The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought me back to the last time I experienced something seismic like this: the 2008 financial crisis. It was frightening, it tested me, and ultimately it made me and my work better. Fear, uncertainty, and a kind of creative energy all seem to go together in times like these. Crises do not necessarily beget opportunities; they often leave destruction in their wake. But having experienced and learned from at least one crisis, I believe that … [Read more...]
Specifications for Residential Architecture
This is a guest post by Rand Soellner; a founding member of ArCH (Architects Creating Homes, LLC). Win - Win - Win Recently the subject of specifications for residential architecture was discussed in detail on the EntreArchitect™ Podcast. This generated some interest in the subject nationwide, as it should. Why? If you are a licensed architect creating architectural documents for your projects, you might want to listen to that podcast and read this article. It just might save your … [Read more...]
Letter To My Beloved Profession (Guest Post)
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Marie-Claude Soulard, an architect based in the San Diego area and the owner of Soulard Architecture. Last week I posted a new discussion at the Entrepreneur Architect Linkedin Group titled Architecture is Dead: Let's Reinvent the Profession. The following is Marie-Claude's response to my challenge to imagine what our profession could be if we started from scratch with a blank sheet of trace paper. I'd love to know your thoughts on both my … [Read more...]
Architectural Interns: Read This Now!
Bob Borson from Life of an Architect blog published a great post today about Architectural Interns. It includes tips, suggestions and requirements from some of Bob's friends, including me. If you know an architectural intern or a recent grad looking for work, this is a must read. … [Read more...]
My Micro-Economy is Broken
My residential architecture firm designs, builds and renovates homes for high-earning individuals living in Westchester County, NY, one of the nation’s wealthiest regions. The success of our firm depends on these people having the income and confidence to invest in their properties. With much effort and perseverance, our boards have been filled with work throughout the recession, mostly with smaller scale projects offering lower overall fees. Since 2008, revenues have decreased each year, with … [Read more...]
Is Our Profession Really Experiencing a “Meltdown”?
Many of you have probably already read this article posted to Salon.com this past Saturday. There have also been a few similar articles written in the New York Times and WSJ. Is our profession really experiencing an all-out "meltdown", or are we no worse than most other businesses and industries trying to survive the most depressed economy since the Great Depression? (Many claim it is even worse than the Depression, but that is not the topic I want to discuss here.) It is bad, no doubt. … [Read more...]
How do you measure your success?
There's a saying in business, “What gets measured, gets managed.” Winning companies track several metrics to gauge their performance and measure business success. ROI (return on investment), EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization), average sales, website traffic, employee churn and average inventory are all key business indicators. Large retailers track same store sales, days of supply and stock to sales ratio. Public companies are required to publish quarterly … [Read more...]
Our Architectural Services Proposal
Several years ago, I attended a local AIA seminar presented by a fellow architect and the Chapter Council. The topic was "alternative agreements". What I learned during that interactive meeting was that for some projects, selecting one of the many legal documents available from our national professional organizations an appropriate way to protect both the architect and the owner when entering an agreement for architectural services. There are other times though, when a simpler, "friendlier" … [Read more...]
Do you use AIA Contract Documents? Let’s talk agreements…
Several years ago, we constructed a new Proposal document that doubles as our Owner / Architect Agreement. It's 5 pages long and, together with a separate 2 page "Standard Terms and Conditions" document, it includes all the protections of the AIA document... but looks and reads much friendlier. Fivecat Studio specializes in large residential additions and alterations, so we're dealing with homeowners. Back when we used AIA Documents, we spent way too much time negotiating contracts (or waiting … [Read more...]
BUILD LLC
I been following the BUILD blog for about a year. BUILD LLC is a small design/build firm located in Seattle, specializing in modern residential and small commercial projects. They maintain a very nice website and post to their blog on a regular basis. Their most recent post, Thank You Sir May I Have Another, is a nice reminder of the things we should all be focusing on as we wallow through this mess of an economy. The subtitle of the post reads, A ten-point plan for keeping a smile on your face … [Read more...]
Do You Tweet?
From Architectural Record: It seems like everyone these days is constantly plugged into their technological devices, tweeting their whereabouts, Facebooking their statuses, and publicizing anything and everything about themselves. Companies are even engaged in the phenomenon, using social media tools to market their products and services. But for architects, do these online pursuits pay off? Design firms that have integrated social media into their practices report a spike in interest in their … [Read more...]
CORA Revises Position Paper to Reflect Architects’ Feedback
The Congress of Residential Architecture (CORA) has updated their recent position paper addressed to state governing bodies and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). I did not endorse the original document distributed last month, but the changes released today have improved the document enough to where I am comfortable supporting its basic premise. I do not support the entire document. As a small business owner, my top concerns are over-regulation and over-taxation. I will be a much … [Read more...]