Architect changed price mid-design; what are my options?
Joe Federer
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (38)
Virgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agosabrinatx
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
OT: any designers out there? what are my options?
Comments (11)thank you all so much. i am in the middle of such hell right now, i completely forgot i had posted this. marcy: thanks for posting that interesting article. i skimmed through but i'll go back and read again. latimore: i'd come across that NCIDQ website before, and then lost it so i really appreciate the post! breezy & boxer: it made me smile to read your kind words. i needed to "hear" that, so i owe you a debt of gratitude. thank you so, so much! growlery: you've given me some very good jumping points to research and it helps quite a bit to have it there in black and white. TY! and mamadadapaige: it doesn't really seem as if you've been gone, as your beautiful kitchen is constantly resurrected in posts, newly discovered by the ever-changing community we have here! i think a newbe just posted a shot of your kitchen only yesterday. did you mention your plans to switch careers? i seem to remember someone -but not sure if it was you. but i'm thrilled things are going so well for you! and of COURSE you're busy! why wouldn't you be? your kitchen is a GW favorite of mine. i wasn't really worried about getting work, but more concerned about fulfilling the requirements. i have a lot to think about and i'm a bit preoccupied while we try to finish up but i'm copying all the responses in this thread so i can come back and consider all the wonderful advice i've received. i was thinking about the economy and how it is all cyclical, and WILL come back eventually. i'm sort of throwing ideas back and forth and have been wanting to pick up some starter homes that need work in better areas -and give them ultra-fab face lifts. i didn't mention this to my dh since we obviously have invested a lot in our home. but we were discussing my options and he said i should look around for some real estate and fix them up "because," he says, "your pretty good at this stuff..." i couldn't believe, that man read my mind! i don't feel the timing is right for that yet, though. and i would still want to work toward accreditation of some kind ...do you see? i am so confused. no matter how grim things seem to me right now with the build, things will settle in time and i am sure i will figure it all out. it always happens. things always work out for me. a friend once told me i should give seminars on how to MAKE everything work out. it's laughable really. i just have faith. i just want to be sure and let you all know again, how much i really appreciate your kind words and for sharing your information and ideas. like i said, when things settle i'll go through your posts again and formulate a plan. i knew i would get some replies when i posted but i'm always amazed at how truly giving you all are....See MoreX-Post: MidCentury Exterior Doors Options/Pricing
Comments (32)Ok, I'm back, and refocused. Thanks so much for all the advice (and the football tangent. I'm married to a Steelers fan, so Sunday wasn't a happy day -- record-setting blizzard AND Brady getting another ring). Anyway, I did the rough math and decided that by the time I pay my GC to install and painter to paint my doors, they won't be much cheaper than going with a much better product. Plus, my GC doesn't do exterior doors everyday and I know there's a real benefit to having the experts handle install. I've talked to a few local folks and been advised that HomeGuard is a bit of a better value than Provia -- less expensive and still quite good. I've been quoted $4400 to install factory-painted HomeGuard doors - two 36"x80" flush steel doors plus two 16'x80" sidelites with low E and argon glass. Is this a decent price? And a good way to go? Thanks again....See MoreWhat should I expect from my architect? Long!
Comments (22)Omelet's right. All architects are different to some degree but no different than that of any other profession. But as others have noted above, most successful design results come from a highly collaborative effort with the client involved every step of the way. A couple of weeks later I asked if we could meet and he showed me his preliminary plan. To be honest, that scared me a little bit. I'm a believer that the best designers are fast on their feet. Coming up with the basic concept, or "big idea" ("Parti" in architect speak), should be highly interactive with all the conceptualizing done right there. Depending on project complexity, we all have to go "back to the shop" to some degree to fine tune up the "big idea" but if a guy/girl ALWAYS has to do that, IMHO he/she is probably not that creative. I do these sessions all the time, call them design “charrettes” and they typically last 4 or 5 hours and at the end of that time we have a house conceptualized. And no spectators are allowed as everyone there is an active participant! And you’d be surprised at the number of great design ideas a builder or owner can come up with. I do all the drawing freehand and if a “straight” line is needed, I just use the edge of my scale. A computer drawing may show what I know but a sketch will show what I’m thinking. To remove some of the mystery and to give you an idea of what you should be shooting for, here’s a recent charrette and it’s interesting in that the sketch in the photo I'm working on is the first floor plan (first sketch photo) and you can see how close the final “hard line" is to that sketch. There's usually dozens if not hundreds of sketches. This highly condensed explanation might make it appear there's one per floor!! I put a little star in a circle on the ones that are important so I can find them later in the debris field! That’s the builder in the grey shirt flanked by the owners and me with pen in hand. We started at 8AM and by noon we had the freehand sketches below. I hardlined them later so everyone could understand what we did but most of the designing was done in that meeting. And here's the actual charrette sketches, the fine tuned sketches (done later) and the final. Hopefully you can see the concept is all carried forward from the first "big idea" to the final. And also, everything is thought of simultaneously. We're not coming up with a floor plan and then "tacking on" elevations. And we're stopping design at the property lines, not at the exterior walls, like most posted plans in this forum do. This sketch is the actual one I'm working on the the charrette photo: First floor "Big Idea": Second Floor "Big Idea": Elevations and plans interposed Fine tuned up Final....not much different from the freehand conceptuals that were developed interactively:...See MoreHelp me with feedback on selecting architect/designer for our house
Comments (9)Assuming you felt at ease with all three, I think I'd pick the Designer. My logic to follow.... Works with low-mid to high end projects [...] Likely to respect your budget. Two thumbs up. [...] sole practitioner with no employees/helpers [...] Carries 100% of design responsibility; can't blame someone else for mistakes. [...] but will contract 3D designs out [...] No biggie. PPF and Res (from the forums) do this. ;-) [...] has designed several hill country style houses [...] YES!!! This carries a lot of weight with me; I'd be nervous the entire time if my architect/designer wasn't intimately familiar with my style, because I'd be trying to research all of the design elements (to ensure accuracy) while s/he was designing. And that's just bad juju, right there. [...] and showed me them as well as one very similar to our project with of course some specific differences [...] I think we have a winner. <3 [...] would travel in from a large city 75 miles away for site visits. [...] This also is super important to me; I need someone to back me up if things aren't built according to the drawings, and offer assistance in either compromise or demands for repair. [...] but not sure we want to go just the designer route as there is no construction "supervision." Wait, does he or does he *not* do site visits? :-) Is there another professional who can be brought on board, to offer this service to you? [...] Not an architect, but has an architecture degree. Very detail oriented as well. I recall Mr. Doug/ARG specifically saying that there are architects out there who he wouldn't trust to design a dog house for him, but there was an intern he had one time (who decided not to complete formal architectural education) who had enormous talent. Cost: $4/sq ft. I just realized I forgot to ask which sq. ft this is based on - target or final. I'm not crazy about per-square-foot fee structures (there's no incentive to keep square footage down, and I value smaller houses, lol), but there's no reason you can't exert discipline in this area, yourself. :-D...See MoreMark Bischak, Architect
8 years agoC Masty
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agolookintomyeyes83
8 years agomillworkman
8 years agoJonnygun
8 years agoJDS
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agolapsangtea
8 years agoJoe Federer
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoJoe Federer
8 years agobry911
8 years agoJDS
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agocpartist
8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoneonweb US 5b
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoAnn Scott-Arnold
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobry911
8 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoAnn Scott-Arnold
8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agoCASEY BUILDING SOLUTIONS
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoC Masty
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
8 years agobry911
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
Related Stories
HOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: Major Changes Open Up a Seattle Waterfront Home
Taken down to the shell, this Tudor-Craftsman blend now maximizes island views, flow and outdoor connections
Full StoryARCHITECTUREWhen Architects Design Homes for Themselves
See the amazing results when 7 modern architects take on their own idiosyncrasies in very personal designs
Full StoryARCHITECTUREThink Like an Architect: Know Your Homesite for a Great Design
Learn how to approach a building site the way professionals do — considering everything in sight
Full StoryWORKING WITH PROSHow to Hire the Right Architect
Your perfect match is out there. Here’s how to find good candidates — and what to ask at that first interview
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNLight-Happy Changes Upgrade a Small Bathroom
Glass block windows, Starphire glass shower panes and bright white and blue tile make for a bright new bathroom design
Full StoryWORKING WITH PROS10 Things Architects Want You to Know About What They Do
Learn about costs, considerations and surprising things architects do — plus the quick route to pinning down their style
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESHow to Work With an Architect
Architects blend beauty, function and structural integrity into a breathtaking package. Here's how to get the most from your collaboration
Full StoryWORKING WITH PROSHow to Hire the Right Architect: Comparing Fees
Learn common fee structures architects use and why you might choose one over another
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNHow to Hire a Landscape Architect
Find the best fit for your landscaping project with this guide to evaluating and selecting a pro
Full StoryMATERIALSAn Architect Shares His Go-To Materials
Aluminum doors, porcelain tiles, polished concrete. Here are the features and finishes this professional returns to time and again
Full Story
Joe FedererOriginal Author