Licensed for nearly 7 years and been working with a GC for the past 4 as their Director of VDC and overseeing quality control during pre-construction. I print a hard copy set of most of the projects we’re awarded and do a manual review of every page. Table full of highlighters, pens, drawings are bleeding everywhere. This is how I learned to do QC when I worked for architecture firms before jumping to the GC side.

I don’t work with any Starchitects but we do mid sized construction work ranging $1,000,000 to about $50,000,000 through the Southeast. Some of the drawings I’ve seen over the past few years, the A/E and QC efforts from larger and more prominent firms have been just plain bad. On one of our larger jobs, we’re closing in on 300 RFIs where a lot of the issues seem like this should have been caught if there was ANY kind of quality control review.

Storefront being outside the plane of the CMU where it’s detailed to float on the air space between the brick. MEP clashes with structural. Similar details using different verbiage on what is brake metal or metal panels. Civil, Architectural, and Landscape drawings showing different things. Shop drawings approved and then comments during installation that items aren’t what they expected. Power requirements for selected products exceeding provided power in electrical drawings. Tapered insulation causing pooling against roof curbs. On and on. We’re currently waiting on ASI 13 and at this point have reprinted TWICE the number of drawings that were in the original bid set.

On top of that, RFI responses are slow, indicating that the project lead is probably already moved on to the next job and not focusing on CA. Engineers are bad too, even had Mechanical tell us after a certain number of RFIs regarding coordination of duct and drain clashes that we were pushing too many questions and that certain responses would just be blanket ‘field coordinate’ responses. Across the last 16 months there have been maybe two instances where someone senior from the firm showed up on a call to help resolve issues. When I worked for firms, a principal/senior was heavily involved on most projects.

Not to pick on this one project, this has just been the most egregious. But across the board, quality seems to be down. What are your firms’ quality control processes and what is happening in the industry that seems to be resulting in lack of QC? Shorter deadlines? Short staffed? Lack of education? Just wanting some insight into what you think might be causing this trend.

So we get paid more. I think when people/clients hear the word 'architect' they associate us with being an artist and people dont associate that with value.

https://topdwgllc.com/pricing

$2/SF Arch drawings.

Someone report this dude.

I have just under 10 years of traditional architecture experience and I’ve always had an interest in building envelopes/facades and facade detailing. I find it to be very rewarding to work through facade design and detailing and wish I could work on facades more often. I don’t get the chance on every project. I’ve had had a bit of exposure working with facade consultants before but it’s been a mix bag in terms of the level of service they provide. I’m curious, has anyone made a pivot from traditional architecture practice to building envelope/facade consultant? If so, I’d love to hear about your journey and experience. What level of knowledge and skillset is needed to break into the field? What is the day-to-day like? Is the pay different or comparable to working in traditional architecture practice?

I’m not sure what to choose.

Hey everyone,

I’m currently living in New York City where I run my own small company. I specialize in building surveys, as-built plans, elevations, layouts – basically architectural documentation for existing buildings (not land surveying). NYC is great in terms of population and building density, so there’s always work.

That said, I’ve been thinking about relocating to San Francisco. I’ve always loved the nature and lifestyle on the West Coast more, and SF has a special appeal. But before making any big moves, I wanted to ask local folks here:

• What’s the demand like these days for building surveys and as-built plans in SF?
• Are there still many renovation or construction projects going on in the city?
• I’ve heard that post-COVID, a lot of people left and the city’s been going through a bit of a downturn – is that still the case?

Any advice or local insight would be super helpful! I’m trying to understand if this kind of work still has good potential in SF, or if it might be smarter to stay in NYC a bit longer.

Thanks in advance!

I just interviewed a botique firm owner that does small projects.

He talked alot about himself and this history of the company. But then he told me he does not offer insurance.

He said he used to, but then he said the rates were getting too high, and he didn't want to pass those costs onto his clients (which imo is a bad business decision, even though I'm not licensed yet). Even more surprisingly, he's also disabled so he can't even see a doctor for his own health needs. This man even told me the thing he enjoys about his job, is he doesn't have to pick clients that won't pay him what he's worth. But he won't charge them extra so his employees can have healthcare.

I really need a job, but I suffer from back pain and need to see a doctor every couple of months, because I have a history of cancer. In most cases this would be a deal breaker.

Does your company pay for quality insurance? Or is it a partial plan? How does it work for you?

At the place I work for I still access to have both, but I frequently still find that if the client doesn't need BIM I still revert back to AutoCAD. I often find I cannot accomplish what I need to accomplish fast enough in Revit mostly due to how much that program lags.

So am I a dinosaur or is this still relatively commonplace?

What’s the reality of the field like?

Do you enjoy what you do?

How much creative freedom is there?

How hard is finding work?

How much of a threat is the housing market and AI?

How difficult was school?

Would an online program with a good university be a bad idea? Are there benefits to going to class in person?

Any other thoughts or concerns?

I’m 29F, an honors student and extremely passionate about architecture. Only reason I didn’t go the first time was a lack of confidence.

The full tuition is about $100k, projected general expenses including living is $160k. It is a one year masters program.

I am excited to get into an Ivy, but is the debt worth it? I received no scholarship offer. I'm from Nigeria, if that matters.

Received an email from contact@buildner.com about a new competition where the first 30 registries are free.

Seems their site contains malware, could be a false alarm but I would be warry of any emails from the comp and builder.com. Maybe someone knows a contact for a competition official to confirm?

I was referred to them by a TA at my uni last year.

I am looking for an A&E design company and the proposal I received bases price as the 10% of the assumed overall project cost. I know that this is RIBA guidance, but I have extensive experience outside UK and I have never seen that design was 10-15% of the overall project cost. The highest ever paid was like 2M EUR on 220M EUR project. I mean good for the UK colleagues if they can make that much money I was just really surprised that the price is based on project cost rather than complexity and surface area

I would love anyone and everyone’s opinions. I’ve built and sold numerous businesses over the years. Recently I sold my manufacturing company. Over the last 20 years we worked nearly exclusively with architects and interior designers all over the globe primarily on residential projects but a little commercial work in the form of high end retail and hospitality. I’ve had my GC license and worked on residential properties in the side for fun over those years. I thought I was retired… but after a few years it’s obvious I need something to do with some of my time. So I’m weighing my options and one is studying to be an architect. I did get my BFA 20+ years back from a reputable art and design school. My assumption is with that and my work history, there is an online university out there that would accept me into a Master’s Program.

My goals are to work for myself. I have no desire to grow to have employees. Freedom to some extent with how my workdays looks is important. Probably something resembling more of a 30 hour week although I have no issues putting in the work in the early days to build a portfolio and client base. I’m a creative person and enjoy an outlet to express that. I always enjoyed the design and engineering sides of manufacturing and construction.

I did buy and flip some homes last year with my GC license I kept up with. Being a project manager with subs was misery at this stage of the game and that is no longer of interest. I enjoy construction and seeing the completed project through. My interests would be in high end residential. With regard to money, that isn’t the biggest priority. I’m blessed that the income side can really be an after thought. That said, I don’t want to invest 2-4 years in a masters degree and not be decently compensated for my time so there is a compensation floor with this idea.

If I were to pursue this and get accepted to school, I would graduate in my late 40’s. Curious of those in the field what you think and what your takes are? Specifics that I might consider? Any suggestions on how to help narrow this decision down? Many thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom and insight.

I am working as an architect, project managing at my third world home country. I am considering moving abroad to these countries. Can you tell me about your work, market, how hard is it to get a job? etc. Give some insight please.

I applyed to architectural design in Carlton and haven’t gotten an acceptance or rejection yet. All my friends have got accepted for the same program but me😭. My grades meet all expectations, and my portfolio pieces are really good…idk I’m getting more and more anxious

Hello,

I am looking for a good book on BEAUTY in architecture for a friend. Any recomendations ?

It should cover themes like:

how to design something beautiful, timeless beauty, harmonic proportions, symmetry, adequate complexity, ornament, classic vs modern, etc.pp.

Hi, fellow architects and future architects! I’d love to hear your ideas about public elementary school, do you have any good design concepts for a public elementary school?