don't email, just go and talk to the principal, i am sure he'd be happy to assist. buy him an espresso.

e-mail or phone or drop by, but be honest. try not to think too much about how to spin the topic cuz it comes off as disingenuous to anyone with a bit of social acumen.

just explain pertinent facts. you have parents. they want a free design. you are volunteering, but need advice. is he willing to help? that's all. maybe it leads to something cool, maybe not. but only find out if you start process.

Sounds like a great idea and a great way to salvage a really bad situation. I agree with jump and beta.

As a side note, as you know, the advice of a qualified architect costs money during the design phase but more often than not saves money via less heartache (and wasted time) during construction and through the life of the house. Architect's services need to be viewed as an investment that returns not money but happiness and peace of mind. Now, I am certain that you have already mentioned this to your parents, but they may be discounting your advice because a) you are their child, and like it or not, they are not used to listening to you as anything but their child and b) you are not yet experienced. SO, an idea for you: see if you can track down 2 client references from this old boss of yours, where your parents can call up people who had to make the difficult decision of whether to "splurge" on an architect or not, and hear firsthand from them how much the architect was worth it.

Describe the situation to your old boss when you meet with him; chances are, he will have the perfect people in mind for your parents to talk to. This is a common thing to do with new clients. Your parents need to hear from other adults like them what they can expect from the building process, and what an architect can bring them in terms of years of enjoyment.

the key thing to consider when "Designing the Dream House for the Parents ", would be "whose dream is it"

(ps. thank goodness my parents sold their land!)

if the dream is stucoo..... sorry to hear that....

residential isn't that hard if you have worked in the trades.....

residential isn't hard? hah. not remotely true.

building something is not hard. building something good is infinitely difficult. and it takes a lot of time for low fees, which is why most architects don't indulge in homes. i used to do hospitals, schools and high-rises, and even a small stadium resides in my portfolio. currently i do houses. they are as much work and more for any architect worth their fee.

sure it has it's ups and downs.... just like everything else in life....

whether you want a subdivision home or a modern home......

but once you know how to build, it makes things that much simpler....

it's not about knowing how to build, it's about knowing how to treat the unbuilt what makes a good home.
it is at least equally complex to all other kinds of projects, there are the same connections between parts (wall-floor-roof-whatever) only less space to solve it in (properly).

..... and you wonder why architects and contractors have such a 'perfect' relationship

Favorite quote from my dad:

"Colin, your mother and I dont want to live in your weird piece of art."


ha ha excellent. It was still fun though.

Contacted my old boss a few weeks ago. His literal words, "I am on the skin of my teeth," but lets do lunch some time. I e-mailed him back with an offer he can't refuse plus lunch/coffee on me:

I'll volunteer my time in the office, whatever needs to be done. For free. In return just look over my shoulder in the design of my parents house and make sure everything looks good, maybe through some suggestions, ideas... whatever...

...2 weeks have gone by... no word.

I want to create an amazing house for my parents now, but I just need help, and I don't know where to look anymore.

Who turns down free labor?

oe, that's priceless

funny I was looking at photos of a house today which was designed not by Marcel Bruer but one of the follow along guys with a contractor. It was a fireplace we were looking at....very brutal....and he says, " You think they forgot to put a cushion on that bench?" I chuckled and said ya the client is always right.

Bump.

My parents are about to buy a house. They've looked at 23, but I don't think they've even considered buying a lot and letting their residential-architect daughter design a home for them. I should be upset, but feel like I dodged a bullet! They're across the country, looking in an area that has strict land use requirements, and don't want to live in temporary housing during the 18-24 months the process would take. Plus, there's the whole "spending their retirement money on an architect" problem - my view, not theirs.

Maybe I'll encourage them to buy one with a crappy kitchen and redo it. Or maybe not. Honestly I just wanted to get it off my chest, here among simpaticos, that it's bizarre that the option never occurred to them. I must remember this next time I tell my former hair stylist client that I cut my own hair. I think I'll start having her do it.

Ha. Donna, I know a lot of people who need or could use the 'graphics designs.'

I've never had a single person ask me if I could or would actually do anything for free. And almost most of the time, I have no problem with doing work for free* (*I generously accept gifts, booze or food as a form of payment).


But I have all of these friends in bands, I know a few people who own small businesses, et cetera... And none of them even bothers to ask. If I could ahead and just do it and hand it to them... they're like "I didn't know you could do that!"

I'm like, "Uhh, I worked in a publishing company... you know, as head design honcho for four years. And not just the penny saver... our circulation numbers across the whole company were in the hundreds of thousands."

What I think you should actually do... is measure and take photos of their kitchen before or right after they move in.

Download the kohler and kraftmaid sketchup parts... design a very quick kitchen and render it out (or get someone from archinect) to render it.

And then just hand them the picture.