Being a contractor, I would like to know how an architect thinks. I am a young, ambitious, and extremely honest PM who has recently gotten an opportunity to work with an architect who could open the door to future work that I want to perform (as opposed to my company). I want to build large beautiful buildings in nice areas and be proud of what I build, not how much I make. Unfortunately my company does not feel the same way right now, but I would like to change that. It could start with this project I have that is LEED, thoughtfully designed, and with a high end architect. The problem is he hates my company, and believes me -my company- to be the typical, low-rent, swindling contractor. My company has done everything required by us and infinitely more, but this architect firm still hates us.
How can I, as a contractor, over the next year change the opinion of an architect and convince him/her of being a good builder. How can I get this architect to knock on my door after this project and say "You guys are great, we need you on this project"
Non Sequitur
Sep 2, 15 12:58 pm
It's not hard... do a good job, follow instructions, avoid skipping corners and swapping finishes for cheaper alternatives and you'll get repeat business from any architect who cares about the work they put out.
If at the end of a successful project that came on budget with minimal site headaches, the architect still wants nothing to do with you, then let them go. Someone else will come along.
DeTwan
Sep 2, 15 12:59 pm
The answer is be a good contractor!
How many RFIs did you request? Are you able to think on your own? Do you make a lot of mistakes? You were to vague with your OP to give a definitive answer, be more honest with yourself assessment and the answers will come to you.
The answers are within you my friend!!!
Donna Sink
Sep 2, 15 1:07 pm
Really good communication that is respectful of both them and yourself.
If you even have a tiny concern over how to do something, ask them. Show respect for their knowledge when they answer (by contrast, if they don't respect YOUR knowledge, which as a good builder you should have plenty, then screw them, find a better architect).
Document everything, every meeting should have minutes, every phone call should include a follow up email confirming what was discussed and decided upon.
It sounds like you're off to a pretty good start: being extremely honest, as you say, is a good quality to have. If something is going to cost a lot more or add a lot more to the timeline it's SO much better to be upfront and clear about it than to keep quiet and just hope for the best.
Also, I have forged good relationships with individuals over the years when we both realized we were caught up in companies/institutions that were the cause of the problems between us. This really is a person-to-person business, built on good relationships. You may find that the architects at this firm are aware that YOU are trying your best to be a good builder even though your employer isn't.
JLC-1
Sep 2, 15 1:08 pm
A game of pool and a couple of beers on fridays
citizen
Sep 2, 15 1:36 pm
How do you make an architect happy?
Pay their invoice in full when it arrives.
sticksandconcrete
Sep 2, 15 2:19 pm
This is a design bid build.
We have never worked with them before.
The contractor who does work with them absolutely despises us because they have lost 2 of the largest projects in the sector to us in the past 3 years. This contractor created the hate the architect has for us, so we went into this whole ordeal per owner request with the architect against us from day one because of what one other GC said.
awaiting_deletion
Sep 2, 15 5:53 pm
was going to say read the drawings....but now it sounds like kickbacks and collusion.......just saying......i mean if the other GC was doing that for the architect and now he has a new GC who may not he may just remain angry. not saying you take care of him that way, just a sneaking suspicion
Miles Jaffe
Sep 2, 15 6:02 pm
^ Exactly. Sounds like you're the fly in the ointment. The architect can't afford to be pissed at the owner for sinking his sweet deal so he's doing his best to sabotage you.
Welcome to Business 101.
Everyday Intern
Sep 2, 15 7:49 pm
How do you know the architect hates you?
My advice is don't be an idiot. Read the drawings and specs and know what's in them. Actually review shop drawings and submittals from your subs, and stick to the schedule. Don't put things on the architect that are actually your responsibility ... etc., etc.
Things contractors do day after day that drive me crazy:
Sending an RFI for stuff that is clearly in the drawings or specs, but they didn't take the time to bother looking.
Deciding that they'd like to say in their marketing that they have zero RFIs so they start calling RFIs something else like "points of clarification" or something stupid like that.
Sending submittals out of sequence, or late, and then complaining that they are "hot" and if they aren't approved yesterday the project will be behind schedule.
Sending submittals, stamped with their review, that they obviously haven't reviewed.
Not clearly identifying in submittals things that need my input, or things that deviate from the contract documents, or things that have changed from a previous submittal on a subsequent submittal.
Asking for an inspection at substantial completion without putting together a punch list more than a handful of items. The architect is not supposed to come up with the items on the punch list during their inspection. Sure we can add to it for things that were missed, but the contractor should already have this list done.
Asking to change a product or material in a submittal without sending a substitution request. Then when I send the submittal back marked rejected, they say that they don't do substitution requests and they'd like me to just approve it, revise the spec, and issue an ASI. Look, if you don't want to do substitution requests, that's fine ... use the products in the spec.
Asking for a substitution request without identifying any benefit to the owner. There is a reason you want to change it, and it is either money, time, or both.
Sending a substitution request without comparing the product you want to substitute to the one in the documents.
Sending an email, or calling, asking me to let them know if I'll approve a substitution before they submit a request.
Telling me they didn't have something in their bid that was clearly in the documents and asking for a change to the documents to require something else.
If you can manage to make it through a project without doing anything on the list above, I will want you as a contractor for ever.
DeTwan
Sep 2, 15 7:53 pm
Oh snap! someone has a lawsuit on their hands! I'd see if you can stick it to this douche of an architect!
awaiting_deletion
Sep 2, 15 8:17 pm
OP, here is how it usually goes down, but Olaf is an honest guy and just like cheating on your spouse is hardly worth the drama that could follow, taking kickbacks is stupid when you can just charge more as an architect. Ask that Duggar kid!
"Olaf, you want me to take care of you?" - GC
Fictional recreation of an oft asked question. Typically these GC's have drug and stripper habits and assume the same for the architect they are talking to. You know the type, you call and call for a week, no answer, and then boom one day they show up out of nowhere all professional like...yeah we all know you framed an entire house on meth once in 48 straight hours....
Olaf Replies "Don't worry about it, the client already took care of me."
The look Olaf gets is always funny.
"I charged enough, don't worry about me, just give me the right bid." - Olaf
Basically, the Architect wants you to give them $10k or something so they can approve an extra $100k by advising the client you the GC is the right guy.
This GC/Architect team probably have a whole Change Order routine down to, like slapstick comedy....
Besides being a dishonest method, this is extremely detrimental to the economics of being an architect.
Architect A charges $5k for the job and takes $10k in kickbacks.
Architect B tries to compete with Architect A, but can't or has to hire free interns.
On the above principle alone, it's a bad idea, not to mention its fraud....
Being a contractor, I would like to know how an architect thinks. I am a young, ambitious, and extremely honest PM who has recently gotten an opportunity to work with an architect who could open the door to future work that I want to perform (as opposed to my company). I want to build large beautiful buildings in nice areas and be proud of what I build, not how much I make. Unfortunately my company does not feel the same way right now, but I would like to change that. It could start with this project I have that is LEED, thoughtfully designed, and with a high end architect. The problem is he hates my company, and believes me -my company- to be the typical, low-rent, swindling contractor. My company has done everything required by us and infinitely more, but this architect firm still hates us.
How can I, as a contractor, over the next year change the opinion of an architect and convince him/her of being a good builder. How can I get this architect to knock on my door after this project and say "You guys are great, we need you on this project"
It's not hard... do a good job, follow instructions, avoid skipping corners and swapping finishes for cheaper alternatives and you'll get repeat business from any architect who cares about the work they put out.
If at the end of a successful project that came on budget with minimal site headaches, the architect still wants nothing to do with you, then let them go. Someone else will come along.
The answer is be a good contractor!
How many RFIs did you request? Are you able to think on your own? Do you make a lot of mistakes? You were to vague with your OP to give a definitive answer, be more honest with yourself assessment and the answers will come to you.
The answers are within you my friend!!!
Really good communication that is respectful of both them and yourself.
If you even have a tiny concern over how to do something, ask them. Show respect for their knowledge when they answer (by contrast, if they don't respect YOUR knowledge, which as a good builder you should have plenty, then screw them, find a better architect).
Document everything, every meeting should have minutes, every phone call should include a follow up email confirming what was discussed and decided upon.
It sounds like you're off to a pretty good start: being extremely honest, as you say, is a good quality to have. If something is going to cost a lot more or add a lot more to the timeline it's SO much better to be upfront and clear about it than to keep quiet and just hope for the best.
Also, I have forged good relationships with individuals over the years when we both realized we were caught up in companies/institutions that were the cause of the problems between us. This really is a person-to-person business, built on good relationships. You may find that the architects at this firm are aware that YOU are trying your best to be a good builder even though your employer isn't.
A game of pool and a couple of beers on fridays
How do you make an architect happy?
Pay their invoice in full when it arrives.
This is a design bid build.
We have never worked with them before.
The contractor who does work with them absolutely despises us because they have lost 2 of the largest projects in the sector to us in the past 3 years. This contractor created the hate the architect has for us, so we went into this whole ordeal per owner request with the architect against us from day one because of what one other GC said.
was going to say read the drawings....but now it sounds like kickbacks and collusion.......just saying......i mean if the other GC was doing that for the architect and now he has a new GC who may not he may just remain angry. not saying you take care of him that way, just a sneaking suspicion
^ Exactly. Sounds like you're the fly in the ointment. The architect can't afford to be pissed at the owner for sinking his sweet deal so he's doing his best to sabotage you.
Welcome to Business 101.
How do you know the architect hates you?
My advice is don't be an idiot. Read the drawings and specs and know what's in them. Actually review shop drawings and submittals from your subs, and stick to the schedule. Don't put things on the architect that are actually your responsibility ... etc., etc.
Things contractors do day after day that drive me crazy:
If you can manage to make it through a project without doing anything on the list above, I will want you as a contractor for ever.
Oh snap! someone has a lawsuit on their hands! I'd see if you can stick it to this douche of an architect!
OP, here is how it usually goes down, but Olaf is an honest guy and just like cheating on your spouse is hardly worth the drama that could follow, taking kickbacks is stupid when you can just charge more as an architect. Ask that Duggar kid!
"Olaf, you want me to take care of you?" - GC
Fictional recreation of an oft asked question. Typically these GC's have drug and stripper habits and assume the same for the architect they are talking to. You know the type, you call and call for a week, no answer, and then boom one day they show up out of nowhere all professional like...yeah we all know you framed an entire house on meth once in 48 straight hours....
Olaf Replies "Don't worry about it, the client already took care of me."
The look Olaf gets is always funny.
"I charged enough, don't worry about me, just give me the right bid." - Olaf
Basically, the Architect wants you to give them $10k or something so they can approve an extra $100k by advising the client you the GC is the right guy.
This GC/Architect team probably have a whole Change Order routine down to, like slapstick comedy....
Besides being a dishonest method, this is extremely detrimental to the economics of being an architect.
Architect A charges $5k for the job and takes $10k in kickbacks.
Architect B tries to compete with Architect A, but can't or has to hire free interns.
On the above principle alone, it's a bad idea, not to mention its fraud....