Questions owners ask before hiring an architect in Amman

Fees for an apartment building are based on the total built area across all floors and on the scope you need: permit drawings only, or a full design with facades, 3D visualization and construction drawings. The number of apartments and the repetition of the typical floor also matter, because a floor repeated 4 times is drawn once. I send a written quote after the needs session, once the zoning and plot area are known.

The common method is an amount per square metre of built area that varies with the project type and the scope of service. For large projects the fee is sometimes a percentage of the estimated construction cost. The Jordan Engineers Association publishes a reference fee schedule that acts as a minimum. My quote states what each item includes so there are no surprise charges later.

In a full villa or apartment building design, exterior visualization from at least two angles is part of the service. Interior views, extra angles and animation are priced separately by count. If you already have drawings from another office, I offer visualization as a standalone service with its own price.

The first needs session is free, in the office or by phone. In it I listen to what you want, look at the land plan and zoning, explain the stages and timeline, and then send the quote. A detailed architectural consultation, such as reviewing existing drawings or visiting a plot to assess it before purchase, is a paid service priced by the time and the work involved.

Yes. You can order permit drawings only, architectural design without supervision, or facades and visualization only for existing plans. Each scope has its own price, and the quote states exactly what you will receive. My one piece of advice is not to separate the construction drawings from the design, because the contractor needs them to price accurately.

There are five stages: a needs session, then the plot and zoning study, then the preliminary design with two review rounds, then facades and 3D visualization, then construction drawings and the permit file. Each stage is approved before the next begins, and at every stage you know what you will receive. Coordination with the structural and MEP engineers starts once the preliminary design is approved.

The preliminary design usually reaches you within two weeks of the needs session. After approval, the permit file needs additional time for the structural and MEP drawings and the association's review, and the duration depends on the project size and how quickly reviews are answered. For a medium project the full process from start to complete set usually takes 6 to 10 weeks. I give you a written schedule with the quote.

The preliminary design includes two review rounds within the fee, which is enough for most projects when comments come grouped each time. Changes after the preliminary design is approved, and especially after construction drawings have started, are charged as extra work because they mean redrawing a full set. So I encourage you to take your time at the preliminary stage and involve everyone who will live in the house in the review.

Check these points before deciding: membership of the Jordan Engineers Association, previous projects of the same type as yours (villa, apartment building, clinic), a written quote that states what each item includes, a clear schedule of stages, and a clear way of coordinating with a licensed engineering office for the permit. Also ask whether the images shown are 3D visualizations or built projects. Then compare 2 or 3 architects on these same points, not on price alone.

You can reach me directly on 0788834826 by phone or WhatsApp. I answer messages myself, and the first needs session is free, whether in the office in Amman or by phone. Send the plot and basin numbers or a picture of the land plan if you have it, as this speeds up the reply.

Natural stone is cut from Jordanian quarries; its colour and veining vary from piece to piece, and it settles into an even look over the years. Artificial stone is cast from cement and aggregate in moulds, so it is lighter, cheaper and more uniform, but its colour changes differently over time. Building regulations in Amman require natural stone on facades in most residential zones, so I check the requirement first before proposing any alternative.

It depends on the area and the building type. In most residential zones within Greater Amman Municipality stone is required on facades, and it can be combined with glass, wood and exposed concrete on selected parts. Commercial and industrial buildings have different conditions that may allow other claddings. I review the conditions for your site before starting, and the municipality is the final reference.

The types are named after their quarries: Ma'an stone, Ajloun stone, Ruwaished stone and others, differing in colour from white through beige to yellow and in hardness. Then comes the finish: rough-hewn, chiselled, hammered or smooth, and each looks different under the Amman sun. I show you real samples and we visit a stone showroom when needed, because the colour in a picture never matches the colour on site.

Start from three questions: what do the neighbouring houses on the street look like, do you want large windows and simple horizontal lines or stone details and cornices, and what budget is available for the facade, since classical details add to the stonemason's work. I show you both directions in 3D visualization on the same floor plans, so you compare and decide from an image rather than a description.

The visualization is built on the same drawings, so the dimensions, openings and heights match what will be built. What may differ is the real colour and veining of the stone, the sky and light at the moment of the image, and the quality of the contractor's work. That is why I call the images 3D visualizations rather than photos, and why I recommend construction supervision so the building comes as close to the image as possible.

It depends on two things: whether the zoning, building ratio and permitted floors in your area allow the addition, and whether the existing structure can carry another floor. I start by reviewing the licensed drawings and the zoning site plan, then the structural engineer checks the foundations and columns. If both are possible, I prepare the modification plan and the new elevation, and the addition permit file goes through a licensed engineering office.

Yes. Splitting changes the number of units in the building and needs an entrance, bathroom and kitchen for each apartment, separate services, and usually a modification permit and an updated subdivision. I prepare the new layout and check that the walls to be removed are not load-bearing, then the modification file is submitted in coordination with a licensed engineering office. Also check that the zoning in your area allows the new number of apartments.

I start with a measured survey: I measure the house on site, draw its floor plans and elevations as they are, and document its condition with photos. I also request a copy of the licensed drawings from the municipality if they exist in the property file. On this survey I design the changes, and the structural engineer checks any wall that is to be removed or opened. Renovation projects of old houses in Jabal Amman or Al-Weibdeh all begin with this step.

It depends first on the permitted use of the building and the street under the zoning, since commercial or professional use is allowed on specific streets and needs the municipality's approval for a change of use. In design terms a clinic needs a separate entrance, parking, accessible access and its own services. I review the zoning with you first; if the change is possible I prepare the new layout and the file is submitted in coordination with a licensed engineering office.