Between 1914 and 1916, he served his articles with the Christchurch firm of Seager and Macleod, and took classes at the Canterbury College School of Art.
[1] After Harman returned to New Zealand, he worked in partnership with Cecil Wood from December 1926[4] until setting up his own practice in 1928.
Harman gained a reputation as a residential and ecclesiastical architect, and was particularly associated with the Anglican Church.
[1] On 22 February 1933, at St Augustine's Church, Cashmere, Harman married Jocelyn Mary Wilson, the daughter of Cecil Wilson, the bishop of Bunbury in Western Australia; the wedding ceremony was conducted by Jocelyn's grandfather, Archbishop Churchill Julius.
[2] Richard Harman died on 14 September 1953, and he was buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch.