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Posted by Michael Bulatovich on February 7, 2007, 9:03 am
> Well after reading the FAQ I'm not hopeful of much light being shed on
> this but I have nothing to lose except a shreck of diginity.
>
> I'm ready to build my first house. Spent 1.1 mil on a block of about
> 8000 sq ft and have been trolling the architecture mags etc. for
> inspiration. I hate most of what I've seen. Found one design I really
> liked - it won an award, quite a prestigous one in my country. The
> design isn't suitable for my purposes but I thought hell, this guy has
> guts and vision, he could be the one for me.
>
> So I called him up and we had a meeting on site. I gave him the dream
> brief - a list of accomodation I need, a few guidelines about light,
> materials etc. that I like - and told him he could go nuts with the
> design. I want a house that might win an award. A house some people
> will hate, but I'll drive up to every night and think, man, that is some
> piece of design.
>
> I gave him a budget of 800K and he's come back with a quote of 15% plus
> plus plus (subconsultants like gardener and town planner, courier fees,
> variations etc.) So that's $120K+ for a resi project - to design, spec,
> tender and administrate. He will do concepts for $5K.
>
> I tend to think he's gone for the jugular because I flattered him for his
> award. He has a few other designs on his resume (he's probably been
> practising about 10 years), but few are finished yet. They seem
> generally OK. he works with 2 partners, one of whom I met. They talked
> the talk.
15% on that kind of commission from an architect who has established himself
as "the Man" in an area (assuming North America) is at the higher end of
fees, but not too unusual. It does depend on the fine print somewhat....
What's included? What's not? Is it explicit in the proposal? For that money
they should be picking and designing and coordinating *everything*, IMHO.
(No extras.)
> I have a commercial project going at the moment where I've been quoted a
> lump sum that amounts to about 8%, for the same scope of works. Same guy
> is doing my bush retreat for about 5% but the cost will run over so he'll
> be up for more like 4%. He's competent but his designs aren't
> outstanding. On this project he quoted about 8% as well.
These are different contexts, so no surprise there. Houses have a lot of
design in them, especially ambitious ones.
Design=Time, Time=Money. You are also much more likely to fuss over every
little detail of your home. That takes time too.
> So the short question - for an [apparently] innovative architect with one
> award and a short history, isn't 15% a bit ambitious? Would I insult him
> by querying the rate? If I pay him $5K for concepts but go no further,
> am I entitled to put his best ideas forward to the architect I eventually
> go with?
>
> Ok so that was the long question.
Long answer:
Getting one guy to 'just draw up' another guy's ideas is tricky, unless guy
#2 is a doormat, and that has it's problems too.
I had some clients who spent a fortune on "award-winning guy number 1" who
drew up a design, and then left them hanging because he was 'too busy' to do
a house anymore. (He may have had another reason...wait for it...)
They went to "doormat number 2" who did whatever they asked, and modified
the original design until it look like the worst piece of dreck. They knew
it. Then, like Goldilocks, they sought out a small guy who wasn't a
push-over, and who understood design, to modify the design. Someone
recommended me.
I discovered and quickly reported that award-winning guy number one had done
schematic design for a house (for the same money as my entire fee) that
could not be built...if you wanted any drains in it. It also had various
unworkable spaces (bachelor's loft kitchen), was about 60% over budget, and
had failed to adequately investigate/understand/accommodate the regulatory
restrictions on the site etc., so I advised them to scrap it and start from
scratch, which they did.
I still remember their faces when it sunk in that they had been 'had' by
award-winning guy number one, and that what he had done was probably
actionable, but probably not worth pursuing by busy, successful people. They
bounced back quickly like successful people do.
I have also had the pleasure of taking over projects from other strident
"award-winning famous guys" who bullied the clients until they were sick of
them, and have declined to hold the bag for other "award-winning
world-famous guys" who had designed stuff they didn't know how to build.
If you chase the "award-winning famous guys" you will likely have to pay for
the privilege. Someone will tell you that it makes you cool (probably a
friend of "award-winning famous guy"). That may be worth money to you.
However, if you are discerning you might identify someone with talent, good
judgment and a lower profile who might just make you a better product for
less money, but that would take more effort on your part.
I've never followed someone else's design, so I can't advise on the last
point. I have had my schematics developed (poorly, but more economically) by
others, but, to me, it isn't worth worrying about. There's no shortage of
ideas.
--
MichaelB
www.michaelbulatovich.ca
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