10 steps to working with an architect.

• Author: Campbell, Melissa

Architects are the men and women who bring buildings from the state of dreams to that of reality. It's not quite as simple as a wanna-be building owner walking into an architect's office and saying, "I want a building," but that's a good place to start.

Architects are trained to help dreamers find the reality in what's possible and to hone in on the specifics.

"An architect is like a sketch artist at the police department," said Dennis Millhouse, a building owner. "You go in with a concept, an idea, and they help you refine it until you see what you want."

And it's important to bring architects into the early planning stages. They can help with budgets, bank loans, construction management and inspections after the work is done. They know the building codes and various requirements, and can help fine-tune building specifications, as well as conduct site studies, and help apply for planning and zoning approvals.

Obviously, among the first steps in building is finding an architect you're comfortable with. Dennis and Connie Millhouse are no strangers to overseeing fairly major construction projects; they helped design their new three-story home and managed nearly all aspects of building.

The Millhouse's own and operate Trend Setters School of Beauty in mid-town Anchorage. For 30 years, they worked out of a couple of small buildings and a Quonset hut. When they decided to build a bigger facility, they turned to the architects at Kumin Associates Inc.

"They had the experience in what we were looking for and how we wanted it," Dennis Millhouse said.

"The firm was the right size, and the architects were innovative, cutting edge and easy to work with."

Now, the area sports a new two-story, 12,700-square-foot building, and the Millhouses have plans to make it bigger still.

Here are a few tips to finding the right architect. Suggestions come from Dennis Millhouse and local architects.

1. Start with the basics. Have a general idea of what you want and need, including the building's size, the site's general location and how much you want to spend.

   While an architect can help finalize these issues, it's always a good idea to have general requirements for what you'll need. For example, will the office area be open or will it have walls? Will the boss have a big corner office? Also consider such things as the number of conference rooms, offices, break rooms, etc. Building codes determine the amount of parking needed, as well as such safety features as fire exits...