Well water will trigger all sorts of agencies.
You may get the advice you pay for here, but some of these guys owe you money for wasting your time.
Professional is as professional does.
Several comments suggest that hiring an architect to design a house can be done for a nominal additional cost that is really very small relative to the overall house budget+
On another thread there's a guy doing plans for $0.08 sq.ft. The misconception is that cheap is good value. But by no mean is the opposite guaranteed to true, which is one of NSB's quandaries.
The basic mistake here is exactly the same as asking a plumber to recommend a good plumber.
OP, my advice, do your best to stay away from architects as 90% of all people do. As demonstrated herein they turn the most simplest of things into a clusterfuck.
"does everyone who replied with such rude crazy shit treat every new client who walks into their office this way?" Seems to be so but usually it is at least done behind the client's backs, not so on the web.
carrera and timothy - this thread is a perfect example why I don't come to this site much anymore - this is NOT how our profession treats people in real life (at least in my world) - but with the internet you have certain people who treat this as an anonymous opportunity to vent all their anger/frustration into the world and hope the rest of us react. All you have to do is spend 30 minutes reading some of the threads and its the same 8-10 users who's sarcastic comments hijack almost every topic. I want to truly believe that these folks are the small, angry minority within our profession as the people I work with every day don't act this way.
Climbing off my soapbox- please feel free to reply with all the nastiness you want - I'm not going to react
The picture of the injured horse was in support of the OP. You were supposed to come away with the idea that electric fences aren`t so bad for the safety and well-being of the horse. Keep up.
I agree cajunarch, this was a more light-hearted forum 5 years or so ago, even 10, or am I being nostalgic? ................................................but this thread does represent a certain reality.............................. For example: When I quit my large firm job to go back to school for graduate studies at UPenn, a partner of that firm in the elevator told me wisely "do not hang out with other architects, go over to Wharton Business school and make friends.".....................................within one semester, two Wharton students in the entrepreneur program sent a mass email to the Architecture department asking for help in designing their tailor store. They received about 30 emails and only 2 were positive and interested. Mine and another kid (also Midwest undergrad). The other emails were Miles Jaffe like rants including one kid who used every SAT word possible. I had a good laugh reading all the nonsense. I had already worked 3-4 years and knew how much "free" information to give - up without actually giving up work. I showed collages and a quick schematic plan. The other kid wouldn't release digitally a very specific design and noted all kinds of copyright laws. One of my favorite jobs and clients to date, I wear the clothes and still have business dealings with both the Wharton grads 7 years later,all because I was willing to do a little something up front and be positive about it. Also, instead of being negative you could just give out the wrong info if you are really so worried about your job security being threatened by people looking for advice - keep living up to the Architect stereotype ;)
as we don't have many people experienced with residential construction involving well water in southern california, maybe this would be a more productive discussion on horse fencing?
i've seen horses kept in barbed wire fence and horses kept in electric fences. i don't know how common it is, but i have seen a horse that was wounded from barbed wire (not the picture, the one i saw took the cut down it's side; the picture i posted was from the internet). it takes a relatively large amount of land to keep a horse, which means a lot of fencing, so cost as well as maintenance often becomes an important consideration. the OP is a software architect, so maybe cost isn't a factor. i don't know what other options are available, but i do believe the electric fence is a safe and humane option for keeping the horses in, especially compared with barbed wire.
electric fences are actually pretty low voltage, so i would think photovoltaics could be a viable option. i think the fence could have a battery back-up, but if you relied completely on on-site power generation for the house too, then that would be a whole other can of worms to open.
maybe they should look at covering a few acres with an 8' chain link fence?
sadler's lack of residential experience is obvious. Those in the practice have developed a keen sense of smell by necessity. We don't treat potential clients like shit. An anonymous poster on an internet forum is not a potential client, and the model for him is the many many people who've posted here anonymously looking for freebies from professionals. Searching for an architect on the web means identifying perspective candidates with your real name.
Giving NSB the benefit of the doubt his language may be part of the problem. But as stated in previous posts there are other problems as well. So while he may indeed be legit there is no way to know as he pissed in the pool with his very first post.
Those in the practice have developed a keen sense of smell by necessity.
Exactly. I have several red flags - and when the client throws them up I'm usually looking for other clients. This may or may not include early discussions about value or cost, but when coupled with someone who is already comparing the cost of my service with the cost of a stock plan, I know that the project won't go anywhere. I certainly am happy to spend a lot of time educating a client and I always tell them that I'm happy to chat for free. Most people do not abuse this.
I think Miles had made several really good valid points about the way this forum is organized. The forum is severely dated in terms of its functionality. Most forums require that a user have several comments - and days on the forum - before they are allowed to post. Many also have "stickies" that cover forum rules and typical questions/answers. A sub-forum for members of the public to post questions & look for advice would be welcome. I'm sure those of us who welcomed those questions would gravitate there, and those who didn't would go elsewhere.
Archinect is not Houzz. And thank god it isn't. Houzz has it's own problems (typical one is that I get a bunch of pintrest/houzz pictures from a client - things they like - and then they want to somehow shoehorn it into their project, which is completely different. But there are plenty of people there who are willing to chat about design.
Archinect is "connecting architects". It is for architects. Generally, members of the public who come here seeking free advice without taking the time to learn what the site is about will get a rough reception.
Exactly, gruen. This is an anonymous person looking for advice on the internet. This is not a client. If the OP was actually looking for an architect to work with, she would have titled the thread "first time home builder in search of local architect" instead of "...educate me" (for free).
Yes, in real life at our offices, we'd all be happy to sit down with a potential client to walk somebody through the process for 30 minutes. But again, the OP isn't a real client and there's no potential for future work. I've got better things to do, like bitch on the internet.
I seem to have missed a zero on my previous post, as Stephanie B so graciously pointed out. Thank you, Stephanie, for your long-suffered five minutes of patience...
Anyway, past my migraine stupor now...
My point was that houses are a phenomenal amount of work to design well, and it is equally phenomenally hard to find clients willing to pay. You can't design a house at a 6% fee. That amount is gone quickly. You need to charge an amount that no client -- even those willing to pay it -- is going to consider relatively " tiny" or "insignificant".
the horse comment was 100% justified. I never said that you should be kicked, I said that if I were a horse being contained with electric wire I would kick you. As a human, if you were being held against your will inside an electrified fence would you not kick your capture? why are animals deserving of any less dignity and respect? I also root for the elephants when they break free of their shackles and trample the circus assholes.
horses are not people. the differences really should be recognized.
they have to be fenced. it sounds like your alternative is to give a horse the same rights people have, such as rights to citizenship, rights to get a driver's license, etc. the fact is, a horse doesn't know to stop at a red light. that difference alone means some care needs to be given to a horse, so they don't get run over or run over other people (whether they're driving a car or not).
people who own horses need to take responsibility for the health and well-being of that horse. part of that responsibility is a safe, fenced in grazing area.
First Time Home Builder: Educate Me Please
^ your math sucks. 4k on a 400k house is 1%.
never done a single family home, but i like a fee of $24,000 (6%) based solely on the idea that the architect is worth more than the realtor.
6% is low for single family residential
Well water will trigger all sorts of agencies. You may get the advice you pay for here, but some of these guys owe you money for wasting your time. Professional is as professional does.
but some of these guys owe you money for wasting your time.
Surely people don't go to the internets with an intent other than to waste time?
Whether 6% is high or low depends on scope of services. A lot of residential work isn't necessarily done on a full service basis.
Several comments suggest that hiring an architect to design a house can be done for a nominal additional cost that is really very small relative to the overall house budget+
On another thread there's a guy doing plans for $0.08 sq.ft. The misconception is that cheap is good value. But by no mean is the opposite guaranteed to true, which is one of NSB's quandaries.
The basic mistake here is exactly the same as asking a plumber to recommend a good plumber.
sofware "architect"
who wants to live in the desert
and be "green"
and buys stock plans
and expects us to gussy them up
for not very much money
and expects us to be nice and kind about it
unexpected that architects might not be kind
confusing this is
some days I think new posters confuse these forums for Yahoo Answers.
confusing this is
Yoda has spoken.
OP, my advice, do your best to stay away from architects as 90% of all people do. As demonstrated herein they turn the most simplest of things into a clusterfuck.
Signed - An Architect
"does everyone who replied with such rude crazy shit treat every new client who walks into their office this way?" Seems to be so but usually it is at least done behind the client's backs, not so on the web.
carrera and timothy - this thread is a perfect example why I don't come to this site much anymore - this is NOT how our profession treats people in real life (at least in my world) - but with the internet you have certain people who treat this as an anonymous opportunity to vent all their anger/frustration into the world and hope the rest of us react. All you have to do is spend 30 minutes reading some of the threads and its the same 8-10 users who's sarcastic comments hijack almost every topic. I want to truly believe that these folks are the small, angry minority within our profession as the people I work with every day don't act this way.
Climbing off my soapbox- please feel free to reply with all the nastiness you want - I'm not going to react
The picture of the injured horse was in support of the OP. You were supposed to come away with the idea that electric fences aren`t so bad for the safety and well-being of the horse. Keep up.
Um, your picture was of injuries caused by barbed wire fencing, not electric fencing.
I agree cajunarch, this was a more light-hearted forum 5 years or so ago, even 10, or am I being nostalgic? ................................................but this thread does represent a certain reality.............................. For example: When I quit my large firm job to go back to school for graduate studies at UPenn, a partner of that firm in the elevator told me wisely "do not hang out with other architects, go over to Wharton Business school and make friends.".....................................within one semester, two Wharton students in the entrepreneur program sent a mass email to the Architecture department asking for help in designing their tailor store. They received about 30 emails and only 2 were positive and interested. Mine and another kid (also Midwest undergrad). The other emails were Miles Jaffe like rants including one kid who used every SAT word possible. I had a good laugh reading all the nonsense. I had already worked 3-4 years and knew how much "free" information to give - up without actually giving up work. I showed collages and a quick schematic plan. The other kid wouldn't release digitally a very specific design and noted all kinds of copyright laws. One of my favorite jobs and clients to date, I wear the clothes and still have business dealings with both the Wharton grads 7 years later,all because I was willing to do a little something up front and be positive about it. Also, instead of being negative you could just give out the wrong info if you are really so worried about your job security being threatened by people looking for advice - keep living up to the Architect stereotype ;)
Sorry for my awesome math skills on my previous post... see my other thread -- might explain why.... Usually I can actually perform simple math!
as we don't have many people experienced with residential construction involving well water in southern california, maybe this would be a more productive discussion on horse fencing?
i've seen horses kept in barbed wire fence and horses kept in electric fences. i don't know how common it is, but i have seen a horse that was wounded from barbed wire (not the picture, the one i saw took the cut down it's side; the picture i posted was from the internet). it takes a relatively large amount of land to keep a horse, which means a lot of fencing, so cost as well as maintenance often becomes an important consideration. the OP is a software architect, so maybe cost isn't a factor. i don't know what other options are available, but i do believe the electric fence is a safe and humane option for keeping the horses in, especially compared with barbed wire.
electric fences are actually pretty low voltage, so i would think photovoltaics could be a viable option. i think the fence could have a battery back-up, but if you relied completely on on-site power generation for the house too, then that would be a whole other can of worms to open.
maybe they should look at covering a few acres with an 8' chain link fence?
sadler's lack of residential experience is obvious. Those in the practice have developed a keen sense of smell by necessity. We don't treat potential clients like shit. An anonymous poster on an internet forum is not a potential client, and the model for him is the many many people who've posted here anonymously looking for freebies from professionals. Searching for an architect on the web means identifying perspective candidates with your real name.
Giving NSB the benefit of the doubt his language may be part of the problem. But as stated in previous posts there are other problems as well. So while he may indeed be legit there is no way to know as he pissed in the pool with his very first post.
Those in the practice have developed a keen sense of smell by necessity.
Exactly. I have several red flags - and when the client throws them up I'm usually looking for other clients. This may or may not include early discussions about value or cost, but when coupled with someone who is already comparing the cost of my service with the cost of a stock plan, I know that the project won't go anywhere. I certainly am happy to spend a lot of time educating a client and I always tell them that I'm happy to chat for free. Most people do not abuse this.
I think Miles had made several really good valid points about the way this forum is organized. The forum is severely dated in terms of its functionality. Most forums require that a user have several comments - and days on the forum - before they are allowed to post. Many also have "stickies" that cover forum rules and typical questions/answers. A sub-forum for members of the public to post questions & look for advice would be welcome. I'm sure those of us who welcomed those questions would gravitate there, and those who didn't would go elsewhere.
Archinect is not Houzz. And thank god it isn't. Houzz has it's own problems (typical one is that I get a bunch of pintrest/houzz pictures from a client - things they like - and then they want to somehow shoehorn it into their project, which is completely different. But there are plenty of people there who are willing to chat about design.
Archinect is "connecting architects". It is for architects. Generally, members of the public who come here seeking free advice without taking the time to learn what the site is about will get a rough reception.
Exactly, gruen. This is an anonymous person looking for advice on the internet. This is not a client. If the OP was actually looking for an architect to work with, she would have titled the thread "first time home builder in search of local architect" instead of "...educate me" (for free).
Yes, in real life at our offices, we'd all be happy to sit down with a potential client to walk somebody through the process for 30 minutes. But again, the OP isn't a real client and there's no potential for future work. I've got better things to do, like bitch on the internet.
"never done a single family home, but i like a fee of $24,000 (6%) based solely on the idea that the architect is worth more than the realtor."
Funny how often that statement is so wrong.
I seem to have missed a zero on my previous post, as Stephanie B so graciously pointed out. Thank you, Stephanie, for your long-suffered five minutes of patience...
Anyway, past my migraine stupor now...
My point was that houses are a phenomenal amount of work to design well, and it is equally phenomenally hard to find clients willing to pay. You can't design a house at a 6% fee. That amount is gone quickly. You need to charge an amount that no client -- even those willing to pay it -- is going to consider relatively " tiny" or "insignificant".
Man, I am so glad I stopped working residential architecture. I mean I did love it but it sure does attract a peculiar type of client.
the horse comment was 100% justified. I never said that you should be kicked, I said that if I were a horse being contained with electric wire I would kick you. As a human, if you were being held against your will inside an electrified fence would you not kick your capture? why are animals deserving of any less dignity and respect? I also root for the elephants when they break free of their shackles and trample the circus assholes.
horses are not people. the differences really should be recognized.
they have to be fenced. it sounds like your alternative is to give a horse the same rights people have, such as rights to citizenship, rights to get a driver's license, etc. the fact is, a horse doesn't know to stop at a red light. that difference alone means some care needs to be given to a horse, so they don't get run over or run over other people (whether they're driving a car or not).
people who own horses need to take responsibility for the health and well-being of that horse. part of that responsibility is a safe, fenced in grazing area.
Horses should get architecture licenses after finishing horse school.
^ front running nomination for post of the year on Archinect.
There might be something to TomSmith1985's post Miles. Just take this house design for example (http://www.mexisteelhomes.com/case-etaj/Stefan+G1-i30)
Please, show me one neighbourhood where this would not be welcomed with open arms.
Posting on an Internet forum ... Free.
Selling stock house plans ... $300.
Posting stock house plans for sale on an architects forum ... Priceless.
I expect to see these all over detroit very soon - finally an architectural response to drive by shootings
and who wouldn't love to shovel out an 8' deep pit of drifting snow
I think he designed that in Minecraft.
^now THAT might be post of the year
They appear to have built projects, which is more than i can say for myself
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