Interesting Morph

[csintexas]

Anyone can add value by designing a nice house, unfortunately that is not exclusive to just architects. What I was referring to specifically was the general statement by RSCarcht that extremely detailed CD's can save money which is a recent AIA add campaign.

Sorry, architecture is not brain surgery or rocket science. I'm not looking to hail residential designers as anything. I don't know what your point is about people needing to make a living, almost everyone does, so what?

Instead of trying to raise themselves up by bad mouthing everyone else and making false claims I wish people would just stick to competing within a fair open market. There are many good architects and there are many good non-architects. I see you are still not using the AIA letters does that mean you are a bad designer?

[mx2]

Detailed CD's do save money when contrasted with a comparative building. Loose detailing and specifications lead only to change orders and bad construction, usually based on trying to build from schematics. Part of the phase of architectural servcies that many often overlook (another story) is design development which is critical in working out many conflicts and issues that arise from overlaying systems on a design. Just drawing some cute plans and going straight to digging the foundation is ludicrous, as many of the design has to be worked out in the field which undoubtedly comes with overcosts...

Are you suggesting a lesser detailed set of plans is better?

mx2.5

[csintexas]

The common house does not require a 20 page detailed set of plans and I've worked on enough architects jobs to know that change orders come regardless of how thick the original plan set was. At the extreme upper end you do need a highly detailed set of plans but the average person can't afford to build that kind of house. On the extreme low end I just finished a set of plans with two pages. I would certainly have been happy to sell them more service though, particularly if it would have saved them money.

[mx2]

[birgco]

Hey, a little bit of caulk and a little bit a paint,

go a long way to making a building what it aint.

[csintexas]

Yes that is true. Generally that works and the quality of housing is pretty good. Sometimes builders are bad and they get sued. No doubt we could spend more and get better quality. That is true for pretty much every product ever made but that is always the trade off that has to be made, nothing is free.

I suppose we could regulate the industry even more so that the average person in America can't afford a house. We can all live in identical government approved mass produced quality controlled apartments. Yeah big brother!

[mx2]

[csintexas]

Oh yeah, is that the type of house you live in? If not than why?

[modjohn]

When it comes to the actual construction, a good builder will build a high quality home and a bad builder will build a low quality home regardless of the details in the plans. Good builders know what to do and will take the time to do the job right. They know what to flash and what will work and what won’t. A bad builder does not care either way. He will cut every corner he can to get the project bought off as quickly as possible.

Having more detail on the plans will give the homeowner more recourse when they sue the bad builder. It won’t matter if they have a good builder because they will have a well built home.

But on the other hand, if it takes an additional 10 hours to add unnecessary detail, then that is extra cost for very little benefit. If most of the detail is boilerplate diagrams that are simply pasted onto the plan adding very little time, then why not?

If you are designing something unusual, then you better add the detail to avoid problems.

[Architorture]

i agree-

a good builder will go a very very long way... thats why i often cringe when the low bidder on a public job actually ends up getting it... half the time they end up costing more than the high bidder....

i wish i had more opportunities to do design build projects... we are doing a modified one for one of the architects churches... it works out pretty well so far

[birgco]

I've said this before, but it's worth repeating.
Anyone can design a house, build a house, write a book, make a movie, or have sex.
(or make a movie about sex)....
but it's the detail and experience in execution that count.
A good house is a working system that must be properly integrated and detailed to work as intended and result in a lasting pleasure for all involved.
The majority go through the motions, only a few have mastered the art. (whether it's creating the design or making it a reality).

[mx2]

I also agree a good builder goes a very long way...but we cannot detail every building expecting good builders to work only on our projects and from my personal experience, every good builder I've worked with greatly appreciates the extra detailing that I do (I am a perfectionist) because it makes their job a lot easier. There are not many cookie-cutter homes that are done by architects, and most projects require a clear INTENT of design...the big difference between good and bad builders is the good will build what is intended while the abd will purposefully build what is on the drawings regardless of full understanding of the intent or not. For that matter I prepare my CD's only with one goal in mind: any two people on earth can pick up my set of documents and build the exact same thing.

mx2.5

[nanrehvasconez]

What a blitz of hot air! some architects are primadonas, some architectural designers are clever, some draftsmen know the building codes better than their bosses.

The man wanted to know if is avisable to purchase stock plans; the answer is : "All depends", if the house is going to be build in a "Fill-in lot" and should conform with the neighborhood, not advisable; if the house is to be build in a custom lot, you will be better off hiring the best architectural designer in the area, he will pay attention to orientation, light, winds, vegetation, views, he will bring the best ideas to the table, he will oblige to sugest the best type of architecture to suit your taste, and he could be a license architect as well.

nan

[mx2]

Again with the personal quips...why is it necessary? Stick to the subject...please!

Basically nans answer was a big "no"...do not buy stock plans. Might as well hire an architect (or Res Des), period.

But i wanted to deviate to the same old argument: "some" architects being primadonnas and all that...we can all generalize about any profession, person or entity as "some" being this or that. But to address your point about draftmen knowing more than their bosses...first, I highly doubt this has any basis of fact, mostly because the "bosses" used to be draftmen themselves...like I am. I do it all...from drafting to specs and CA...so what hot air are you referring to? Pfffffffffft....!!

mx2.5

[RSCarcht]

If you are going to get your heart operated on is it possible that a field medic will do a better job than a Harvard trained surgeon? The answer is yes, but that that percentage is a VERY small one.

Similiarly if you want a good house designed, is it better to have someone who has been extensively trained and tested in the various aspects of design or someone who knows how to wield a hammer and saw? You be the judge...