The future of residential design/drafting?

[DRAWZILLA]

ok so we all agree he was a draftsman- designer and quite good at it. and maybe not.

[javatom]

I was at Falling Water House once while repair work was under way.  It was fun to see the structure exposed and how it was put together.

[DRAWZILLA]

6 minutes ago, javatom said:

I was at Falling Water House once while repair work was under way.  It was fun to see the structure exposed and how it was put together.

I heard it was quite leaky and poorly done

[javatom]

Yes, it is not something that would even be allowed today.  I looks great but from a structural standpoint, it did not work.  It started to fail shortly after construction and got worse every year.  The repair work was quite an undertaking.  If it was any other house, it would have been condemned and torn down.

[johnny]

1 hour ago, DRAWZILLA said:

ok so we all agree he was a draftsman- designer and quite good at it. and maybe not.

Id say he's still an architect - a master architect.  All the "architects" through history from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and other ancient cities/cultures which demonstrated incredible competency should be considered architects based upon their achievements and whatever process/training/schooling they had at the time to identify as a professional.

[DRAWZILLA]

50 minutes ago, johnny said:

Id say he's still an architect - a master architect.  All the "architects" through history from Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and other ancient cities/cultures which demonstrated incredible competency should be considered architects based upon their achievements and whatever process/training/schooling they had at the time to identify as a professional.

So , if you follow those standards, would that make me an Architect. over 4000 projects, 42 years in this business, permits on every project obtained, All in California, the toughest area of the world for regulations.?

[lbuttery]

Wright was warned about the structural issues with Falling Water

and in his hubris he blew off the recommendations

 

he was also famous for ignoring the wishes/wants of his clients

 

an architect - yes

but also a PITA to work with/for

 

Lew

[RL-inc]

Perry I would say more qualified than many "licenced architects" that I have seen 

[CARMELHILL]

As I watch my son take karate lessons I have some time to type.....

 

Let's face it, much of the business that we receive, is because of all the regulation. We can charge more today because you can no longer get a permit for a new home with three sheets of 11"x17" drawings. You need to reprint half the code onto the drawings because a lot of trades don't own a copy of the code. (do any of them?). This year one local town has started requiring full HVAC engineering designs for additions and renovations. Crazy right? I can't get anyone for less than $1300 to even bother looking at a set of plans for that. But at least last year the prices were $2600. Things are getting more technical every day. I don't see our profession ever getting automated. I don't see programs getting smart enough to automatically draw structure, energy analysis, etc... The change will come from different avenues. Who would have thought 15 years ago that there would be so many online plan companies peddling their unstampable plans that are unuseable in so many locations without expensive revisions by a local architect? Who thought 5 years ago you'd need a HERS Rater for residential additions? Who thought 2" x 6"studs would become an option again because the code requires 15 + 3? Maybe we will see holographic 3d designs we can use in the field? (Has anyone seen the heads up GPS driving display you can cast from ur phone on the dashboard of your car?). Will we see better integration because VR, more acceptance of PDF permit submissions by the towns, better material estimating, more BIM, true energy analysis within the programs, some sort of Notes database that EVERYONE else already has?

 

After all is said and done, architect, draftsman, magic marker illustrator,... I still need to earn a living to support a wife and two kids. I love what I do, only because I'm my own boss, but I would never let my daughter become an architect. The salary is not commensurate with the time required. People don't know whats involved. Were're required to know everything, but don't get all the money. Many times we are viewed as an obstacle to getting the permit. Doing it all over again I would have gone right to one of the big utilities....Con Ed, PSEG, Keyspan, Verizon, etc...or been a cop from day one... the police around here retire RICH with crazy pensions. The teachers too.

 

I pushed an employee out the door two years ago after working for me for two years. I wanted him to get more commercial experience to better himself. So 4 years experience, 5 years college, he still can't afford his own place and his current architecture/engineering firm is only paying him $50g, on Long Island, NY. That's pathetic. He can't even afford an apartment. On Dec 31st he gets dropped by his parents medical and he has to pick up the office plan. They will only pay 50%. So he'll be taking home even less next year.  

 

I work three nights a week till 2am. Clients don't know, don't care, expect more, expect meetings on Saturdays/Sundays, and want revisions for free.