First of all, congratulations on starting your building journey. Building requires a lot of time, money, and effort. Therefore bringing on board professionals that are reliable and ethical is essential. Architects are a relevant part of the building, so you need an Architect that brings value to the construction.
For this reason, you should ensure that the Architect you desire to hire is licensed. WHY? Well, a licensed Architect is qualified to undertake the design and construction of a building. A licensed practitioner will bring creativity and economic value to the project. Moreover, a registered architect will ensure they exercise a duty of care and, in doing so, develop a project that is in line with the health and safety standards and suitable for the need of the client.
According to the Legislative Guidelines and Model Regulation, an unqualified/unregistered person is involved in architecture will be held liable for their actions. Thus, Civil and Criminal suits may be instituted against such persons.