Help with architect fee distribution
lyfia
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
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Can someone help me evaluate architects' proposals??
Comments (4)Architects provide considerably more valuable services than drawing "pretty pictures". In fact, some of the best architects I have known couldn't draw well at all. What they do is interpret a family's needs and translate them into a building that works far better than what a typical builder or homeowner could. The essential skill is imaginative problem solving and empathy with the people who will live in the house. Of course, homeowners have differing needs, standards, and tastes so not all of them will want what an architect offers. Some builders offer similar services but so far I have not found one who was willing to put the homeowner's interests ahead of his own. If your budget is tight you should ask the architect for cost estimation services at the end of the preliminary design and design development phases. Cost estimation is not normally considered a basic architectural service. It should be added to the contract as an additional service just like models, 3D CAD, attendance at hearings, etc. Alternatively, you can hire an architect and interview builders, select one, and then pay him to provide cost estimations and give advice, then negotiate a Cost of the Work contract with a GMP and shared savings. This approach can also get you into the ground more quickly which could save money in the current rising material cost environment....See MoreOne architect's view of Cost Plus Fee contracts
Comments (3)The important issues in a cost plus contract are how will the subs be selected and paid and how will the GC's own forces be paid. Overhead is not a cost of the work unless it takes place on site. The difficulty is that few home builders or owners are capable of managing the contract without training. It should not be confused with a Time and Materials contract. Because it can reduce the owner's pricing control, a Guaranteed Maximum Price is often used. A shared Savings feature is another good idea. But because most of the costs are from subs, how the GC writes the sub contracts is critical. For large projects the sub contract work is bid competitively after the GC'S is hired and the owner approves the bidders and picks the winner. This post was edited by Renovator8 on Sun, Aug 11, 13 at 10:57...See MoreQuestion on architect fee
Comments (6)The fee itself does sound pretty reasonable for the work (if I understand the work correctly). However, I don't know what the reference to basing a fee on true market value of the project means. Perhaps if you gave some more information it would be helpful. The cost of the work to get the addition permitted is $25,000 and is for what? What is the contractor doing? What is the scope of work for each the Contractor, the Architect and the Structural engineer. The drawings are to re-create the addition and receive building department approval of it? Have you spoken to your building department and gotten their approval of this approach or were they the ones who suggested it? I would assume that the architect would therefore do a sort of as-built set of drawings and the structural engineer would do the same, and the structural engineer in particular would have to research the home to determine just what was done so he could then reverse-design his drawings. Again, it's an unusual situation so it's hard to weigh in on whether it's correct or not....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 Morelyfia
4 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agolyfia thanked Mark Bischak, Architectlyfia
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4 years agoVirgil Carter Fine Art
4 years ago
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Mark Bischak, Architect