What do you think an appropriate salary for a licensed architect working for a developer should be? I oversee a group of five designers, review and sign and seal 100-150 permit sets a year. They are primarily tenant fit outs for light industrial flex buildings. The company pays my errors and omissions insurance. This is in a high cost of living area.
Wait, so you're a stamp for hire? Do you have ownership and equity in this business? If not... you're getting taken advantage of especially if you have to rely on a web forum to know "salary".
btw, what you're suggesting is not permitted in my region and fines are very large.
what is not permitted, an architect working for a developer and overseeing a team of designers?
Apr 9, 24 11:19 am ·
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Non Sequitur
^yes. In order to stamp drawings in the great communist north, the owner of the stamp must also have a certificate of practice.... and the % of ownership of said certificate must be more than 50% licensed architects. It prevents exactly the type of set-up the OP describes where the decisions regarding the use of the stamp is not controlled by a majority of licensed architect.
So, a company that provides stamped drawings must be 50% or more owned by licensed arch.
you get around this by having shell companies, Design|Build as one example where ultimately everything is decided by the parent contractor but the firm doing the signing "GC name Architecture LLC" for instance is owned by the archs who have agreed to the deal.
Apr 9, 24 2:53 pm ·
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bowling_ball
Josef Fischer, I can tell you that this is also not allowed in Canada, unless the ownership of the shell companies is also more than 50% licensed architects.
no, I am not a stamp for hire. I am an employee of a developer, which is perfectly legal. We have lawyers who vetted the position when I was hired. What I am inquiring about is the equivalent salary associated with an architecture firm position with the same duties and responsibilities. I have total oversight of the drawings produced and am providing the same standard of care as I would at any other job.
Apr 9, 24 7:03 am ·
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graphemic
Your original question sounds like you're asking what you should be paid now by your employer, not what an architect of your experience would be paid in an office. Which is it you're after? They're different jobs
, so I'm also curious why you want to know.
Apr 9, 24 12:47 pm ·
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reallynotmyname
It appears to me that, were you working in an architecture firm, you would be a principal overseeing production but with little to no marketing or business management tasks. I would look at the Archinect and AIA salary surveys to gauge principal level salaries in your geographic region. Senior level architects in large engineering/architectural firms also have a similar job profile that you can use to explore comparable salaries.
Senior to Principal level is more appropriate since OP is the only licensed architect in the organization. A mere project architect will have licensed people above them and is thus way more easily replaced without interruption to firm operations. If OP quits suddenly, there's nobody left in that company to stamp the work.
Which is why OP should be asking x4 but likely is just another replaceable cog. The answer should be to become partner instead of hired stamp.
Apr 9, 24 5:24 pm ·
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natematt
“What I am inquiring about is the equivalent salary associated with an architecture firm position with the same duties and responsibilities.” - > “I oversee a group of five designers, review and sign and seal 100-150 permit sets a year”
Is there anyone out there in any fir
ms stamping 3 sets of drawings a week?
Apr 9, 24 5:33 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
^ yep. OP is the stamp mule in a mass produced permit shop. Not an architect.
Apr 9, 24 5:36 pm ·
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reallynotmyname
OP says they are doing permit sets for small tenant improvement jobs in light industrial buildings. There can be dozens, even hundreds properties in a good-size light industrial developer's portfolio of properties. Issuing 2-3 sets a week is not unheard in that size operation. The drawings for that kind of work are very simple.
They can be simple, until you get into a change of use . . . .
Then again, some of the biggest PITA projects I've worked on are tenant buildouts in light industrial. A lot of things to coordinate and a lot of code to understand (that the tenant has no idea about).
Reallynotmyname, I wasn’t really asking about the practical aspect of it. I’m willing to assume what OP is doing is within reason, though I appreciate your reinforcement of that. However, I’m not inclined to think that anyone who is not directly employed for a developer in a similar manner to OP actually does this kind of work. Op is asking specifically what someone in a regular architecture firm would be getting paid for what Op does, and I think the answer to that is no one in a regular firm does what they do (for good or bad). So I was really asking if that’s something regular firms do.
"We have lawyers who vetted the position when I was hired." They vetted the position for the security of the company, not for you. I would guess that a principal at a firm doing a similar level of work, with similar responsibilities and liability, and partners handling other tasks, might make $250-400K/yr.
no, not a stamp for hire.. an employee of the developer. Position was vetted by an attorney before I accepted the position. I provide the same standard of care as I would at a traditional firm. Work is not rocket science. It’s industrial flex interior fit outs… a few offices, restrooms, break room, warehouse.
still stamp for hire and definitively not something that is permitted in my area. Oh boy, I'd be running away from this. You're just getting taken advantage of.
You should be paid the same amount as other architects in your area with the same amount of experience and liability.
A few questions. The answers can dramatically increase your pay.
1. Is your employer taking on all liability for the work you do? Like in an architectural firm where the owners of the firm take all the liability even if you're licensed and signing drawings.
2. Is this a design build situation?
3. Are you able to tell your employer 'no' if they ask for a design that you're not comfortable with - ie - they interpret a code more lenient than you - are you able to implement the more stringent code interpretation?
4. Do you have in house consultants? (Struct, MEP, Civil, Landscape)
Apr 9, 24 12:58 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
the "stamp this or we'll find someone who will is such a bad situation". Totally invalidates the value of the stamp. OP is a chump if they agree to anything like this.
That's why I'm asking. I'm most concerned about #1. If the answer is no then the OP needs to be paid equal to a managing partner of firms that do similar work. That is if he / she stays.
yes, I do have the ability to say “no”, and have done so many times. They do carry all of my liability insurance and the policy is more than any coverage I could afford myself.
Chad, I don’t think OP understands your question. That’s probably why they took the job in the first place. Why hire someone who knows the value of a stamp when there are others willing to shoulder the risk for so little money? ‘Merica!
Do the terms of your professional association allow you to stamp drawings that aren't produced under your direct supervision? If so, register a company under your name and act as consultant to the developer. Give them preferred rates for the steady work, insure yourself, yourself, and start making 3 to 4 times what you do now (of course your costs will go up too, but on the whole you would be much further ahead.
For the record, this is not permitted where I live so I don't do it, but your mileage may vary.
Salary Inqury
What do you think an appropriate salary for a licensed architect working for a developer should be? I oversee a group of five designers, review and sign and seal 100-150 permit sets a year. They are primarily tenant fit outs for light industrial flex buildings. The company pays my errors and omissions insurance. This is in a high cost of living area.
Try checking salaries for similar roles/locations on Archinect's salary poll
Wait, so you're a stamp for hire? Do you have ownership and equity in this business? If not... you're getting taken advantage of especially if you have to rely on a web forum to know "salary".
btw, what you're suggesting is not permitted in my region and fines are very large.
what is not permitted, an architect working for a developer and overseeing a team of designers?
^yes. In order to stamp drawings in the great communist north, the owner of the stamp must also have a certificate of practice.... and the % of ownership of said certificate must be more than 50% licensed architects. It prevents exactly the type of set-up the OP describes where the decisions regarding the use of the stamp is not controlled by a majority of licensed architect.
So, a company that provides stamped drawings must be 50% or more owned by licensed arch.
sounds...awesome.
This is common here too, but it varies by state
you get around this by having shell companies, Design|Build as one example where ultimately everything is decided by the parent contractor but the firm doing the signing "GC name Architecture LLC" for instance is owned by the archs who have agreed to the deal.
Josef Fischer, I can tell you that this is also not allowed in Canada, unless the ownership of the shell companies is also more than 50% licensed architects.
no, I am not a stamp for hire. I am an employee of a developer, which is perfectly legal. We have lawyers who vetted the position when I was hired. What I am inquiring about is the equivalent salary associated with an architecture firm position with the same duties and responsibilities. I have total oversight of the drawings produced and am providing the same standard of care as I would at any other job.
Your original question sounds like you're asking what you should be paid now by your employer, not what an architect of your experience would be paid in an office. Which is it you're after? They're different jobs , so I'm also curious why you want to know.
It appears to me that, were you working in an architecture firm, you would be a principal overseeing production but with little to no marketing or business management tasks. I would look at the Archinect and AIA salary surveys to gauge principal level salaries in your geographic region. Senior level architects in large engineering/architectural firms also have a similar job profile that you can use to explore comparable salaries.
Yeah, maybe Project Architect.
Senior to Principal level is more appropriate since OP is the only licensed architect in the organization. A mere project architect will have licensed people above them and is thus way more easily replaced without interruption to firm operations. If OP quits suddenly, there's nobody left in that company to stamp the work.
Which is why OP should be asking x4 but likely is just another replaceable cog. The answer should be to become partner instead of hired stamp.
“What I am inquiring about is the equivalent salary associated with an architecture firm position with the same duties and responsibilities.” - > “I oversee a group of five designers, review and sign and seal 100-150 permit sets a year”
Is there anyone out there in any fir ms stamping 3 sets of drawings a week?
^ yep. OP is the stamp mule in a mass produced permit shop. Not an architect.
OP says they are doing permit sets for small tenant improvement jobs in light industrial buildings. There can be dozens, even hundreds properties in a good-size light industrial developer's portfolio of properties. Issuing 2-3 sets a week is not unheard in that size operation. The drawings for that kind of work are very simple.
They can be simple, until you get into a change of use . . . .
Then again, some of the biggest PITA projects I've worked on are tenant buildouts in light industrial. A lot of things to coordinate and a lot of code to understand (that the tenant has no idea about).
Reallynotmyname, I wasn’t really asking about the practical aspect of it. I’m willing to assume what OP is doing is within reason, though I appreciate your reinforcement of that. However, I’m not inclined to think that anyone who is not directly employed for a developer in a similar manner to OP actually does this kind of work. Op is asking specifically what someone in a regular architecture firm would be getting paid for what Op does, and I think the answer to that is no one in a regular firm does what they do (for good or bad). So I was really asking if that’s something regular firms do.
"We have lawyers who vetted the position when I was hired." They vetted the position for the security of the company, not for you. I would guess that a principal at a firm doing a similar level of work, with similar responsibilities and liability, and partners handling other tasks, might make $250-400K/yr.
i guess not too different as a pharmaceutical company hiring a doctor. How much do you think those doctors make in relation to a "typical doctor"?
Just don't think you're be making the same as a doctor.
they usually make way more as they've 'sold out'
no, not a stamp for hire.. an employee of the developer. Position was vetted by an attorney before I accepted the position. I provide the same standard of care as I would at a traditional firm. Work is not rocket science. It’s industrial flex interior fit outs… a few offices, restrooms, break room, warehouse.
still stamp for hire and definitively not something that is permitted in my area. Oh boy, I'd be running away from this. You're just getting taken advantage of.
You should be paid the same amount as other architects in your area with the same amount of experience and liability.
A few questions. The answers can dramatically increase your pay.
1. Is your employer taking on all liability for the work you do? Like in an architectural firm where the owners of the firm take all the liability even if you're licensed and signing drawings.
2. Is this a design build situation?
3. Are you able to tell your employer 'no' if they ask for a design that you're not comfortable with - ie - they interpret a code more lenient than you - are you able to implement the more stringent code interpretation?
4. Do you have in house consultants? (Struct, MEP, Civil, Landscape)
the "stamp this or we'll find someone who will is such a bad situation". Totally invalidates the value of the stamp. OP is a chump if they agree to anything like this.
That's why I'm asking. I'm most concerned about #1. If the answer is no then the OP needs to be paid equal to a managing partner of firms that do similar work. That is if he / she stays.
yes, I do have the ability to say “no”, and have done so many times. They do carry all of my liability insurance and the policy is more than any coverage I could afford myself.
That's not what I asked.
Covering your liability insurance and taking on all the liability are two different things.
Can you personally be sued if a project goes sideways?
Chad, I don’t think OP understands your question. That’s probably why they took the job in the first place. Why hire someone who knows the value of a stamp when there are others willing to shoulder the risk for so little money? ‘Merica!
Do the terms of your professional association allow you to stamp drawings that aren't produced under your direct supervision? If so, register a company under your name and act as consultant to the developer. Give them preferred rates for the steady work, insure yourself, yourself, and start making 3 to 4 times what you do now (of course your costs will go up too, but on the whole you would be much further ahead.
For the record, this is not permitted where I live so I don't do it, but your mileage may vary.
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