Hire and architect or a GC first?

[Marty Houghton]

Hi there!

I'm going to turn an existing garage into another unit.  I've met with an architect and received a bid for his effort already, but I wonder if I'm getting things out of order.  Perhaps I should meet with a GC first, so I don't double-dip on the design effort (?)

When would you use a private architect, as opposed to going directly to a GC?

---Marty  

[Pat L.]

We usually have to file the stamped drawings to the Bldg Inspector 1st. Then we weed out which GC will do the job.