Why can’t an architect get a break?

We must be doing something wrong. It seems that architects always have to fight to justify our value. Perhaps we don’t do a very good job illustrating our value proposition. Or, perhaps others have done a better job bringing down the expectation of what a design professional can do. Consider all of the do-it-yourself home improvement shows. After a while, you begin to think anyone that has the motor skills to swing a hammer or pull the trigger on a drill can complete construction. And what the construction is to become is just a matter of preference. And as I found on my past vacation watching cable television with my wife, I can't help but look at approaches others are taking with owners that inevitably costs them more money, to end with a final product that looks nice, but most maddening to me is knowing they could have got more for those construction dollars if they invested in an architect at the beginning (we have subsequently decided not to watch those shows together for a while, my comments were a bit too distracting).

As an architect, we do bring that sense of design which has been taught and practiced to be more than just what we prefer. It is what has worked in the past, an understanding of scale obtained from completing prior projects, studying complete environments, and knowing the history behind architecture and why we enjoy the spaces we enjoy. But, more importantly, one of the architect’s best values is their extensive understanding of laws, codes, building regulations, zoning ordinances, and what design elements are hot points, while others could be submitted for variance. Nonetheless, we have to constantly explain to an owner why a fee of 6-7% is very reasonable when considering how we are the one team player that coordinates all of the other team players and can oversee the design and construction to be sure the owner knows what to expect before starting, and to know it won’t be shut down later because it was an illegal structure or missing critical life-safety items. Have you considered to the cost of not hiring an architect?

What blows my mind from a business standpoint is the fact a building owner doesn’t seem to bully the realtor to reduce their commission. Perhaps they do and the realtor is able to stand his ground, he knows no one else is going to do it cheaper, that 6% commission is sacred. But with architects, there always seems to be another cheaper designer who is willing to take a chance, not perform the due diligence, and really doesn’t care about the owner or the public, but just wants to make a few bucks. Yes, that seems to be one of the most challenging aspects to defining our value proposition, explaining why every apple isn’t the same. Just because she is licensed and I am licensed doesn’t mean we will give you the same service, or bring the same value to the table…

My Time for Transition is Now

I’ve spent more time soul searching recently than normal. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been really busy/not so busy/really busy so many times this year that it’s finally catching up that I should take a step back and evaluate where I’m at. I have a bad habit of getting so busy I can’t keep up with everything; just not enough hours in the day. But at the same time, I have the tendency to feel if I don’t step up, contribute, and lend-a-hand that many things which to me seem important will not get accomplished. I’ve became better at just telling myself, “it would be nice if this or that could happen, but if it doesn’t then I may be the only one to know what it could have been.” How do you cope? How do you take ownership, care, and strive for the best, but not over commit and under deliver because too many priorities are pulling at once? I don’t know the answer. I’ve been searching for years, always asking at roundtable events with professionals older and more successful than me how they balance it all. The overwhelming answer is they don’t.

So how do I do it? I’ve become more selective with my leadership duties. I care too much to commit to something I don’t care about. I have regrets for a couple places where I just had to apologize and walk away this past year, because I just knew my heart wasn’t in it and I wouldn’t be able to give it any priority. I don’t regret the walking away, I regret the earlier engagement, the plugging into their Tribe just to drift away and stop contributing.

My biggest issue now is where I’m plugged in. I love the organizations I’m most active in: my church, CSI, AIA, and DBIA. But, as I continue to try and expand my business opportunities, I’ve found that my desire to learn the profession and learn what it is to be an “architect” is where my energy is, but it needs to become where my energy was. I am an architect. I now need to be an architect and contribute back to society and hopefully find engaging opportunities to practice what I have learned. To implement my training and professional abilities; I need to stop talking and start doing. But here comes my dilemma: I don’t really know how…

I chatted with a business development friend for a construction firm last night and he asked how my own business development growth was going. I told him I’ve had a lot of swings and misses. Which is true, I’ve prepared and sent around twelve proposals and statements of qualifications for various projects in the past two years and came out with being selected for just one project. It would have been a nice project, but before I was ever able to get the signed contract the owner had a change of heart and never proceeded with the project. And I’ve continued to grow into business development while keeping a heavy load of construction document preparation for other projects in the office to keep my billable rate at an all time high.

Where I hope to go now, is to transition. To move from the young architect who has learned how to put a building and set of contract documents together from CSI; a little business best practice from the AIA along with the on-going AIA resources at my fingertips; and what an integrated team should be from DBIA, to become the best architect for my potential clients. Here’s to the future and my next chapter. Wish me luck, say a little prayer from me, and if I can help you with something in the built environment, please call. If you have any advice or words of wisdom as I move into this new direction, please post a comment here to my blog. Thanks for reading!

My Friends, Independent Consultants

This is a re-post for me from August 2009 with a few minor updates, but I think it is still very good advice and wanted to bring it to the forefront for everyone again. Post comments if you have any other suggestions. Thanks for reading!

I may know as many unemployed architects as those that still have a job working for a firm. About a year ago I was nervously considering how the economy dips every ten years or so and as the older architects would tell me “We’ve been through this before, just hold on,” I tried to relax and feel fortunate for my job. Since then, I really feel fortunate InterDesign is still producing work and don’t believe any of the older architects who are still saying, “This is no different than last time, we’ll all get through it.”

How can we help our friends who are now “Independent Consultants,” but not by choice or preference? Many articles are devoted to helping your unemployed friends by being a shoulder to cry on, don’t berate them for being upset, and don’t lend money if you can’t afford to just gift it. But architects are different. Not that the aforementioned doesn’t apply, but architects need to practice. As the "independent consultants" are holding on till a job pops, here are a few suggestions I have came across to practice:

Autodesk Assistance Program

Visit Autodesk for the opportunity to obtain a free student version of 30 of their leading design software products. While you can’t use this software to do projects from home you can learn the newest tools to be in a better position to market yourself. Along with the license, you’ll get access to free online training and discounts on software certification.

Stay Involved (or Get Involved) in your Professional Groups

Are you a current member or have you recently not paid dues for AIA or CSI? I am aware of assistance programs being offered by both groups to help continue your membership through this time of unemployment. Along with maintaining the membership, be sure you’re attending all the meetings (CSI Indy events and AIA Indy events). When an office does get busy, who do you think they’ll call first to come in for an interview? The silent resume/portfolio sitting on the desk, or the eager architect they saw last week who took an interest in the firm and has shown leadership in a professional organization? Be sure you’re not just staying at home, get out there and network!

Update Your Web Presence

Now is the time to take the assets you’ve gathered (images and text) to update your portfolio and build you’re web presence. Create a professional Facebook account. Update your LinkedIn profile. Start a blog and write about past experience and bits of advice. Join Twitter to promote your blog and provide “micro-blogging” in 140 character posts. Link everything together so once someone stumbles upon one of your digital identities, they can easily find all of the other instances.

In conclusion, be sure you’ve done everything you can to “have your house in order” so when a prospective employer Google’s your name; they have good things to read and see about you. Good luck!