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How do architects get paid in small boutique firms?

specificorange

Hi! I'm a recent grad considering going back to grad school for an M.Arch. I'm passionate about doing smaller scale projects (residential, small commercial, etc.) and I was wondering how architects at boutique firms get paid. How much is a typical fee? How does that get divided up between the architects at the firm? How long is a project and how many do you do per year? Thank you so much in advance for your time!

 
May 31, 20 11:44 am
whistler

Poorly! Boutique firms rarely pay well the principles may make a reasonable salary but few others make out very well.... It's not a business model that allows for everyone in the firm to be financially successful.

Jun 1, 20 2:14 pm  · 
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zonker

I worked at a boutique firm in SF, it was a low paying 1099 job for 3 years, fun, and creative, but had to moonlight at two other offices to make ends meet. The two principals(husband and wife) were able to go on European vacations, but I was having to pull all nighters at my other gigs, sometimes work 36 hours straight across 3 jobs, slept in a rolled up carpet in the sample room. No I don't recommend it

Jun 1, 20 3:06 pm  · 
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BulgarBlogger

A contract for a townhouse can range from $150k to 600k (big spread) The last one I worked on, the arch fee was $450k, but that’s in NYC. So say you have two people working on the project, one makes 75k and another 85k; then you have office expenses etc: the principal might walk away with $200-250k depending on how the project is managed and if the engineers start charging additional services.

Jun 1, 20 6:29 pm  · 
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midlander

roughly how many hours direct labor go into a project like that? i've never worked residential, often wondered.

Jun 3, 20 11:53 am  · 
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