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Help from Residential Architects

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Greg A

Hi All

Hopefully this is the correct place to post this question. I am currently trying to design my renovation for our house (I am not an architect). We are simply adding a large deck at the front, replacing some windows and doors with bifolds etc and landscaping an entrance.

I was hoping for advice on colour schemes, what needs to match etc. I have the structural side of things covered but was really looking for architectural advice on i.e. if trimming are one colour, the fence needs to match this colour etc.

Any advice?

*I have added the 3D render below. Note that this doesn't include a fence etc.

Kind regards

Greg

 
May 29, 17 11:54 pm

2 Featured Comments

All 31 Comments

arch76

Looks like a fun project. Depending on where you are, you may need an architect to put together plans and help you obtain a permit- and help get exterior materials and assemblies coordinated. It is a good start to have a structural engineer on board already. Good luck!

May 30, 17 12:22 am  · 
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Greg A

Yes, very fun so far, learning a lot (which is always good). We want to have a reasonable idea about what we are thinking before approaching an architect... no point getting there and spinning our wheels.

May 30, 17 8:08 pm  · 
 · 
∑ π ∓ √ ∞

Greg,

If I may, what line of work are you involved with?

Respectfully,

Architect Trying To Pay Bills

May 30, 17 12:41 am  · 
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Greg A

Thank you guys for the quick initial reply. I am actually involved in Finance, Investment Management however my father is a structural engineer. Figured i would try my hand at design as i find this interesting. Regarding DA approval etc I have friends who can manage that process and dad can draw up the plans. I also have builders in the family who can build the project so looking for advice on how to fine tune the colouring etc. 

Because we are trying to keep things fairly minimal on the renovation, there doesn't appear to be too many options for colours etc (i.e. slate blue seems to be popular, charcoal black).

May 30, 17 1:35 am  · 
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∑ π ∓ √ ∞

I think the fundamental point being missed here, is this; some of us, many here commenting, have 20 plus years doing this, and you are seeking benefit of that experience, without remuneration. You say principles, and I say experience, my education, and experience, has led me to develop stated principles. If you want free, might I suggest that you work with the contractor, and suppliers of the finishes you require; they are happy to give you all the free you need, and they'll agree with you, every single time.

May 30, 17 11:25 am  · 
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Greg A

Unfortunately B3tadine, the fundamental point being missed here was that I wouldn't hire an architect for the job... what I have learnt is based on this small sample space of responses, 80.0% of architects are miserable and salty!

May 30, 17 8:10 pm  · 
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∑ π ∓ √ ∞

Oh Greg. Salty? Really? I didn't even cuss. Miserable, no, actually, I'm quite happy. I'll even go you one further, I am so fucking happy, that I refuse to give advice away to anyone I am not friends with. I am so fucking deliriously happy, that I value what I do as a licensed professional, so much so, that just in typing a response to you, "a financial" type person, I am seriously thinking I should just send you a fucking bill, $1.00 per character, including spaces.

Salty. I'll give you fucking salty, you Wall Street carpetbagging whore.

But, I'm not salty.

God Bless.

May 30, 17 10:24 pm  · 
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∑ π ∓ √ ∞

See. I can't even bill correctly!

May 30, 17 10:45 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur
So, is it kosher to not pay for any professional services in your world then? Hire and pay for an architect instead of seeking free services online you cheapskate.
May 30, 17 2:13 am  · 
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Greg A

I'm seeking free principles of architecture not free services...

May 30, 17 7:55 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

You cheap asshole, you're looking to skip out paying for services.

May 30, 17 8:17 am  · 
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First free principle of architecture: do it yourself. Or is that the first principle of free architecture?

May 30, 17 3:15 pm  · 
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Greg A

Look at you two salty architects, just trying to find a reason to attack. See previous comment to the other salty architect, I didn't say i wasn't hiring an architect... lol.

May 30, 17 8:13 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Loving the salty comments. Little does Mr. Super Star Finance Guru Greg know, but most of us here, myself included, are rather well employed, well compensated, and command hundreds in millions in projects every year.

May 31, 17 10:30 am  · 
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randomised

Dear Greg,

Can you offer me some free financial advice? For instance, how to bill people who want my free architecture advice, advice I'm only able to provide after a lengthy and costly investment in my education and training on my part. Should I just give it away for free to every Greg, Dick  and Harry that comes along or do you have any insights from working in finance that could help me? Thanks!

May 30, 17 5:47 am  · 
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Greg A

Re free financial advice... I'd question a business model that demands payment for discussing principles of architecture... I'd also suggest you audit how you spend your time as posting sarcastic comments on a public forum can't be the best use of it ;)

May 30, 17 8:03 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Greg, this is not pinterest. You want to see what to do to look pretty? drive around your neighbourhood and see what others do. Don't try and sneak free services from us on your shitty house design/reno.

May 30, 17 8:20 am  · 
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tduds

^^ Rich.

May 30, 17 2:56 pm  · 
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Greg A

Saltiest of them all identified. Architecture must pay poorly for so many of you to be so salty. Come across to finance.

May 30, 17 8:18 pm  · 
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Greg A

RickB, it took a good while, but you should delete all your previous comments and just retain this last one.

May 30, 17 11:25 pm  · 
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Greg A

You're right Rick. I think i need to start a thread titled, ' How to avoid selecting a salty, miserable architect.' Will start it now.

May 31, 17 12:23 am  · 
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Featured Comment

Consulting starts @ $400 per hour plus expenses. 

You're going to need a lot of help if you want to fix that design.

May 30, 17 8:38 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Your rates went up in your absence from the forum Miles. Business must be good.

May 30, 17 8:46 am  · 
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The principles of architecture are Firmness, Utility, Delight.

How to actually achieve those principles is what you pay professionals for.
May 30, 17 8:39 am  · 
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geezertect

Great minds think alike. I didn't see your post when I posted mine

May 30, 17 7:40 pm  · 
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Greg A

Thanks Donna, any good book recommendations for a high level discussion on colour schemes? Not looking for anything too indepth, just the 101s?

May 30, 17 8:20 pm  · 
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geezertect

Architectural principle:  Firmness, commodity, delight.  Look it up.

May 30, 17 8:52 am  · 
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I had a girlfriend like that.

May 30, 17 3:13 pm  · 
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proto

isn't the relevant principle here: the carpet should match the drapes?

May 30, 17 5:59 pm  · 
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Sam Apoc

Greg,

Paint that sh*t gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V35BNwfeDos

-Sam

May 30, 17 9:37 am  · 
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citizen

Sorry for the harsh words here, Greg.  Many folks on this forum are hardworking professionals who spend too much of their time trying to get residential clients to pay overdue invoices, on fees that have already been wheedled down, often for changes that go beyond the agreed-upon work scope.  It's an unfortunate part of small-scale residential practice: many clients are cheap and always trying to get work for free.

Fuses can be short toward requests for free "advice" (your original term, not "principles").  Providing advice is a service.

Archinect.com might learn a lesson from other websites' forums by sticking a "First-Time Posters FYI" thread at the top of the page.

May 30, 17 11:07 am  · 
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This has been raised before but as someone pointed out it would deprive us all of a lot of fun.

May 30, 17 3:13 pm  · 
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citizen

Agreed. I just think it'd be more sporting to post some kind of "Cheapskate Beware" notice somewhere. Not everyone who wanders on here asking a question deserves all the knives.

May 30, 17 6:58 pm  · 
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Greg A

Thanks Citizen. Miles, it doesn't appear like your kin are having fun lol. I am detecting a pretty satisfied undercurrent from a majority of the architects here!

May 30, 17 8:22 pm  · 
 · 

citizen, thank you for being a good citizen! I'm too frustrated with learning Revit to play nicely today. I do think a "Non-architect newbie posting? Read this first!" sticky thread at the top of the forum would be an excellent idea. I'll float it past the Big Green Head.

May 30, 17 10:03 pm  · 
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Greg A

Oh no, Donna. I originally thought you weren't a salty architect... sigh another one bites the dust.

May 31, 17 12:22 am  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Hi Greg,

Colors can match your existing house colors. Like if your existing doors and windows are brown, so shall be your new doors and windows. If I were you, I'd protect those columns from car traffic... wouldn't want to back out of your garage and hit one and take it all down. Hiring an architect would help with more than just colors and I would def recommend it! You want your project to add value to your house.

May 30, 17 11:58 am  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

And your fence color... are you talking about the cream colored thing to the left? Why not just do a stained wood fence? Don't paint it.

May 30, 17 12:04 pm  · 
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Greg A

Fence doesn't exist yet, just the old fence on the block.

May 30, 17 7:51 pm  · 
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Greg A

Thanks Tintt, however we don't really like the existing green tint and were hoping to run with either wood textured trimming or a slate blue (still open to ideas). Most modernised brick homes appear to run with the slate blue, white, or wooden scheme. Is it simply a matter of having larger concrete footings with the columns?

May 30, 17 7:56 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Greg, It is too hard for me to tell what you mean by the rendering that you posted -- the existing trim is green? And you want slate blue? Sounds great if that is what you like. White could look good too, so could natural wood. Nobody can make that call from that rendering. And no, larger footings won't keep cars from hitting columns in your driveway. If your columns are steel you likely won't take them out with your car, but will cause damage to both posts and cars. Wood columns can get taken out by cars pretty easily (don't ask how I know). Columns in driveways can be done, just not good design. Perhaps you can explore suspending your deck with your architect. Google "suspended balcony" and see how they don't have columns but have cable tie-backs in hold them up.

May 31, 17 3:27 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Columns don't have to be at corners either. Pulling the supports towards the garage makes them less hazardous. I would post pics if I could figure out how but it seems you can't post pics in replies. Google image some stuff, see what you can see.

May 31, 17 3:38 pm  · 
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JonathanLivingston

http://imgur.com/w7YPwOG

May 30, 17 12:35 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

It's probably a green roof over the 2nd storey balcony too.

May 30, 17 1:14 pm  · 
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Greg A

Legend - thanks Jonathan.

May 30, 17 7:49 pm  · 
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Greg A

Re the steel columns, the house is kind of weird at the moment. It has three brick pillars with three garage doors, while it is symmetrical, we hate the three garage doors of all equal size!

May 30, 17 7:59 pm  · 
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citizen

Greg,

See Jonathan's free advice (critique) in the graphic posted above.

May 30, 17 1:05 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

.

May 30, 17 3:02 pm  · 
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chris-chitect

I dare someone to draw a sketch of the aftermath when the teenage son takes out the center column with the family minivan...

May 30, 17 6:57 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

My bet is on the frustrated housewife who hits it on the way out to the second or third run to the liquor store.

May 30, 17 7:44 pm  · 
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chris-chitect

I suspect the aftermath of a minivan striking the centre column would look as shown below.

Greg, you now have a highly valuable Frank Gehry design! Gehry would charge a fortune for this design, but the members of Archinect have provided this for free!

 

 

May 30, 17 7:17 pm  · 
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Is it just a weird coincidence how similar this house looks to the one in Miles' post here?

May 30, 17 10:06 pm  · 
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∑ π ∓ √ ∞

No doubt this guy found that image, and came here for advice.

May 30, 17 10:28 pm  · 
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You're welcome.

May 30, 17 10:33 pm  · 
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arch76

Greg A-

Why not ask the person that did the rendering?

Or ask your Dad if he knows an Architect- It sounds like you have a design and construction community around you. Buy them a beer and chat about your project- Architects like IPAs

May 30, 17 11:22 pm  · 
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∑ π ∓ √ ∞

I hate IPAs, I like salty beers.

May 30, 17 11:42 pm  · 
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Greg A

Hi Arch, I did the render myself in Realtime Landscape Architect. As an aside, i found the program very user friendly. The design part of the community is the only piece that is missing. Hence why i have started my fact finding mission on this forum. All other parties will be related.

May 31, 17 12:16 am  · 
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arch76

I hate IPAs, I like salty beers.

May 31, 17 12:24 am  · 
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arch76

%%UI hate IPAs, I like salty beers.-- i hope that worked.... don't think its html... I almost flagged that comment!

May 31, 17 12:25 am  · 
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archi_dude

Greg,

I will totally give you the principles of color if you will give me the principles of rebalancing my portfolio if the Fed raises rates in June. Deal?

May 31, 17 12:01 am  · 
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Greg A

What does your portfolio consist of?

May 31, 17 12:20 am  · 
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Greg A

Never mind, I looked at your post history with your salary detailed. I can hazard a guess at your portfolio and suggest you don't really need to worry about too much as your net worth would be in the family home.

May 31, 17 12:43 am  · 
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archi_dude

But wait wait wait, I've got to ask...this isn't really your house right? Like do you really enter through an outhouse next to your neighbors trashcans? And it's not actually completely covered with that cheap faux thin brick veneer right? And the shape? I mean less is more but it's missing have the roof and then oddly cubist behind? And your solution is to attach a monolithic box to the front so now you've got three different houses fused as one? Hmmm well I guess when your used to wasting other people's money......

May 31, 17 12:15 am  · 
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Greg A

Entrance is currently on an angle, need to design the proper entrance. Just threw that in the model to start getting ideas. Re brick, it is double cavity brick (not thin veneer). Agree regarding the shape being rather rectangular.

May 31, 17 12:40 am  · 
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Greg A

Lol, at your last comment. Looking at your post history. Salty, poorly paid architect confirmed.

May 31, 17 12:41 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Greg, you fool, you can't really be that dumb now can you?

May 31, 17 10:26 am  · 
 · 
Featured Comment

Greg, you asked for design advice. When professionals here suggested that you hire an architect you claimed that you were seeking "free principles of architecture" (with "principles" related only to your amateur design attempt). If you had really wanted to talk about the principles of architecture - rather than try to get some free advice - many professionals here would have happily engaged in a heated discussion over the very same. 

When you didn't get any traction with that line of bullshit you turned on the 'salty' professionals you had just begged free advice from. This is the behavior of a spoiled, petulant child.

Architects deal with people like you all the time. Your high-school level house "design" and parvenu sense of entitlement are nothing new. You're just another asshole with a bit of dough that thinks he's smarter than everyone else. We've seen it all before from people with a whole lot more money and intelligence than you.

So thanks for the chuckle, and good luck with that project. Please keep us updated on the progress, we can't wait to see how it turns out!

May 31, 17 12:46 am  · 
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Greg A

Thank you for the chuckle, Miles. I feel better about myself after our discussions here. I'm happy to work in an industry where people are generally happy (not too mention the $$$).

May 31, 17 1:12 am  · 
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Greg A

Rick, you (along with all the other salty, 'underpaid' architects here who all think they are Frank Lloyd Wright's of architecture and God's gift) have missed the point.

May 31, 17 3:11 am  · 
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Greg A

Who would blindly sign up to an architect without some understanding of what the architect is doing and just taking the architect on face value? Perhaps it is an inherent superiority complex that is wrong with the industry and making so many of you unhappy?

May 31, 17 3:12 am  · 
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shellarchitect

I love that greg has thrown in some good barbs, I hope he sticks around. 

some of us are too high and mighty for the work being done.  Who cares about a crappy residential remodel.  well over 90% of homes somehow get built without an architect, residential construction isn't rocket science and most of the contractors involved can barely read.  Anyone working in that field is asking for headaches.

I'd love to see how this develops.

May 31, 17 9:22 am  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Oooooo, check out this balcony-over-the-driveway-with-columns I found on the internet. 

Image result for balcony over driveway

May 31, 17 3:46 pm  · 
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JonathanLivingston

That is nice.

May 31, 17 4:05 pm  · 
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JonathanLivingston

Greg, Keep working on your design, but have a professional help you. The thing is you don't know what you don't know. In the case of architecture there is a lot to know. I'm not going to belittle you for trying. An informed and engaged client can be a good thing. 

May 31, 17 4:08 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Supports don't have to be vertical columns. 

Bozich Residence #architecture

May 31, 17 4:23 pm  · 
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( o Y o )

Here's a nice one

May 31, 17 4:57 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Ya know, I've done three jobs for people who had careers in finance and they were the best clients. Never balked at the fee, in fact expressed that they thought it was low. I always wondered if that was maybe because they saw thousands of dollars, even millions cross their desks in a short time and got annual bonuses in the tens of thousands on top of their salaries. Plus, if you are into recognizing value, you recognize that architects provide value. Spend money to make money. 

May 31, 17 5:01 pm  · 
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dccolombo

Greg, Most of our firm's clients come in with some idea of what they are looking for.  We don't tell our clients what they want, we help them find it. By working together we create the right balance between form and function tailored to the individual.  My 30+ years of experience is a valuable commodity, likewise for anyone in a profession for a long time. Do you ask lawyers for free advice? Doctors? Do you give away free financial advice? (other than buy low sell high). 

Not all architects are the same, some are flat out bad designers as in "how did they pass the design test?" Find a good one by looking at the projects the firm has done. Then set up an appointment to meet them - for us, the first meeting is free. Following the meeting we send a letter proposal, if that is acceptable, we follow it up with an AIA contract.

If you are dead set against hiring a professional, then I will give this free advice. Read about good design and go to a lot of open houses.  Reading about good design will help with the exterior of the house - sorry it really needs help. Going to lots open houses will give you a feel for spaces - take note of how a house makes you feel. If you walk into a room that makes you uncomfortable figure out why and avoid that. If you see something you like, make note of that.

As for color advice? go to the paint store. They have colors that go together whether it's a monochromatic scheme or complimentary colors. Pick a scheme you like and go with it. Not rocket science. 

Jun 25, 17 7:15 pm  · 
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lbdanjou

Hi Greg,

I see you have received at lot of advise. If you are still looking for design/color options, you may want to check out German Schmear to soften your brick and a verda green for your posts and fencing. Maybe even consider rust or copper for the trim to get the doors and windows stand out more. Just some simple thoughts!

Hope you end up with a great look.

May 27, 19 11:37 pm  · 
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BulgarBlogger

This finance guy is so successful he's trying to go cheap. LOL A penny wise a dollar foolish...

Nov 27, 19 12:04 pm  · 
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Chad Miller

It's been two years since the OP, wonder if the house was ever built . . .

Nov 27, 19 12:25 pm  · 
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