so I’m at a point in my life where I absolutely hate this traditional approach to architecture. It all starts with the Design-Bid-Build approach. Where the contractor who makes the most mistakes or knowingly bids low on projects win. Then proceeds with nickeling and dimming the architect with gotcha’s on drawings. Plus the shit pay associated with said firms. I absolutely cannot deal with this anymore and want a way out. I love architecture, I love building, but I find myself not being in these type of firms anymore. I would love to be more hands on with projects but don’t know how to go about this. Has anyone made this switch? Are there other positions that an architect can fulfil? For example a friend of mine is an architect for local hospitals and he coordinates other architects for all hospital jobs etc... and he is compensated fairly well too.
Just switched out, know how you feel, it’s amazing when you do finally escape. My two goals were not to make less money and not to have to get a degree. The options I researched were CM, Army core of engineers, any major us port district, plan checker in a coastal area (all these government jobs do make ALOT more than private firm pay with better benefits) in house design for developers most likely for marketing and feasibility studies/zoning analysis.
working for the planning department would be good if you want to be a designer. i know it's different in every city, but these guys are telling us what brick color we have to pick. they expect a development plan to be at about 50% CD level. if we don't go with their design, they stop the project. the client holds the contract and the contractor holds the budget. the architect gets the liability and the least leverage.
Architecture jobs outside of traditional firms?
so I’m at a point in my life where I absolutely hate this traditional approach to architecture. It all starts with the Design-Bid-Build approach. Where the contractor who makes the most mistakes or knowingly bids low on projects win. Then proceeds with nickeling and dimming the architect with gotcha’s on drawings. Plus the shit pay associated with said firms. I absolutely cannot deal with this anymore and want a way out. I love architecture, I love building, but I find myself not being in these type of firms anymore. I would love to be more hands on with projects but don’t know how to go about this. Has anyone made this switch? Are there other positions that an architect can fulfil? For example a friend of mine is an architect for local hospitals and he coordinates other architects for all hospital jobs etc... and he is compensated fairly well too.
Have you done a search of prior threads? This topic has been covered extensively.
Just switched out, know how you feel, it’s amazing when you do finally escape. My two goals were not to make less money and not to have to get a degree. The options I researched were CM, Army core of engineers, any major us port district, plan checker in a coastal area (all these government jobs do make ALOT more than private firm pay with better benefits) in house design for developers most likely for marketing and feasibility studies/zoning analysis.
working for the planning department would be good if you want to be a designer. i know it's different in every city, but these guys are telling us what brick color we have to pick. they expect a development plan to be at about 50% CD level. if we don't go with their design, they stop the project. the client holds the contract and the contractor holds the budget. the architect gets the liability and the least leverage.
Yeezy?
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