Daw Chaw Kalyar, an architect with Design 2000 Co., Ltd, works on an architectural draft at the company’s office in Kyauktada township, Yangon, on July 9. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

ARCHITECTS and interior decorators have warned that building with only a structural engineer’s plan and not a detailed architectural design can lead to wasted construction and unnecessary costs later.

In Myanmar, construction projects require only structural engineering blueprints to get Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) approval and many projects are started without the advice or consultation of an architect, sources in the industry said.

“For shopping centres, condominiums and even shophouses, it’s better to consult with an architect because they can see in advance what the final structure of the building will be and how best to plan it. They will be able to maximise the installation’s design without wasting space. From there they can colour-match the walls and furniture too,” said Ko Mg Mg Zay Lin, owner of the Zealmen interior decoration company.

He warned that the cost of poor layout could hit hard later as predicted expenses would not be as accurate without a detailed design.

“When we decorate a building that has not been designed by an architect we estimate charges at K10,000 per square foot, but if we know that an architect has designed the space we lower our price to K8000 a square foot,” he said.

Before construction starts the owner should consult with architects to determine the final floor plan of a building and what systems will be in place for water and electricity management, Ko Mg Mg Zay Lin.

Just as importantly, he added, an architect needs to know where these systems will be located so they can plan where rooms should be made.

“Backup drainage systems at shopping centres and condominiums, electrical systems, fire escapes, security measures and car parking are all important and should be seen by an architect before construction begins to benefit both the owner and potential buyers,” Ko Mg Mg Zay Lin said.

By using a detailed architectural plan, the actual cost of the building was likely to be lower because it would save time and labour in the long-term, he explained.

“When I can see an architectural plan, I am better able to calculate a fixed price for the materials I will use to decorate the room or house.

“If a client asks me to redecorate a room without proper architectural plans, I charge K12 million, but with these plans I ask only K10 million,” he said.

Ko Mg Mg Zay Lin said he always advised property owners to consult with an architect before starting construction but the majority of people, he claimed, ignored that advice.

“Nine out of 10 residential owners don’t bother to consult an architect; most owners see it as another cost and they don’t see the benefits to the project,” he said, estimating that such consultation would likely lower overall costs by 20 to 35 percent.

Daw Chaw Kalyar, an architect from Design 2000 Co. Ltd, also said money and effort could be saved by consulting an architect.

“Without an architectural design, owners cannot see a property’s layout in advance and will sometimes change a building’s design while it is under construction. This leads to increased costs and poor spatial arrangement,” she said.

Daw Chaw Kalyar said that when working with an architect, an owner can change a building plan as many times as necessary before construction begins, without wasting labour or materials.

Structural engineer U Thein Zaw said that while obtaining an architectural plan did not add significantly to the bottom line of a large commercial project, the increase could be felt much more acutely by those building private residences.

“In a residential house, an architect will cost more because, more often than not, the owner will want to expand certain parts of the house,” he said.

“It really depends on the owner. Even though a structural engineer will present the owner with a drawing plan of the building, they might want to change certain things and substitute them with alternative modern designs. And this will certainly increase costs.”

Sometimes, he said, owners send both the structural engineer and architect back to their respective drawing boards by requesting something – like a balcony – be extended.