, I narrowed it down to about 3 or 4 who I met for the consulation on site and a chat around their ideas, their style and experience. Each of those guys then provided a quote for their services. I took the top 2 of these and then contacted ex-clients for references and to see their work in real life.

It's important you get on with the architect and feel comfortable with them. For example, our project has been in planning for 3 years so our guy has actually been working with us that long, and through plenty of stressful situations too. He's like a part of the family, lol!

Take your time to choose the right person for your project - best of luck!

That's really helpful thank you!

Hi we have our own building company and whenever we have an enquiry from a customer we visit their home to advise them about what they can and can't do, and offer suggestions based on what the customer wants. Once the customer is happy with what can be achieved (and a rough idea of the costs) we would then get our architect involved but there's no charge for this initially. I would recommend researching some local accredited builders / home improvement companies as they should know all the relevant building regulations etc and they can help you work out the costs for your project