I'm sorry but what is wrong with someone who is not an architect yet to learn about such things ? I am not looking to offer such services but it is merely something i am curious about ... keep your negativity to yourself please
I use this formula as a baseline and adjust as necessary for the project.
Aug 22, 18 12:33 pm ·
·
Non Sequitur
the L variable is equal to your waist size 2 years ago measured pre christmas holidays.
Aug 22, 18 1:40 pm ·
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AdrianFGA
More likely L is half the period as the period is considered 2L
Aug 28, 18 4:15 pm ·
·
Non Sequitur
^only if using the modern Gregorian calendar... but since the equation originates from the Mesoamerican system, one must use the Mayan calendar for the variables.
Aug 28, 18 4:26 pm ·
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AdrianFGA
it originates, rather it bears the name of a French mathematician named Joseph
Aug 28, 18 4:31 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
I think it's spelled José
Aug 28, 18 4:58 pm ·
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AdrianFGA
no, it's Joseph.... also Jean-Baptiste
Aug 28, 18 5:00 pm ·
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Non Sequitur
I always thought Jean-B was a just a child standing on a goat wearing a trench coat.
Aug 28, 18 5:06 pm ·
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AdrianFGA
there was also a mathematician, Jean-Baptiste Joseph F.
Sad… (overhead rate * direct salary cost * profit margin * time you think it will take) + (expenses*markup) = minimum fee you can charge and expect to make money. Each of those is its own formula too.
Then you backcheck it against: Assumed construction budget * percent fee structure you are considering. If you are considerably higher than your actual number, you have issues to get around and get to play with numbers some more.
And really, it’s more complex than just these basics given schedules, salaries, complexity, etc.. You also need to be able to ‘sell it’ and get the contract. Plus you’ll want to carry it further so you can properly staff it and schedule in a way that insures you stay in the black and don’t go red. So there’s a lot of tracking.
Welcome to a glimpse behind the curtain of what a principal in a firm does a few hours a week.
++++ Or you throw reason to the wind, pick a number someone told you is ‘industry standard’, and remain baffled for years why you can’t give raises or make much money then bitch on forums about how architects are underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid.
That would be $0.01 more than you've ever been paid for architectural services.
Aug 25, 18 10:51 pm ·
·
SpontaneousCombustion
Considering you've been claiming to design buildings - and pontificating on it - for over a decade, that's not much to back up any of your alleged expertise. You'd need to have had nearly 300 such projects to even stay above poverty level during that time.
Aug 26, 18 3:52 pm ·
·
SpontaneousCombustion
How do you figure we're all "somebody's unpaid bitch"? Most of us make a decent living. You, on the other hand, constantly complain about the rules and chores and other demands associated with living with your parents - and about the impossibility of moving out because you can't afford it because you have no job - so doesn't that make you their unpaid bitch? At age, what now... 39? 40? As for your assertion that "we've built enough homes in this country" - we're in the midst of a severe housing supply shortage, which is causing housing prices to rise faster than incomes, because owners aren't selling, and new homes aren't being built fast enough. Most residential architects are up to their eyeballs in work and turning down projects. If you're not getting some trickle down work from that then you're doing something wrong.
@SpontaneousCombustion - there is no housing shortage. What there is a shortage of is affordable housing. This is due to rent extraction, the basis of vulture capitalism.
Aug 27, 18 8:45 am ·
·
Rusty!
Miles, why are you beating up on Rick? It comes across as particularly cruel and unkind. Do you also spit on the homeless, or is real life bravado like that a little too risky.
Apologies, Rick. I just wish you would find something more constructive to do with your time than bullshit on these forums. It’s not real
Aug 27, 18 9:45 am ·
·
JBeaumont
Most people on these forums are working architects, academics, students, or prospective students. When architects write about fees, or any other professional topic, generally they're not bullshitting, they're sharing professional experience. If what you're saying is that you just knowingly write bullshit because you think everybody else is doing that too, then you're misreading the forum. Also please refer to your "resolutions" thread - I'd predicted that by the end of 2018 you'd be back to "I'm not particularly focusing on building design projects at this time" and deflecting any questions about your building design aspirations by claiming to be focusing instead on software or video games. You're 4 months ahead of schedule on your annual career flip-flop.
Aug 27, 18 3:40 pm ·
·
JBeaumont
I have no interest in the specifics of your software project and did not ask, nor did anyone else. My point is that you invariably do this career flip-flop over and over, and use it as the perrenial excuse for not making progress in either career. If you're focusing on software then great, go do that, and keep your focus on that and actually make some progress in a career before it's too late, and don't waste your focus on making up bullshit about architecture.
My firm starts at 20% (we mostly charge percentage of construction) for all projects and have a sliding scale based on cost. We generally don't take on projects whose construction budget is less than $1 million. Also, 50% of our fee is generally profit. This is because we are super efficient...
Miles it's not just an issue of under-supply of affordable housing. Over the past 15 years there's been an under-production of housing in all markets - approximated to be more than 7 million housing units short, particularly on the east and west coasts. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd...
Gross units are in surplus. US population 320m / household size 2.54 = 118m housing units.
Actual housing supply is 140m units, equating to a surplus of 18%, > 25m units. Where they are is not clear. Many of the unoccupied units are luxury multiples. For example 60% of the housing in my area is largely unoccupied 9 months of the year.
As for underproduction, that has been confined to underproduction of affordable units as residential development seeks maximum profit, and there is no profit in affordability. Redevelopment (gentrification) replaces older affordable stock with new market rate units (i.e the maximum the market will bear).
Like pretty much everything else, it is not a supply problem as much as it is a distribution problem.
How does an architect price his/her architectural services ?
pretty straight forward question, but based on what criteria does an architect do that during any design phase (concept, sd, dd)
Another follow up question to this would be how to price architectural visualizations specifically?
Thank you!
1 Featured Comment
Complexity of project plus overall cost of project can mean a fee of anywhere from 1% to 15%.
architecturalfees.com has a pretty decent rundown where intended audience is the client.
All 11 Comments
but.... you're not an architect. How can you offer services for which you're not qualified to?
Viz services cost equal to what the Chinese, Indian, or Korean sweat shop charge: a few hundred yankee dollars per image.
I'm sorry but what is wrong with someone who is not an architect yet to learn about such things ? I am not looking to offer such services but it is merely something i am curious about ... keep your negativity to yourself please
At or below the break even point.
Complexity of project plus overall cost of project can mean a fee of anywhere from 1% to 15%.
architecturalfees.com has a pretty decent rundown where intended audience is the client.
The AIA tried to quantify this once upon a time.
It didn't end well.
Depending on skill and talent above or below the rates of the competition.
I use this formula as a baseline and adjust as necessary for the project.
the L variable is equal to your waist size 2 years ago measured pre christmas holidays.
More likely L is half the period as the period is considered 2L
^only if using the modern Gregorian calendar... but since the equation originates from the Mesoamerican system, one must use the Mayan calendar for the variables.
it originates, rather it bears the name of a French mathematician named Joseph
I think it's spelled José
no, it's Joseph.... also Jean-Baptiste
I always thought Jean-B was a just a child standing on a goat wearing a trench coat.
there was also a mathematician, Jean-Baptiste Joseph F.
Sad… (overhead rate * direct salary cost * profit margin * time you think it will take) + (expenses*markup) = minimum fee you can charge and expect to make money. Each of those is its own formula too.
Then you backcheck it against: Assumed construction budget * percent fee structure you are considering. If you are considerably higher than your actual number, you have issues to get around and get to play with numbers some more.
And really, it’s more complex than just these basics given schedules, salaries, complexity, etc.. You also need to be able to ‘sell it’ and get the contract. Plus you’ll want to carry it further so you can properly staff it and schedule in a way that insures you stay in the black and don’t go red. So there’s a lot of tracking.
Welcome to a glimpse behind the curtain of what a principal in a firm does a few hours a week.
++++ Or you throw reason to the wind, pick a number someone told you is ‘industry standard’, and remain baffled for years why you can’t give raises or make much money then bitch on forums about how architects are underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid.
I'm guessing that's based on your extensive professional experience?
That would be $0.01 more than you've ever been paid for architectural services.
Considering you've been claiming to design buildings - and pontificating on it - for over a decade, that's not much to back up any of your alleged expertise. You'd need to have had nearly 300 such projects to even stay above poverty level during that time.
How do you figure we're all "somebody's unpaid bitch"? Most of us make a decent living. You, on the other hand, constantly complain about the rules and chores and other demands associated with living with your parents - and about the impossibility of moving out because you can't afford it because you have no job - so doesn't that make you their unpaid bitch? At age, what now... 39? 40? As for your assertion that "we've built enough homes in this country" - we're in the midst of a severe housing supply shortage, which is causing housing prices to rise faster than incomes, because owners aren't selling, and new homes aren't being built fast enough. Most residential architects are up to their eyeballs in work and turning down projects. If you're not getting some trickle down work from that then you're doing something wrong.
I don't see that project on your website: http://rickbalkins.com/
In fact I don't see anything on your website except "ACADEMIC PROJECTS" and empty links to "VIDEO GAME PROJECTS".
The inconvenient truth is that you are a poser, and that you are not even qualified to do that.
Next time you just might want to think twice before calling someone a little unpaid bitch.
from Ricky: "One of my residential projects (remodel design) brought in over $1,000. That alone would be 100,000x"
Like, a full fucking thousand dollars? wow... One of my typical day brings in more than that from the clients I manage.
So why don't you post those up your business portfolio and business websites so we can see all your fabulous projects?
"I have been declining building design projects lately."
You can't decline what you were never offered.
@SpontaneousCombustion - there is no housing shortage. What there is a shortage of is affordable housing. This is due to rent extraction, the basis of vulture capitalism.
Miles, why are you beating up on Rick? It comes across as particularly cruel and unkind. Do you also spit on the homeless, or is real life bravado like that a little too risky.
Low tolerance for bullshit. Point noted, thanks. Live and let live.
Apologies, Rick. I just wish you would find something more constructive to do with your time than bullshit on these forums. It’s not real
Most people on these forums are working architects, academics, students, or prospective students. When architects write about fees, or any other professional topic, generally they're not bullshitting, they're sharing professional experience. If what you're saying is that you just knowingly write bullshit because you think everybody else is doing that too, then you're misreading the forum. Also please refer to your "resolutions" thread - I'd predicted that by the end of 2018 you'd be back to "I'm not particularly focusing on building design projects at this time" and deflecting any questions about your building design aspirations by claiming to be focusing instead on software or video games. You're 4 months ahead of schedule on your annual career flip-flop.
I have no interest in the specifics of your software project and did not ask, nor did anyone else. My point is that you invariably do this career flip-flop over and over, and use it as the perrenial excuse for not making progress in either career. If you're focusing on software then great, go do that, and keep your focus on that and actually make some progress in a career before it's too late, and don't waste your focus on making up bullshit about architecture.
My firm starts at 20% (we mostly charge percentage of construction) for all projects and have a sliding scale based on cost. We generally don't take on projects whose construction budget is less than $1 million. Also, 50% of our fee is generally profit. This is because we are super efficient...
Miles it's not just an issue of under-supply of affordable housing. Over the past 15 years there's been an under-production of housing in all markets - approximated to be more than 7 million housing units short, particularly on the east and west coasts. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd...
Gross units are in surplus. US population 320m / household size 2.54 = 118m housing units.
Actual housing supply is 140m units, equating to a surplus of 18%, > 25m units. Where they are is not clear. Many of the unoccupied units are luxury multiples. For example 60% of the housing in my area is largely unoccupied 9 months of the year.
As for underproduction, that has been confined to underproduction of affordable units as residential development seeks maximum profit, and there is no profit in affordability. Redevelopment (gentrification) replaces older affordable stock with new market rate units (i.e the maximum the market will bear).
Like pretty much everything else, it is not a supply problem as much as it is a distribution problem.
Case in point: S.F., as mentioned in the Studio Gang article. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SF-residential-projects-languish-as-rising-costs-13183841.php?t=fdd5811214
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