For architects and architecture practices
Architecture Firm Testimonials at Handover
An architecture project can run for years, and the client who briefed you may judge it twice: once when they get the keys, and again after living or working in the building through summer and winter. Enter the handover date and get a plan that asks at both moments, and hears from the people who use the building as well as the client who commissioned it.
- A short ask at handover, a fuller one after occupancy
- Commissioning client and occupants asked separately
- A one year return that suits award entries and post occupancy reviews
The problem, solved
Why practices miss the best quotes, and how StoryProof helps
Most architects ask once at completion, if at all. The richest testimonial usually arrives later.
Situation 1 of 5
The project took three years
By completion the client is tired of the process and the brief is a distant memory. A testimonial then is about relief.
How StoryProof solves it
Add the client as a contact at handover and email requests on the planner dates, with reminders on a plan with automations.
Situation 2 of 5
They have not lived in it yet
The design shows its value over seasons: winter light, summer heat, how rooms get used. Asking at handover misses all of that.
How StoryProof solves it
Send a second request after a season of occupancy; nothing publishes until you approve it, so early and later answers can sit side by side.
Situation 3 of 5
They want to show us around
Clients who love the building would rather walk you through it than write about it.
How StoryProof solves it
The collection link lets them record a walk through video on their phone, leave a voice note or type.
Situation 4 of 5
We already filmed the completion
Some practices hold interview footage from project photography days that never made it online.
How StoryProof solves it
Upload existing video files directly into StoryProof, alongside testimonials collected through the link.
Situation 5 of 5
Homeowners and developers want different proof
A family commissioning a house and a developer commissioning flats ask very different questions.
How StoryProof solves it
Tag testimonials by sector, project type and stage, and choose which approved ones each page shows.
Handover and occupancy planner
Plan the asks from the handover date
Enter the date the client took possession. The plan asks lightly at handover, then waits for the building to be lived in before asking about the design.
Day +7
Handover week: a short note
Ask the client one question about the process: how it felt to work with the practice from brief to keys. Keep it short; they are moving in.
Day +90
First season in the building
Ask the client what has surprised them about living or working in the space. This is where design comments start.
Day +120
Ask the occupants
For commercial or public buildings, ask the facilities manager or staff how the spaces work day to day. For homes, ask other members of the household.
Day +200
After a change of season
Light, heat and noise behave differently now. Invite a short walk through video from the client, recorded on their phone.
Day +365
One year review
At the end of the first year, ask the fullest question: would they brief you again, and why. This answer suits award entries and future bids.
Dates are calculated in your browser. Nothing is stored.
Client or occupant: who speaks to what
On many projects the person who commissioned the building is not the person who uses it every day.
In StoryProof
Run it in StoryProof
- You will need
- Handover date and client contact details
- The client’s agreement to be named, or how they want to be described
- 1
Add contacts at handover
Client, and where relevant the occupant or facilities contact, with the project name.
- 2
Send requests on the planner dates
Email the collection link at each milestone. Reminders follow on a plan with automations.
- 3
Approve with care for privacy
Check private homes are not identifiable by address or street detail before approving.
- 4
Tag by project and show by sector
Tag each testimonial by project, sector and stage, then choose them for each sector page.
What happens next: Add the handover date to your project close checklist so the plan starts every time.
Before you start
What StoryProof does not cover
What this does not cover, and what to check on your side. Better to know now than after launch.
- 01
No practice management link
StoryProof does not read handover dates from your project or practice management software. You enter them.
- 02
Project photography is separate
StoryProof collects testimonials, not your portfolio photographs. Photo rights are agreed with the photographer and client.
- 03
Professional rules on claims
Some professional bodies set rules on how architects advertise. Check yours before publishing claims about results.
- 04
Disputes pause the plan
If fees or defects are in dispute after handover, stop the requests until it is settled.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
When should an architect ask a client for a testimonial?
Briefly at handover about the process, then after a season or a year of occupancy about the building itself. The later answer is usually the stronger one.
Should we ask the people who use the building?
Yes, where it is not the client. Occupants and facilities staff speak to how the design works daily, which the commissioning client may not see.
Can a homeowner stay anonymous?
Yes. A first name and project type, such as “Anna, family house extension”, is enough. Avoid anything that reveals the address.
Where should architecture testimonials appear?
Next to the project they describe and on the relevant sector page. The portfolio page guide covers placement.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Start the plan at your next handover
Set up a form now so the first ask is ready when the keys change hands. No credit card needed to start.
Last updated 2026-11-07.