Wholesale Savings with Architect
We’re in the process of negotiating with an architect for a renovation. We have a pretty clear idea of what fixtures we want, and balked at paying an architect’s markup on these. His reply is that he can source things at a 25% trade discount, so the markup is actually a savings. Does anyone know…
We’re in the process of negotiating with an architect for a renovation. We have a pretty clear idea of what fixtures we want, and balked at paying an architect’s markup on these. His reply is that he can source things at a 25% trade discount, so the markup is actually a savings. Does anyone know if this is actually the case in this age of deep discount big boxes and internet shopping?
It is quite normal for designers to charge a 10% or more mark-up for sourcing and buying stuff for clients. This is very common for interior designers, and less common for architects to take on this additional task.
If you don’t buy through the architect at trade discount prices, your contractor will mark it up anyhow if they buy it for you instead.
There is no markup unless you want to do the work to measure, find, evaluate, and ship it yourself! Then those items are considered “owner furnished, contractor installed” (OFCI)
Generally speaking, archiects charge fees and do not take mark-ups. Interior designers take mark-ups.
(Speaking as an architect) the most straightforward arrangement is to have the contractor buy the fixtures and be responsible for them.
But I don’t understand the question entirely. Are you saying that you are working with an architect on a % cost of construction basis, and you want instead to pay a fee of % of construction minus plumbing fixtures contract? Anything can be done if it’s agreed on first I guess.
Is your architect acting as contractor? Not from personal experience but from a (capable and honest) contractor friend I have understood that the markup would equal what a consumer could pay for the item without access to a contractor’s discount; that the quality a good k’tor buys is usually better than a big-box store; and finally that (in my friend’s case) the k’tor will be responsible for straightening out messups and dealing with defects that occur or show up say in the year after installation if they buy the items.
But I don’t know if this applies if an architect buys and I would consider asking if he would warranty the items for a year.
Actually, your contractor should buy these. That way, if the wrong thing is delivered or an item is damaged on site, it is the contractor’s responsibility and not yours. One can be penny wise and pound foolish with this issue, as I have learned the hard way.
For example, I converted a window to a door in my parlor floor leading to a deck I was building as part of a larger renovation. I bought the pre-hung special order door all by myself from Lowes or Home Depot (don’t remember which, this was 4 years ago). It came on time, but the contractor wasn’t ready to install it so the package sat unopened until after he had removed the window, broken out the wall and created the right size opening. Then, he opened the box only to find that opening for the knob had been put on the wrong side. I wasn’t about to sit with a gaping hole in the wall for a month while another special order door was ordered, so the contractor hung it upside down to make it work. It works but it looks weird and still bugs me to this day.
Good luck with your renovation —
Jen KG
Try ebay for name brand plumbing fixtures.You might find other ineresting stuff for fixtures etc for much less.
Another source is the auction website for the police department.
Most of the stuff is brand new.
Try the everything else catagory.
If you have transportation you can pick up the stuff yourself and save a bundle on heavy items.
Pick-up is in Farmingdale, L.I.
I got lucky on this website and found authentique restoration hardware bathroom supplies such as the bistro line in polished brass for a song.
I bought everything i could get my hands on.
My bathroom looks good now!
The website is http://www.propertyroom.com
Another good source is the goodwill thrift store. They have a website which represents all the usa stores online.
http://www.shopgoodwill.org
You can find authenique period pieces in addition to modern etc.
Whatever floats your boat.
In most cases it is true. Pretty much everything you can buy as a member of the public goes “to the trade” for considerably less. Whether the architect passes any of that savings on to you is another matter…
Im sure its true in some cases but I didn’t find it to be the case with most. In 90% of the cases, I could get the same discount just be negotiating down on my own. And for stores that won’t cut you the same deal, you can generally find it for a better price online. That was my experience in buying all the lighting, plumbing, kitchen, tile and stone in my house. I used middle of the road brands. Maybe the high end stuff works differently.