Plan checker has ice balls......get out the blow torch...ask for the boss...in a nice kind of way. Tell him you lost your ass on this job even if you didn't. Maybe they will have a good heart for the under paid Architect. It is only a Fricking House, DUDE!
the best expediters are very attractive people with make you happy skills a chinese massage parlor wishes they could deliver..........oh wait, not your fathers building department, just people who can not read drawings. would that be a qualificatuon for becoming an examiner? you know, able to read drawings.
^ Hard to tell for sure without some hard dimensions to compare, but at first glance it seems like the blog has a legitimate beef. Perspective issues aside, the garage in the sketch appears to be only about three stories tall, but the construction photos indicate that the garage will be at least five stories tall.
In other news, I've landed two more interviews: one at one of my top-choice firms in Portland (that also has a Seattle office), and one at another top-choice Seattle firm. I desperately needed some good news to improve my mood today, and this is just what the doctor ordered.
Ha, never mind. Turns out the rendering used above is from a previous iteration of the design. The second version, which was approved by zoning etc., shows the parking garage taller. Still not "too tall" despite what my NIMBY neighbors think, but taller than what is being used for comparison.
Donna, I've had a similar experience a few years back when working out light-rail transit options. The most logical option by chance cut too close to a nimby strong area and I would see terribly outdated plans and renderings on their protest boards.
I approached one person and informed them that most of their issues were already resolved. They quickly invented another aspect to direct their nimby hate.
So..I've been working for a metal shop for the past five years doing their shop drawings while also working as a consultant for architects at the same time. One thing I'll say is that most architect's drawings are sorely lacking in detail. To the point where very often all I will get is an elevation... It is important to put out at least an attempt as to what you want IMO. One other thing I would say is that you should consult a steel manual or try to find sizes of steel, aluminum, brass or whatever that exist. Brass and Aluminum can be cut with a table saw, normal chop saw... steel has to be milled typically and can be cut with a cold saw or band saw.... or plasma cutter, laser cutter or waterjet. Point is though.. it is best to stay within normal sizes of steel/ stainless steel unless you want things to get very expensive. Milled sections in Steel/SS is crazy expensive... also milling steel releases a certain amount of tension in a way.. so that you have to worry about pieces being straight. Anyway... if you have questions send me an email and I may be able to answer them or get them answered.
Way too many shop drawings & submittals, eliminate all but the essential.... if I spec a #123 Acme toilet tissue holder why send me a picture of it? Why ask for storefront shop drawings? Do you have a shop? Are you building it? All you end up doing is fixing their dimensions for free. Cheaper to do your job in the first place and do proper detailing...you know what color you speced, why make somebody send you a color chip of it... did you lose yours?
Thank you lars! And welcome back! That is valuable advice. Since I'm working with my husband's shop, Indianapolis Fabrications, who fabricates all kinds of things, he's helping me with things like how much the steel changes when heat is applied and which pieces you would start with at full length vs. cutting to length, etc. It's actually a sculpture he is doing, as the artists, and also fabricating (though they usually fabricate for other artists), and I'm excited to share it with you all but I don't think it's been made public yet.....it's in California.
I disagree. CA was my favorite part of the process when in architecture because so much design happens then. As for your examples.. It is good to have a spec sheet of your toilet holder or all of you plumbing fixture cuts and such because it just confirms that you spec'd what you intended and that you're both on the same page. Also often you'll miss a spec number or two and the person who deals with those items every day may know better or have questions about which exact one you want.
Storefront? It makes sense to make sure that the manufacturer of every item has been to the site and is detailing your work the way you want. Architects often try to detail items that they don't know how to build and often the manufacturer will have a better way to detail it. This doesn't excuse the architect from trying to detail, but often a shop will have to draw every piece for it to get made properly.
Same goes for colors... you may have a paint chip, but samples are vital to make sure that you're getting the look you want on the material you've asked for.
There may be some submittals that are unnecessary but for the most part you want complete information to get the project you want.
^Guilty of being sensitive to people repeating what I order….”I’ll have a #3 with a medium Coke”…”Do you want a #3 with a medium Coke?” Just think architects are an uncertain lot, not sure of themselves, afraid to handle mistakes…better to glean the specs to make time for the big stuff, make a decision, be specific, and be done with it, that’s all I’m saying.
Man. If I ask for epoxy grout, I better get a submittal back, or else. Fuck. Even if I get a submittal, the fucking sub will still try and slip by a cementitious product.
Submittals or no submittals. The GC is only out for themselves.
Miles, it’s a balance, not going to do much “art” if you can’t stay in “business” and you can’t stay in “business” unless you can do the “art” – (at least the last part used to be important).
Jan 16, 16 8:49 pm ·
·
Awesome. That is one of the firms I would recommend from what I have seen of their work. They aren't the only ones but they are one of the firms that do good works but each have their strengths and lesser.
We can add a digging and cutting a basement egress window to my list of jobs I never want to do again. Too cheap to pay someone $4k, so I did it myself and can barely move today.
Does anyone know if the Open Architecture Network still exists? I tried to find it on the web last night and it appears to be gone. Are the designs still available anywhere else? I made an acquaintance last night who is building infrastructure projects in developing countries who would love to look at them.
David: If you have any questions about Portland area firms feel free to shoot me a message. I've been around the area for about 4 years and it's a very small community, you tend to get to know the reputations of firms /& principals pretty quickly.
Donna its so wrong its funny followed by "dude thats just wrong".......comedy is interesting. once at a Loius CK standup he got into it about jerking off and then before we knew it he said he was jerking off over a casket or something.......crickets, crowd looking at each other. hit or miss. a lot has to do with delivery. if Dave Chapelle had posted that - everyone would be rolling.
Louie verbalizes the interior dialogue that we all have and suppress for good reason. A big part of that is being incorrect in more ways than one. Lucky Louie, his first show, highlighted that.
loved Lucky Loius and Norton is hilarious......after that standup we hung out the bar and my wife who loves Louis CK asked if she was allowed to bang him (she is funny like that)....i said sure, go over there and ask him. she did, no luck.
Thread Central
Good morning TC,
Regarding Alan Rickman this is the first thing that comes to mind...
plan reviewer just rejected my plans.
we had submitted for interior renovations (approved) while we worked on historic approval for exterior renovations/addition/detached garage.
Submitted exterior plans.
Plan reviewer wants me to revise the interior set to add in the exterior work, then do a second set just for the garage.
No way I'm revising 1 set and producing a whole new set and trashing a 3rd set just because this guy is too lazy to do his job.
We are paying 2 permit fees, what's the problem?
I'd rather combine everything into a single set.
Main issue is that I have 2 revit files, so it'd be a drag to redo the work from the interior set to the exterior one.
^^ re-number everything and staple it all together. How you like them apples?
Rejecting plans based on presentation, when they accept deck plans scribbled on note pads?
You guys do what you want, but I still say if you have a license you should bypass the "metal detector".
The building dept here gives different answers to the same question depending on who you ask. Which is why I use an expediter who used to work there.
A layer of separation also allows you to play a different role with them if you have to.
Plan checker has ice balls......get out the blow torch...ask for the boss...in a nice kind of way. Tell him you lost your ass on this job even if you didn't. Maybe they will have a good heart for the under paid Architect. It is only a Fricking House, DUDE!
Just in case you think I'm over the Top...I just finished a bowl of Potato Chips!
YO!
the best expediters are very attractive people with make you happy skills a chinese massage parlor wishes they could deliver..........oh wait, not your fathers building department, just people who can not read drawings. would that be a qualificatuon for becoming an examiner? you know, able to read drawings.
a bowl of potato chips? don't those come in bags?
legit chip eaters, roll in bowls.
Potato chips served in a bowl is so fancy. I only do that when I have a Pritzker Laureate on the guest list.
You guys, please help me out here. This is from a local development blog.
This infographic is *totally misunderstanding* how perspective works, yes? Or using a common misunderstanding to make an exaggerated point?
^ Hard to tell for sure without some hard dimensions to compare, but at first glance it seems like the blog has a legitimate beef. Perspective issues aside, the garage in the sketch appears to be only about three stories tall, but the construction photos indicate that the garage will be at least five stories tall.
In other news, I've landed two more interviews: one at one of my top-choice firms in Portland (that also has a Seattle office), and one at another top-choice Seattle firm. I desperately needed some good news to improve my mood today, and this is just what the doctor ordered.
the stuff you're standing close to appears bigger than the stuff far away.
if you took a picture from close to the neighboring unit, would this tell a different story, or the same story?
Ha, never mind. Turns out the rendering used above is from a previous iteration of the design. The second version, which was approved by zoning etc., shows the parking garage taller. Still not "too tall" despite what my NIMBY neighbors think, but taller than what is being used for comparison.
I approached one person and informed them that most of their issues were already resolved. They quickly invented another aspect to direct their nimby hate.
People right? Sheeesssh
it's intriguing to come back here after a few years and still recognize half of the people on this page. Happy 2016 ALL!
Donna/LB.
So..I've been working for a metal shop for the past five years doing their shop drawings while also working as a consultant for architects at the same time. One thing I'll say is that most architect's drawings are sorely lacking in detail. To the point where very often all I will get is an elevation... It is important to put out at least an attempt as to what you want IMO. One other thing I would say is that you should consult a steel manual or try to find sizes of steel, aluminum, brass or whatever that exist. Brass and Aluminum can be cut with a table saw, normal chop saw... steel has to be milled typically and can be cut with a cold saw or band saw.... or plasma cutter, laser cutter or waterjet. Point is though.. it is best to stay within normal sizes of steel/ stainless steel unless you want things to get very expensive. Milled sections in Steel/SS is crazy expensive... also milling steel releases a certain amount of tension in a way.. so that you have to worry about pieces being straight. Anyway... if you have questions send me an email and I may be able to answer them or get them answered.
Way too many shop drawings & submittals, eliminate all but the essential.... if I spec a #123 Acme toilet tissue holder why send me a picture of it? Why ask for storefront shop drawings? Do you have a shop? Are you building it? All you end up doing is fixing their dimensions for free. Cheaper to do your job in the first place and do proper detailing...you know what color you speced, why make somebody send you a color chip of it... did you lose yours?
hello larslarson,
Welcome back.
Back in the day a decorator faxed us a color chip.
Thank you lars! And welcome back! That is valuable advice. Since I'm working with my husband's shop, Indianapolis Fabrications, who fabricates all kinds of things, he's helping me with things like how much the steel changes when heat is applied and which pieces you would start with at full length vs. cutting to length, etc. It's actually a sculpture he is doing, as the artists, and also fabricating (though they usually fabricate for other artists), and I'm excited to share it with you all but I don't think it's been made public yet.....it's in California.
Carrera,
I disagree. CA was my favorite part of the process when in architecture because so much design happens then. As for your examples.. It is good to have a spec sheet of your toilet holder or all of you plumbing fixture cuts and such because it just confirms that you spec'd what you intended and that you're both on the same page. Also often you'll miss a spec number or two and the person who deals with those items every day may know better or have questions about which exact one you want.
Storefront? It makes sense to make sure that the manufacturer of every item has been to the site and is detailing your work the way you want. Architects often try to detail items that they don't know how to build and often the manufacturer will have a better way to detail it. This doesn't excuse the architect from trying to detail, but often a shop will have to draw every piece for it to get made properly.
Same goes for colors... you may have a paint chip, but samples are vital to make sure that you're getting the look you want on the material you've asked for.
There may be some submittals that are unnecessary but for the most part you want complete information to get the project you want.
^Guilty of being sensitive to people repeating what I order….”I’ll have a #3 with a medium Coke”…”Do you want a #3 with a medium Coke?” Just think architects are an uncertain lot, not sure of themselves, afraid to handle mistakes…better to glean the specs to make time for the big stuff, make a decision, be specific, and be done with it, that’s all I’m saying.
^ Practice of business vs art, tough to do both.
Unless the art is bullshit.
Submittals or no submittals. The GC is only out for themselves.
Miles, it’s a balance, not going to do much “art” if you can’t stay in “business” and you can’t stay in “business” unless you can do the “art” – (at least the last part used to be important).
Awesome. That is one of the firms I would recommend from what I have seen of their work. They aren't the only ones but they are one of the firms that do good works but each have their strengths and lesser.
I haven't publicly named any firms I've applied to, and wouldn't be comfortable doing so until after I've accepted an offer someplace.
David Cole,
Sounds reasonable. I'll note that there are a number of good firms in Portland, Oregon & Seattle, Washington. Wish you best of luck.
Happy Sunday all...been a nice, relaxing weekend. Looking forward to next couple of weeks/ends, though will be a bit busier..
Good luck David.
@lars Happy 2016 to you!
We can add a digging and cutting a basement egress window to my list of jobs I never want to do again. Too cheap to pay someone $4k, so I did it myself and can barely move today.
Is it time for our Denver get together, Nam? You, me, mightyyaa, who else?
Does anyone know if the Open Architecture Network still exists? I tried to find it on the web last night and it appears to be gone. Are the designs still available anywhere else? I made an acquaintance last night who is building infrastructure projects in developing countries who would love to look at them.
It's a shit day in architecture when I have to explain to architects why a coordinate system matters and it isn't as simple as "just move it".
Ever watch a huge freight train slowly start moving from a dead stop? That's me on Monday mornings, especially when it's 9 degrees outside.
David: If you have any questions about Portland area firms feel free to shoot me a message. I've been around the area for about 4 years and it's a very small community, you tend to get to know the reputations of firms /& principals pretty quickly.
@tintt I am totally game.
tduds: Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll send you a message this evening.
Same... Just let me know where and when.
^Sorry I can't make it that night, I have a meeting....
......i do like dive bars......
Donna its so wrong its funny followed by "dude thats just wrong".......comedy is interesting. once at a Loius CK standup he got into it about jerking off and then before we knew it he said he was jerking off over a casket or something.......crickets, crowd looking at each other. hit or miss. a lot has to do with delivery. if Dave Chapelle had posted that - everyone would be rolling.
Louie verbalizes the interior dialogue that we all have and suppress for good reason. A big part of that is being incorrect in more ways than one. Lucky Louie, his first show, highlighted that.
loved Lucky Loius and Norton is hilarious......after that standup we hung out the bar and my wife who loves Louis CK asked if she was allowed to bang him (she is funny like that)....i said sure, go over there and ask him. she did, no luck.
Offensive in a context is funny, offensive for the sake of being offensive is not.
Carrera: I don't get it.
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