In this guide — 6 sections
The questions to ask an architect before signing a fee agreement are the questions that determine whether your project goes well or expensively wrong. Hiring an architect without asking them is like buying a car without checking the seller has the title — and the risk is not hypothetical. It creates construction problems, regulatory rejections, and expensive disputes.
- Only COA-registered architects may legally sign approval drawings
- TNOBPAS filing requires a Class 3 DSC — no exceptions
- Approval drawings are not working drawings; you need both
- Revision rounds should be numbered, never “unlimited”
- Drawings become yours on full payment — get it in writing
- Plan six months from engaging an architect to breaking ground
The 12 Questions to Ask before hiring an architect
Are you registered with the Council of Architecture (COA)?
This is the only non-negotiable question on the list. Under the Architects Act, 1972 (amended), only COA-registered architects may use the title ‘Architect’ and may legally sign building plan approval drawings. The Council of Architecture maintains the register of all licensed architects in India, and CMDA and GCC will not accept a submission signed by an unregistered person.
Every COA registration carries a unique licence number. Ask for it, and verify it at coa.gov.in. If the number cannot be produced, or is not findable on the register, you are talking to an unregistered designer rather than a licensed architect. End the conversation.
What a good answer sounds like: a confident, immediate response giving the registration number and inviting you to verify it on coa.gov.in. Any hesitation, deflection, or inability to produce the number is disqualifying.
Have you filed building plan approvals with CMDA or GCC for projects in Chennai?
Chennai’s residential plots fall under either the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority or the Greater Chennai Corporation, depending on location. Each has its own approval format, documentation requirements, setback and FSI norms, and development charge computation. An architect who has not filed with the authority relevant to your plot has a learning curve, and it runs on your project.
Since 2019, approvals in Tamil Nadu are filed online through TNOBPAS — the Tamil Nadu Online Building Plan Approval System. All drawings go in digitally, all fees are paid online, and every communication happens through the portal. Ask specifically about TNOBPAS filing, not just about CMDA work in general. Read more about the CMDA building plan approval process.
What a good answer sounds like: yes, with TNOBPAS filings for both CMDA and GCC plots, knowledge of the required drawing format, area statement and development charge computation for your jurisdiction, and approved plans they can show you. Anything vague about the online portal is a concern.
Do you have a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate for TNOBPAS submissions?
TNOBPAS requires every drawing submission to be digitally signed using a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate issued by a government-approved certifying authority. Without one, the architect literally cannot submit your building plan on the portal.
Class 3 DSC: a digital signature certificate issued to an individual or organisation by a licensed certifying authority such as eMudhra, NIC or Safescrypt, after identity and address verification. Required for TNOBPAS building plan submissions — and CMDA and GCC no longer accept manual submissions for most projects.
What a good answer sounds like: yes, held and renewed before expiry, used for all TNOBPAS submissions. An architect who says they will get one later, or who asks what it is, has not filed on TNOBPAS and should not be your primary architect on a project requiring digital filing.
What exactly is included in your architectural fee?
Architect fees vary widely in Chennai, and the variation is not always proportional to quality — it often reflects the scope of services included. Two architects quoting the same percentage may be offering dramatically different deliverables. Understanding architect fees in Chennai starts with understanding what the fee covers.
The minimum scope with any practical value for construction is: 2D floor plans, 3D elevation renders, CMDA/TNOBPAS approval drawings, structural engineering co-ordination, and working drawings. A fee covering only approval drawings leaves your contractor to improvise every joinery dimension, staircase detail, bathroom layout and MEP route — which means the contractor, not the architect, is making the decisions that shape daily life in your home.
What a good answer sounds like: a specific list: concept design, 2D floor plans, 3D renders, CMDA/TNOBPAS approval drawings, structural co-ordination, MEP layout, working drawings, BOQ co-ordination and construction site visits — with a fee letter showing each deliverable. A scope described only as ‘architectural services’ is incomplete.
Who produces the structural drawings, and how do you co-ordinate with them?
Structural drawings — column layout, beam design, slab reinforcement, and foundation type derived from the soil test — are produced by a licensed structural engineer, not by the architect. But the architect is responsible for ensuring that design is co-ordinated with the architectural floor plan. A column landing in the middle of a doorway, or a beam passing through a kitchen window, is a co-ordination failure that was preventable at the drawing stage.
- Do you have a regular structural engineer you work with, and what is their name and licence?
- At what stage is the structural engineer brought in? The answer should be before structural drawings and after the soil test — not after construction begins.
- How do you check that structural column positions do not clash with the architectural plan? The answer should be a co-ordinated overlay, not a separate review.
What a good answer sounds like: a named structural engineer who designs from the soil test results, with the structural grid overlaid on the floor plan at detailed design stage and conflicts resolved before working drawings are issued. Clash conditions discovered on site are too expensive to fix.
Do MEP drawings fall within your scope?
MEP drawings — mechanical, electrical and plumbing — show the routing of electrical conduits, water supply pipes, drainage, AC ducts and gas lines through the building. In well-run practices, MEP layout is co-ordinated with the architectural and structural drawings from the first-fix stage.
In practice many Chennai architects treat MEP as the contractor’s domain, which means the contractor improvises routing on site — creating conflicts with structure, difficult maintenance access, and unnecessary variation orders. Asking directly separates practices that own the full design scope from those producing only what regulatory submission requires.
What a good answer sounds like: MEP layout drawings included in scope, co-ordinated with the structural engineer so services do not clash with beams or columns, with conduit layout, plumbing riser and drainage route all shown in the working drawing set before construction begins.
What is the difference between your approval drawings and working drawings — and which do I get?
This question reveals an architect’s service scope philosophy more clearly than any other. Approval drawings are produced in CMDA/TNOBPAS submission format: site plan, floor plans, elevations, section and area statement. They are sufficient for regulatory approval and insufficient for construction. Working drawings are the construction-ready detail set. A contractor building from approval drawings alone produces a home with undocumented dimensions, improvised joinery and unspecified finishes — all of which become disputes.
Working drawings: a set of detailed architectural drawings produced after regulatory approval, showing all construction dimensions, material specifications, joinery details, staircase cross-sections, door and window schedules, and MEP routing. They are the documents a contractor can build from without improvisation, and they are not produced by architects offering approval-only scope.
What a good answer sounds like: both. Approval drawings as the CMDA/TNOBPAS submission set, and working drawings as the construction detail set that follows approval — including joinery, staircase section, bathroom and kitchen layout, door and window schedule, and MEP routing. These are different documents with different purposes.
How many design revision rounds are included in your fee?
Unlimited revisions sounds generous until you realise it often means there is no structured design process — and that revisions will be slow, informal, and likely to introduce errors. A structured practice defines rounds explicitly: typically two at concept stage, one after developed floor plans, and one after 3D renders. Changes after working drawings are issued become variation orders with a defined cost implication.
Ask the question and watch whether the answer is specific, or whether it is a vague promise to accommodate your requirements — which protects the architect’s flexibility at the expense of your design clarity.
What a good answer sounds like: a defined count: two rounds at concept floor plan stage, one at developed floor plan stage, one after 3D renders, with changes after working drawings assessed and quoted as variations — and a clear definition of a revision as a material change rather than a minor dimension correction.
Who owns the drawings after I pay your fee in full?
The copyright position on architectural drawings in India is that the architect holds copyright in the drawings as creative works. In practice this becomes a problem when a homeowner pays the full fee, the relationship breaks down, and the architect claims ownership and refuses to release the drawings to a replacement architect. This is more common than homeowners expect.
The correct resolution is a written agreement at the outset: the drawings become the client’s property on full payment of the fee, and the architect grants a licence to use them for the construction of this specific project. Ask for it in writing. An architect who resists putting it in the fee agreement is protecting their ability to hold you to ransom if things deteriorate.
What a good answer sounds like: on full payment the drawings are yours to use for this project, with the architect retaining underlying copyright but granting a full project licence — and happy to include the clause in the written fee agreement.
What site supervision do you provide during construction?
Architectural design ends at working drawing issue; architectural site support continues through construction. The scope varies enormously. Some architects include milestone visits — foundation, frame, MEP first-fix, finishing — in the base fee. Others charge separately. Some make no site visits at all once approval is obtained.
The practical consequence of no site visits is that construction improvisation goes unchecked. The contractor makes decisions the architect would have corrected, and the homeowner has no professional advocate for design quality on site. For a project with a complete working drawing set, milestone visits at six to eight key stages are a reasonable minimum.
What a good answer sounds like: a listed schedule: foundation completion, plinth beam, first-floor column and slab, second-floor column and slab, MEP first-fix, internal plaster, and final snag inspection — with drawing queries clarified and variation orders reviewed at each visit, and additional visits available at a stated rate.
How long will the complete design process take?
Design timelines in Chennai are frequently underestimated by architects and clients alike. A realistic timeline for a standard G+1 independent house from brief to CMDA-ready drawings is 8–12 weeks. CMDA/TNOBPAS approval takes a further 8–12 weeks from submission. Working drawings, BOQ co-ordination and construction support overlap with the approval stage. Understanding the full CMDA approval process helps you build a realistic programme.
An architect promising approval in four weeks on a full G+1 design brief is either quoting a reduced scope or is not experienced with the TNOBPAS queue for your jurisdiction. Either outcome is a risk.
What a good answer sounds like: 8–10 weeks from brief sign-off to CMDA-ready drawings for a standard G+1 home, 8–12 weeks for approval depending on jurisdiction and queue, 2–3 weeks for working drawings and BOQ overlapping the approval stage — and a recommendation to plan at least six months from engagement to starting construction.
What happens if there is a dispute during the project?
Disputes between architects and clients happen. The common causes: the homeowner believes a revision is in scope and the architect charges for it; the homeowner wants to change contractor after working drawings are issued; the architect and contractor disagree on a site decision; or the project stalls at approval and the homeowner wants a refund of the unearned portion of the fee.
A professional architect has a clear written answer — disputes resolved by mediation, fee refunds computed on the proportion of deliverables completed, copyright not transferring unless fees are paid in full, and a change of contractor not affecting the architectural contract. Vagueness here protects their ability to operate without accountability.
What a good answer sounds like: handled per the written fee agreement, which sets out the fee split by deliverable stage, the refund policy for incomplete stages, and the mediation process — with a specific past example and the relevant clause in their standard fee letter. Specificity is the reassurance.
Ask Buildiyo All Twelve on the First Call
COA number, Class 3 DSC, TNOBPAS filings, fee scope, drawing ownership — every answer in writing, on the first conversation.
Architect Red Flags and Green Flags
Use this alongside the twelve questions to score the responses you receive:
Swipe or scroll to see the full table →
| Red flag — walk away | Green flag — good sign |
|---|---|
| Cannot provide a COA registration number | Provides the COA number, verifiable on coa.gov.in |
| Quotes a per-sqft fee with no written scope of services | Written fee proposal with defined deliverables, revision rounds and payment milestones |
| No examples of CMDA or TNOBPAS approval filing | Shows filed approval drawings and names the TNOBPAS portal directly |
| Does not have, or will not get, a Class 3 DSC | Holds a Class 3 DSC and explains why TNOBPAS digital submission requires it |
| Cannot name the structural engineer they co-ordinate with | Names a licensed structural engineer and explains the soil-test-to-design workflow |
| Says MEP drawings are the contractor’s responsibility | Owns MEP co-ordination and produces MEP layout drawings as part of scope |
| Approval drawings are the only drawings they produce | Clearly distinguishes approval from working drawings and offers the full working set |
| Revision rounds are ‘unlimited’ or undefined | States specific rounds included — two after concept, one after developed design |
| Claims the drawings remain their property after full payment | States drawings become the client’s property on full payment, and will put it in writing |
| Cannot explain who inspects the site during construction | Defines the site visit schedule in the written agreement |
How to Choose an Architect in Chennai: the decision framework
How to choose an architect in Chennai comes down to three dimensions, evaluated in this order:
- Legal eligibilityCOA registration, a Class 3 DSC, and TNOBPAS filing experience. These are binary. If any one is absent, the architect cannot legally complete your project in Chennai.
- Scope completeness2D floor plans, 3D renders, structural co-ordination, MEP layout, CMDA approval drawings, working drawings, and construction site visits. If any are absent, confirm whether they are in scope or whether you need a second engagement to supplement them.
- Practice qualityPortfolio, completed project quality, the structural engineer they work with, references from past clients, and responsiveness in the first conversation. Subjective, but it matters.
The order is the point: the best architect in Chennai for house construction is the one who scores well on all three — not the one with the most visually striking portfolio who cannot answer Q3 about the Class 3 DSC.
Design and Build Under One Contract
Approval drawings, working drawings, structural co-ordination and MEP layout in one scope — then construction from those same drawings, with no handover gap.
Architect Selection Checklist: bring this to every consultation
Swipe or scroll to see the full table →
| Check | Confirm before you sign a fee agreement |
|---|---|
| COA registration number confirmed and verified on coa.gov.in | |
| CMDA / TNOBPAS approval filing experience confirmed for your plot’s jurisdiction | |
| Class 3 DSC confirmed — the architect can file TNOBPAS submissions immediately | |
| Written fee proposal received, defining every deliverable and every revision round | |
| Structural engineering co-ordination confirmed — named engineer, soil-test-based design | |
| MEP layout drawings confirmed as part of scope | |
| Working drawings confirmed — joinery, staircase, bathroom, kitchen, MEP routing | |
| Design revision rounds defined in writing, not described as ‘unlimited’ | |
| Drawing ownership on full payment confirmed in writing | |
| Site visit schedule defined, with milestone visits listed by construction stage | |
| Realistic timeline confirmed — 8–12 weeks design, 8–12 weeks CMDA approval | |
| Dispute resolution clause reviewed in the fee agreement |
Bring the Checklist to a Buildiyo Architect
Come with the twelve questions and the checklist. We will work through every line against your plot and put the answers in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important questions to ask an architect before hiring?
Five carry the most weight: are you COA-registered and verifiable on coa.gov.in; do you have a Class 3 DSC for TNOBPAS submissions; does your fee include working drawings rather than approval drawings alone; how many revision rounds are included; and who owns the drawings after full payment.
How do I choose an architect in Chennai for my house?
Choose a COA-registered architect with a Class 3 DSC for TNOBPAS online submission, experience filing CMDA or GCC plans for your plot’s jurisdiction, a fee scope that includes working drawings and structural co-ordination, and a written fee agreement covering deliverables, revision rounds and the drawing ownership clause. Verify COA registration before signing anything.
What is the difference between approval drawings and working drawings?
Approval drawings are the regulatory submission set filed with CMDA or GCC via TNOBPAS — site plan, floor plans, elevation, section and area statement. Working drawings are the construction-ready detail set: joinery dimensions, staircase sections, bathroom and kitchen layouts, door and window schedules, and MEP routing. You need both; only approval drawings are legally required by the authority.
Why does an architect in Chennai need a Class 3 DSC?
TNOBPAS requires all building plan submissions to be digitally signed using a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate. Without one the architect cannot file your CMDA or GCC application on the portal, and manual submissions are no longer accepted for most projects.
What is a red flag when interviewing an architect?
Cannot provide a COA registration number; unaware of TNOBPAS or has no Class 3 DSC; quotes approval drawings as the complete service; offers unlimited revisions without defining them; cannot name the structural engineer they co-ordinate with; cannot explain who owns the drawings after full payment; dismissive when asked about dispute resolution.
Build with Clarity: ask the right questions first
The questions to ask an architect before hiring are not adversarial — they are the due diligence that protects both parties. A good architect welcomes them, because they show the client understands the scope of the professional relationship and holds reasonable expectations. An architect who is evasive, vague or dismissive when asked about COA registration, the Class 3 DSC, working drawings or drawing ownership is telling you something important about how they will handle your project.
Hiring an architect who answers all twelve clearly and in writing gives you a documented, enforceable understanding of what you are buying before you pay. That clarity — more than any portfolio piece — is what separates a successful residential project from an expensive dispute. If you want a team that can answer every one of these questions on the first call, contact Buildiyo today.