Seeking Help with Gut Reno
Can anyone recommend an architect, who leans towards creating modern, open airy light filled spaces and has a fixed fee business model for upfront designs? We are newly embarking on a center slope gut reno and have a budget of $400K. The house has no details left, so it would be fully modern, which follows…
Can anyone recommend an architect, who leans towards creating modern, open airy light filled spaces and has a fixed fee business model for upfront designs?
We are newly embarking on a center slope gut reno and have a budget of $400K. The house has no details left, so it would be fully modern, which follows our taste. The majority of architects I have spoken to so far are asking for 10-15% of total renovation costs, which makes the overall cost unaffordable for us. The house is 4 storeys and 19×40.
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The smaller the job, the higher the percentage. This is especially true in residential work, where chances are the level of service will need to be very high. The architect will be obligated to spend a lot of time on the details, and will ultimately be held responsible for the success (and final cost) of the job. The education and licensing for architects is much more on a par with lawyers than real estate professionals. We are required to get a terminal professional degree, work as interns for a few years, and pass a 9 part examination prior to getting a license. We should be charging hourly like lawyers – say $500 an hour!
Anyhow, in my experience, an architect who is charging less than 15% on a high-end renovation is either desperate for work, doing a favor for a friend, or planning to offer less than full service.
“Does the architects level of involvement directly correlate to the level of involvement and cost of a general contractor? ie..if there’s a full service architect involved, the gc should make less and when minimal architect involvement the gc should make more?”
No, Architect and GC are independent. If the owner pays the architect for construction administration, then the Architect oversees the construction for the owner. If the Architect is not involved in the construction phase the owner interfaces and deals with the contractor themselves.
Not for anything, but I thought self postings weren’t allowed on Brownstoner. People are supposed to be recommended here, not self promoting advertising…many contractors and other service based people guilty of the same thing. How are people supposed to know who’s good…..
‘Architects’ scope during construction can also vary from no involvement to complete responsibility for overseeing construction.’
Does the architects level of involvement directly correlate to the level of involvement and cost of a general contractor? ie..if there’s a full service architect involved, the gc should make less and when minimal architect involvement the gc should make more?
“Is there a difference in architecture rate between a full service project and just drawings that are filed? ”
Absolutely. It all depends on what the owner is after. Architects’ scope could vary from simply drawing up floor plans for filing the permit, to providing renderings and models and designing every detail. Architects’ scope during construction can also vary from no involvement to complete responsibility for overseeing construction.
Obviously, the less scope for the architect, the cheaper the rate, but the owner is getting a lot less.
Most of the time architects who are charging at higher rates do so because they stay intensively involved with every detail and provide highly designed projects. That may or may not be necessary depending on owner expectations.
Is there a difference in architecture rate between a full service project and just drawings that are filed?
15% is a lot of money on any project. I suspect a contractor isn’t getting rich either given the percentages; but when multiple projects are executed at once the amounts start to add up.
as I understand it, the contractor charges 20% since they put capital at risk (and may loose money at times when bids are done improperly), also have huge liabilities, and hopefully get the project done on time and budget. Overall the 20% provides some level of protection for them. But 15% to the architect..just seems high.
” I would have expected 5-6% or a flat fee, inline with other professionals (real estate, etc). ”
You must not know how much work goes into a full service architectural project. There is no comparison between the amount of work an architect does for a project and a real estate agent. No architect is getting wealthy doing a 400K project for 10%.
Architects typically bill by percentage of construction cost to protect themselves against increases in scope during the process. If you have a $400K project, that gives the Architect some indication of the hours involved and the level of design. If, halfway through, you decide to increase the budget by adding scope or design detail (not unusual) the architect would be stuck with much more work for no compensation.
There are many architects who would probably work with you on this point by fixing their fee based on your initial budget and making a continency for expanded scope. If you find someone that you want to work with, engage them on this point. You can probably negotiate something satisfactory for both sides.
Vanilasky,
It is too early in your project to be up at 1am worrying! I get most of my client recommendations on Park Slope Parents rather than Brownstoner, but I have been working on brownstones for 12 years, and can supply you with referrals. If you would to speak or meet, please contact me @ pjazz1@earthlink.net.