The choice of an architect for a new construction is not based on an Instagram portfolio or a neighborhood recommendation. It hinges on specific, verifiable technical skills and the professional’s ability to integrate rapidly evolving regulatory constraints.
RE2020 and low carbon design: the technical filter that no one asks
Since January 1, 2025, the carbon footprint thresholds for new constructions (indicator Ic construction) have been lowered for individual houses. This trajectory imposes a significant reduction in carbon footprint over several successive stages. An architect who still designs with the reflexes of RT2012 will not meet these thresholds.
We recommend asking a direct question during the first interview: how does the candidate manage the life cycle analysis of materials and the use of FDES (environmental and health declaration sheets)? Mastery of these tools distinguishes a designer capable of meeting RE2020 requirements from a generalist who will discover the issue at the time of the permit application.
A firm like doucerain-architecte.fr illustrates this type of practice where design integrates environmental constraints from the sketch stage, even before choosing the companies.
Another strategic point: the date of the building permit application determines the applicable regulatory text. An architect who masters this timeline can optimize the project according to the current stage, which has a direct impact on the choice of materials and the overall budget.
Architect contract and complete mission: what the scope really covers
Most articles advise to “check the contract.” We observe that the real issue is the extent of the mission entrusted. A partial mission (sketch + building permit) leaves the project owner alone facing the site. A complete mission includes execution monitoring and acceptance of the work, which radically changes project control.
Here are the elements to verify in the contract before signing:
- The exact scope of the mission: sketch, preliminary project, final preliminary project, project, consultation file for companies, execution monitoring, assistance with acceptance operations.
- The remuneration mode: percentage of the cost of works, fixed fee or hourly rate, and what each formula actually covers in case of program modification.
- The termination clauses and the conditions for transferring the file if the collaboration is interrupted during the construction.
- The explicit mention of the ten-year guarantee and professional civil liability insurance, with up-to-date certification.
An architect who refuses to detail in writing the breakdown of their mission before signing does not offer the conditions for a controlled project.
Project manager or architect: legal distinction and consequences on site
In France, the title of architect is protected and subject to registration with the Order of Architects. A project manager who is not an architect can design and oversee a site, but without this title, they are not subject to the same ethical obligations or ordinal control.
For an individual house whose floor area exceeds the regulatory threshold, the use of an architect registered with the Order is mandatory. Below this threshold, the choice remains free, but registration with the Order guarantees a verified level of training (state diploma, authorization to practice as a project manager in their own name).
We recommend consulting the directory of the National Council of the Order of Architects to verify the actual registration of the professional. This verification takes two minutes and eliminates fake profiles.
Selecting an architect for new construction: the concrete signals to evaluate
Past achievements matter, but not as a decorative catalog. What interests us is the coherence between the announced program and the delivered result.
Analysis of references on comparable projects
Ask to visit one or two completed individual house sites, not a public facility or a collective building. An architect specialized in house construction will be able to explain the technical choices made: structural choices, envelope solutions, management of interfaces between lots.
Ability to work with local companies
An architect based in your region knows the craftsmen, the actual supply timelines, and the local urban planning rules (PLU, ABF if applicable). This geographical proximity reduces site uncertainties and facilitates the monitoring of work execution.
A good architect is not chosen based on style but on method: rigor of the contract, mastery of current regulatory constraints, transparency about fees, and ability to manage a site until acceptance. Ask technical questions from the first meeting. The answers, or their absence, will tell you everything you need to know.
