Small Firms Ideas Exchange

To Chris, seeking "nonbiased" advice: I'm not jaded. I've had my own firm since 1995... The best “nonbiased advice: trust your gut feeling! No one is going to look out for a good design. If you think it's going on, it likely is.
Here's a couple of questions:
* Are you under contract with your client?
* Is it a good contract? (Remember design school? “Tell” the story.)
* Outline the objective facts (from means or search your local Reed) in a clear logical sequence.
* Offer a pro-and-con analysis (from his perspective).
* Check with building official if they will allow trades to pull their own permits.
* Search the AGC Web site for when “owners want to be their own GCs”. Remind him he makes his money by doing his business, not by building a building.

Even though it is very frustrating to be put on the defensive on your first project in a small town, figure out how to think like you’re sitting on his side of the table to understand his perspective, then present the facts in a manner which is consistent with his perspective.

If that doesn’t work, and you still have that really bad feeling, have a chat with yourself on what it will take for you to walk away from the project. Good luck!Consider “reporting back” how you analyzed it and how you’ll measure your success.

I could really use some non biased advice here.

O.k. It's my first project in a small town. I have an owner who thinks he can get an office building (new possibly LEED certified) for $75.00/sf - according to Means 2007 for my area $103 is reasonable. It's a 9,000 sf building with a second phase of 12,000 sf

The owner was offended by this number and thinks it's unreasonable. He refused to let me hire M,P,E and civil engineers and believes he can get this from subcontractors later.

I believe we have received no other bids because we are lacking the engineering information.

I put drawings out for bid and got one bidder at $100/sf who gave us allowance numbers for M,P,E.

Also, I think my owner is being led astray by multiple metal building contractors who meet with him on the side and have convinced him this will cost nothing and he should order the steel now.

Now the owner is talking about being his own GC which I have a real bad feeling on.

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

My current plan is to call all the contractors we sent plans to and ask why we haven't heard back from them.

Response to Kathleen Armstrong

Yes, it can be dumbfounding when folks seems to leave their ethics at home after a nice Sunday. I’d suggest a few things:

1) You and your partner should have a good discussion on **Worth and Value** on a) how much time you’ve got invested, b) what the true “cost” would be to get paid c) what potential exposure you might have. Think in terms of bigger issues… not just the $ you may be out for the extra site work. I refer you to http://blog.aia.org/smallfirms/2008/05/making_ourselves_happy.html and the story on being Right or Wrong.

2):Doublecheck your contract with the school board (was it theirs, yours, or a version you had modified by your insurance carrier?)… the mice-type might give you some provision for owner-caused issues.

3) Is the project bonded? Maybe talk to the GC and indicate you or your insurance carrier might contact the bonding agency. You might have some recourse for compensation that route.

4) What might be your liability for a faulty installation? Perhaps do a quick “review and reality check” with your insurance carrier and have them write a letter and send it certified to the GC, the sub and to the client. The letter should basically tell them they are on their own for any future [design] claims. (I’ve done this and it gets really ugly so don’t take this step lightly. You might have a softer discussion with your client first, then indicate you’ve “been advised to take further action such as…”). Remember – read #1 above... again.

I'm new to this blog. I was wondering what program people are using for timesheet tracking? I've been using Microsoft Office Accounting Express so far and neither like nor dislike. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

By the way, I really like the discussion taking place here. I plan to take a bigger part in this forum.

I am also having client invoicing problems, and could really use some advice.

A quick background story; we were working with our client (a school district) for several years, and through several Superintendents.

Finally, the school received grant $$, and the project proceeded. During bidding, I received a substitution request from a roofing manufacturer, which I denied as a substitution request.

After the bids came in, and we had initial concerns about the roofer (which we addressed at the public meeting with client, and in a letter to School Board, stating that we do not recommend the contractor use this roofer) we find out this roofer bid the project using the product/manufacturer I had denied to bid the project. The client allowed the bid to remain with the lesser quality product.

In the middle of the project, we had a non-weather tight building (due to fault of the roofer) and subsequent rain and water damage inside the building and to the existing roof system.

After several visits from our office, and demanding the roofer replace/dry out wet roof materials, the owner is now refusing to pay us for the additional services and time spent on the jobsite. The client claims it was through no fault of theirs and not their problem for the payment; the contractor won't hold payment from the roofer for our additional time and services-although it was the fault of the roofer. Our reasoning is it IS the fault of the client, as it was against our advisement that they allowed this subcontractor on the job, and the fault of the roofer, for bidding a product we denied to allow in the project.

How do I go about getting our money (from a school; a lien is not a viable option as they will never sell the building, and technically it is a state building/facility) and from a subcontractor that has no ethics. Neither my partner nor I have EVER had a subcontractor blatantly ignore specifications and bid with a product not previously approved. We struggle with the General, as when he is talking to us he 'was not aware of the product bid', yet when he is talking to the client he is "very much aware of the product that was bid prior to the bid opening."
Any suggestions as to what "screws" I can use to get what is owed to us?

James, look at Architectronica as well.

Se other postings about this type of software down below...

Hi James,

I am using Archioffice and have been since I think 2005 (late in the year). They have undergone serveral upgrades and they are always reasonable in price (you usually just pay $25 for the cd & delivery). I use it for percentage/phased billing and love it! I have had many problems with the software over the years but it seems the bugs I had experienced are fixed now. What frustrates me is that when you call for support they always warn you that if it is your fault they may charge you. I've called a lot and have never had to pay. But it bothers me. I seem to attract issues that no one else has. It does integrate well with Quickbooks but does not track expenses into quickbooks (only income for reimbursables and billing for reimbursables). Feel free to call if you want more info. Tom 503.517.8565

I have used BillQuick for more than a year for time-tracking and billing. Its invoicing is fine for hourly projects, but a disaster for percentage of completion per phase billing. Tech support is nonexistent unless you pay for it. Also the interface with QuickBooks is clunky.

They keep promising that the problems have been cured in the latest release, but I am not inclined to buy software that I already dislike.

Does anyone have experience with other software? I have looked at the Archioffice webpage, and it looks pretty good. I am especially interested in its percentage of phase billing capabilities. It is quite a bit more expensive than BillQuick, but an expensive program that works is better than a cheap one that doesn't.

Hey Kathleen,
I have had some issues like this as well and, unfortunately, I am getting better at resolution. My best advice is to follow your gut feeling. If you think there is an “issue,” there likely is. Be proactive in reaching a resolution. More sadly, do a “postmortem” on the project and figure out (honestly) when you saw something was going askew. Develop a new method to address the issue before it happens. The last one like these I had made me develop a “Client’s Financial Questionnaire” based loosely on the form the AGC (associated general contractors) use to verify viability of a project before they start turning dirt. Most clients who are on the up and up don’t mind it. If you get someone who balks, or won’t pay a sizeable retainer in lieu of, then question the project in more detail. Aside from that, here are some other helpful tips you might consider:
1) I’d suggest you first verify you did everything according to your promises (in writing – the contract and/or proposal letter).
2) Verify the client did their part as well.
3) Know your state’s lien laws (in Georgia, where I practice, architects’ fees fall under the Mechanic’s Lien Law statues. In essence if I work on a project and I don’t get paid, I have 90 days from the last date of service to lien the property.)
4) Hire a “black hat,” (grab a Tums) and have someone else (someone like your accountant, make the phone call (use *67 as a dialing preface so they can’t “see” the phone number. Say they are so and so inquiring about outstanding balance Bla de Bla due to X company for services rendered. Get that person to be very matter of fact, sort of like “bean counter.” Have them arrange a final meeting to settle balance.)
5) Learn how to file a lien on property. If all else fails and I don’t think I’ll get paid, I will fill out the paper work and send via U.S. mail and certified mail a copy with a cover letter: “All attempts have failed to reach you. Unless payment is received by X date, this lien will be filed at the court house…” If they have ½ the intent of paying, those letters get their attention.
6) Get to know a bill collector. I’ve found one who if there is “an instrument on file by which a debt can be collected” i.e., a lien, they take the account on contingency and only charge 25% of the collected amount. Pretty sweet deal – that way I’m not making the ugly phone calls, and I can just say “I’m sorry it’s our policy. The work was completed, no issues were identified during the project, the amount is due.” Of course, remember to add in the lien filing fees, etc.

Other helpful tips can be found in SPP Journal #30, http://www.aia.org/spf_nwsltr_0404, “Getting Paid for What We Do”
Best of luck!

I would like some advice on collecting a substantial outstanding payment due from one of my clients. It seems the client went from everything is fine to everything is not fine overnight. After getting the ok to proceed, we now are on hold with no definite feedback on what the problem is or what the next step is. Via email the client has said he wants to settle up the current invoice but is avoiding a meeting and not returning recent emails. I do have a contract and have saved every email, meeting note, and authorization from the client to purchase proceed etc. Everything is well documented. My question is, What is the best way to pursue this money? Is it legal or otherwise? Thanks.

Hey Rick, one additional thought: When I know what types of activities I'm spending my time on, I've actually found it helpful in better planning my work day. For giggles, I’ve tagged Monday mornings as “MoneyMonday” – this is when I do all the accounts payable and accounts receivable work. I’ve tagged Friday afternoons as “FilingFridays” when I get ready to put the office to bed for the week – it also helps organize our work load for the next week. The easy part is I can “give away” or retain any one of those modules to an employee, or if work is light (or folks out of town) I handle them directly. When they are “off my plate” for the time slot, I get some of that Brain Time that make architects tick-tock.

I've had that discussion with myself - it is a hard one, but it is good when you don't feel so totally alone. However, it is cause for much angst (“What If I can only pay my employee and my kids need to eat macaroni and cheese?). I’d suggest finding a “contract basis intern” or “Co-Op Student”. The initial outlay is very little and it allows YOU the chance to “try it on” for size before you commit. The reason I liked this approach early on, is that you don’t feel responsible for a full-time salaried hire.

The best “tool” I’ve found to make these decisions is my time sheet. I hate doing time sheets, I hate recording time sheet data, but having the raw data available to make decisions is invaluable. For example, I assign a task and/or “job number” to nearly everything I do. Main categories which do not generate revenue, or are controlled by a contract and fee are:
* General Office (time sheets, office cleaning, filing, etc.)
* Marketing (reading the news paper and business journals, preparing general and/or project marketing hand-outs, “Prospecting” for clients)
* Proposals (for a specific project)
Accounting (accounts payable, accounts receivable, prelim tax records, balancing checking account, etc.)
* AIA/ProBono (yes – I keep track of this to know how much time I “waste” in a day, or what possible pay outs I might get for being involved).

The second part if this it to spend some quality time with yourself, asking “What do I want to do more of? Less of?” and use that to guide how you analyze the decisions.

Since I’ve done this, it was easy to see what parts of my day can be better spent – i.e. hiring a “few hours a week” person to do the mundane accounting has been very beneficial and frees up my time to “think” or “market”. Another aspect of the time sheets is that I can “see” how much time I spend on overhead stuff and get it to a percentage of my total work time – I use that to set goals for workers (employees, contracts, co-ops, etc.); it gives me a point of beginning. Then, when writing paychecks, if I see someone’s “general office” time is creeping up, I can adjust their work load to be more billable time.

I actually started my practice when I was working part-time, contract for a sole proprietor. That is one potential risk, is that eventually a contract employee leaves or starts our on their own; but in my case, the guy I was working WITH was very encouraging and supportive; he viewed it as … “We’ll have two firms”, so I had a safety net built in. I learned from that experience that it’s good to try, and before you do, have an “exit strategy” in mind.

Also, having my time sheets in hand showed where I spent time that I could spend better elsewhere, and also let me put a value on that effort so I could justify “hiring” someone. One potential risk, in that described scenario, is that the person is strictly overhead… and for a sole proprietor can feel like a luxury, but if the extra time you gain turns into more projects, or more time to “think” it is well worth it.

My question is related to Tom's. I have had my own private practice for 12 years. I have been very fortunate to never be without work and still able to feed the family. My biggest hurdle is hiring that first employee. I receive resumes all of the time but I just can't pull the trigger because there are too many "what-ifs" associated with this. Everything from obtaining the additional capital needed for a bigger office and additional workstations to determining what parts of the process I can actually "let go of" and give to an intern or associate. Similarly, I don't need a full time receptionist but a runner or part-time clerical would take a little strain off. I need some simple advice but also could use a good reference for additional reading...anything to allay my anxiety. I am starting to get a little tired of "doing it all" but I still like the day to day flexibility of my schedule. Thanks !

Tom,

I agree with Louis. Take the time to dream and determine what you are doing this on your own for.

If you decide to stay solo or small, some nuts and bolts: Do take the time to work up exactly what your expenses are. Be absolutely sure you add a healthy profit into the equation, you cannot grow without it (even if you stay solo, you will need profit to upgrade equipment, etc). Base your hourly rate on this, not the "going rate".

Once you know what you're worth an hour, consider not doing projects by the hour. If you work by the hour, your profit potential is fixed by the hour. If you instead set a fixed fee (determined by looking at how long it historically takes you to do a project), the more efficient and harder you work, the more profit you make.

Be absolutely religious about tracking your time on projects (don't wait until the end of the day to mark your timesheet, track it as you work). It is what you will use in the future to bid on the next project.

As far as fee sticker shock, it is far better to have less projects that you enjoy and make good money on than a lot of projects that you make little money on (and wont enjoy because of it). Focus on the value you provide to your clients, not on the dollar amount. If you are getting every project you bid on, unless it is 100% repeat clients, your fees are too low.

As for marketing small, as Louis suggested, determine what kinds of projects you want to work on. Then focus your efforts on getting in the same room (formally or informally) with the people who will potentially hire your for that type of project. The projects come from the personal connections, not the brochure.

As for hiring employees, having them will not necessarily mean you will be taking home more money personally. Try being as efficient as possible on your own, then consider hiring if you need additional horsepower to do a certain project type. You also might try alliances with other small firms on a project specific basis, or independent contractors when necessary. Be sure to know the IRS rulings on contractors before you hire them.

Your firm is 4 years old, so you are already past the 3-year-most-firms-fail deadline, you are obviously doing something right already! Best of luck!

Hey Tom,
It sounds to me like you are asking the right questions. I suggest asking them in more detail. Whip out a spreadsheet and see what your staying in business options are.

What kinds of projects at what prices and how many do you need to make the money you want? How does this change your expenses? How much capital do you have or can you get to sustain the business while you grow? how big do you want to grow and how fast? Who must your clients be to make that happen?

Plenty of books on business planning on your local bookstore's or libraries shelves. Work through the expense portion but work through the marketing plan portion too. I remember seeing some on line programs also. Take a few days and dream in detail. Visit AIA.org/spp and review the journal archives for marketing and production tips.

Louis Smith, AIA, NOMA
2007 Chair
Small Project Practitioners
Knowledge Community
Advisory group

I started my firm 4 years ago in the Portland, OR metro area (well, it is really just a 1-person operation). I've finally figured out I needed to dramatically reduce my expenses and did that in 2007. I feel I have cut out as much as I can and am working hard, have a continuous supply of projects - but still I am not taking home much after taxes and expenses. Seeking advice from very small firms/individuals on what to do now.
1. Close shop, go work for someone else.
2. Raise my prices even though people always seem shocked at how much architecture fees are.
3. Hire an employee (or more) and get more work making more money through volume (this scares me though!).
4. Other options...?
Please feel free to email me to discuss!
Thank you, Tom Fallon

Bob,

We are currently considering surge protection for a residential project in Indianapolis. This is by no means to be considered a product endorsement, but two manufacturer's are being proposed by the electrical subcontractor: Eaton and Siemens. Eaton has a rather detailed technical brochure, "Eaton's Guide to Surge Suppression" that might be a good place to start. They also have some more basic information available on their website, as I imagine Siemens and other manufacturers of these devices do as well. It all gets rather technical and given the potential liability involved with this issue, investing some time from an electrical engineer is advisable.

I am designing a house on the coast of South Carolina. Code requires us to use surge panels in case of flooding. Doe anyone have a good source of info on their design?

HI Mellisa,
In short I think what causes people to stay are money and responsibility--and both must increase. To make it an incentive program there must be some transparency. Someone must know what the benefit is to achieving the next level of performance.
BUt increasing responsibility means increasing authority. HOw willing is your firm to distribute authority?

And any programmed increase means you must define thresholds and milestones along the path. Quantitative measures? Sure. But qualitative measures are also needed to make a folks believe that the situation is more than arbitrary.

I eill send you some documents that discuss this further. you can hire me as a consultant later.

Louis B. Smith, Jr.
2007 chair
Small Project Practitioners Knowledge Community.

We have a 14 person firm both architects and interior designers. In the effort of retaining our talent and the desire for growth, we are thinking about implementing an Associate path or promotion level.
We are wondering what other firms are doing; requirements for promotion, what increased responsibilities are required of an associate, what perks are they given, etc.

Also, wondering if anyone can recommend resources on this subject.

How many levels does your firm have?

Thank you for your input.

Melissa
Office Manager
Degen & Degen
melissa@ddseattle.com

Bud,
That is a really hot proposition. Local components get funding as a share of Dues revenues collected by national. This is true even for unstaffed components. So starting a new local component represents a loss of revenue to somebody. That is not likely to make them happy. If you feel your current local component is not meeting your needs I would discuss it with whomever is in charge. If that brings no satisfaction Then perhaps speak with your regional director. YOu can find out who that is from the existing local component or from National.

I suppose if there was some compelling geographic reason for a change in the existing structure it might be considered. Good Luck

Louis B. Smith, AIA
2007 Chair of the SPP

How does one start a local AIA component?

Dan,

For the calendar and addresses only, you could use iCal and Address Book that come with your Mac.

For something more sophisticated and integrated with your timesheet we use Architectronica (see my response to Kate below). We haven't tried to remotely access, but I would guess you could access Architectronica with Timbuktu remote access software.

What I do is download contacts and calendar from Architectronica to the Mac programs iCal and Address book (pretty painlessly), then sync them with my iPhone so they are always available to me.

Something you might want to practice as you grow: assign one person the task of updating contacts and the calendar rather than allowing the entire staff to do so. You'd be surprised how easily well-meaning people turn your contact database into a bloated mess.

Have a small (2 person) architectural firm that is growing and will likely be 4-5 people by years end. Have just made the leap from all laptops to desktops (imac's) using PowerCadd. Need to find a software package that keep a calendar, addresses in real time - something that can be updated from multiple users from remote locations and continually be current.

Also looking for a good timesheet program. Specifically wondering if there is software/hardware out there that would enable me (the principal) to access calendar, addresses and log in time spent( that could be a time sheet) while I am away from my desktop/office.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

We are a 6-person firm doing mainly $200-500,000 residential remodels. We have used the 4-page B155 Small Project contract for most of our projects, but it does not address dispute resolution and some other issues. However, at 17 pages, the B151 seems too large and off-putting for clients. Is there anything in between? What contracts do other firms use?

To Leah:
I found information on salvaged lumber on the Building Materials Reuse Association Web site. Here is a link to an article on the website http://www.buildingreuse.org/resources/articles/?article_id=13

To Kate:
I have a firm with 7 employees. We have been using ArchiOffice for about 8 months. Once we made it through the transition, it has been a very good tool and has saved a great deal of time, plus I have access to a lot of reporting data that was very difficult to get before. The only criticism is the way consultant costs are handled, both budgeting and invoicing. They are supposedly working on this. Otherwise we have been happy.

Leah:

Salvage timber is available through many sources. Where ever there is demolition - especially of older buildings - there is salvaged bricks, timbers, as well as other misc. jewels from the past.

A great source for information of salvage yards is the yellow pages, talk to local lumber suppliers, or Google "Salvage Timbers". My search came up with 117,000 hits, so you may need to narrow your search by region to make it manageable. GOOD LUCK!

After 12 years working for a handful of other firms in various regions of California, I decided to start my own firm 6 years ago. So I have some experiences that might be helpful in response to questions from Curtis, Allen and Scott.

Curtis. Depending on how much start-up capital you have, you can expect your take home pay to drop from what you're earning now as an employee. It would be well for you to write down a detailed business plan or strategy of what your potential client base is in your region and project income and expenses as best you can. You may have to sell the big truck for a more economical vehicle; or make other changes in your lifestyle to reduce money out. If possible, have 3-6 months of operating expenses reserved in the bank or on a credit card. I had accumulated over $50K in available credit on various credit cards by keeping my balances low and consistently paying off my cards over a period of 5 years prior to going out on my own. As far as new clients are concerned, let everyone you know about your plans of going solo and follow up every lead you get within a few days of passing out your card.

To Allen. The advice I got from a marketing consultant was to nurture the relationships with past clients and sources of new referrals; so I designed a 3x5 post card that I send 2-3 times/year to my growing list of residential clients giving them design tips I believe might interest them. This keeps your name fresh in their minds year to year. I think the newsletter is a great idea if you have the time and graphic know-how. My take on it is that whether it's a post card or newsletter, it should reflect you and your work.

To Scott. If the employee looking to grow professionally is someone who is a real asset to your bottom line, then it's worth making an effort to keep him/her. Honesty, respect and recognition will go a long way in getting loyalty from your staff. Take a sincere interest in what makes them tick; and do it consistently and repeatedly. Currently, I'm updating our website to include a page to each staff member that they can use like a "myspace" venue for their personal use. Other thoughts are to offer a profit-sharing plan. Give them more responsibility with the increase in pay. Just remember the reality of the possibility that if things don't work out, you may be training him/her for their next position elsewhere.

It would be helpful for someone to indicate the steps they have gone through to save or find salvage timber as mentioned in today's SPP bi-weekly tip. Thanks, Leah

Louis, Thank you. I will take a look at that site.

Christine,
just my 2c but on specs I think of three things.
1. Who will use them and how. On some smaller projects the specs never get read. Is the contracting firm large or small? What kind of quality do they churn out? Is this being bid? (If yes, better have some kind of spec!)

2. Can I get by with the specs from the suppliers of products and system? What about trade association spec?. These are usually free.

3. Can I get by with Arcom's Small Project Masterspec? http://www.arcomnet.com/ Thes cost around $800 but provide you with most of what you need in a project manual.

Also a lot of Division 1 material is included in the AIA contract documents for the owner contractor agreemnt and general conditions.

So one or more of these should do the trick for you.

Rania,
I have used vectorworks for year. I think it is one of the strongest programs out there. The 3D methodology works better on new construction than renovations and such but the 2D component is still fast. the data driven aspect has plenty of BIM capability though the data management could be better. the output in numerous formats allows you to interface directly with modelers, energy programs and other building centric formats. I have never had issues with autocad compatibility when a pen table was provided or when real line weight were used. Check the vectorworks12.net website for a user group near you or participate in the online community. Oh Yes. Its very affordable even with upgrades.

Specs:

I just started a company after being away some time as a stay at home mom so I am a bit rusty.

I need to create specs for my first project. Is there software out there I can use? Should I just cut and paste specs in Word? I found some green specs on Whole Building Initiative.

This is a medium-small project 140'x 150' office building/ warehouse. Do I even need specs or should everything be on the drawings?

Thanks!

I have a small practice which is quickly growing. As we grow, I'm forced to reconsider the drafting software we use - We're currently on AutoCAD but it's prohibitively expensive. I'm considering switching to Vectorworks - It's SOOO much more affordable and I've heard a lot of great things about it. I'd also like to use it's BIM capabilities. Does anyone have experience with Vectorworks? Do you find that not being on AuroCAD is a big disadvantage with consultants and clients? Any thoughts and experiences in this area would help.
Thank you

I am an Associate Architect, and I have a small project that I need assistant with. The help I need is for someone to work with me to review the plans I am doing and approve and seal them for the HVAC and electrical work. The project scope is; convert a 1-bedroom condo into a 2-bedroom condo, by building a wall to divide the living and den. Then den will become the 2nd bedroom.
I can have plans ready for your review by the 1st of the week. You may call me at 703-906-1595, cell,
H. Wayne Smith,
Associate Architect, A.I.A.
thanks,
hws............

Response to Carl J. Handman AIA:

Would you be willing to have your comment on mixed tiles posted in the next SPP Journal? We are now taking responses to published articles, and your comment is important enough for the community to hear.

I am the editor of the journal.

Please contact me at jcline@jbcarch.com

Response to Kate: we've been using AIM from Architectronica (www.architectronica.com) for a number of years now. Barry Isakson, its developer, is a licensed architect.
The software has been great for us, tracking time (while you work) and expenses,
contacts, transmittals and correspondence, producing invoices, etc. You can purchase AIM in modules to keep the costs down, and expand as you grow. The only thing it doesn't do is the actual accounting; we use MYOB (very similar to Quickbooks). We have seen no need to have the two (accounting vs. everything else) integrated.

As far as BIM, we've been on ArchiCAD since 1991, when I was a one person shop.
We now are a firm of 7, with 6 ArchiCAD licenses. The software allows us to actually
design much more thoroughly in the computer, and the shift to CDs is much more painless.The ability to show even subcontractors (like your framer or roofer) your
3d model has made construction easier as well.

We've always been a Mac only office, but all of the software mentioned above runs
on PCs too. And although the office is computer intensive, I am old enough to have
gone through architecture school pre-computer, and have managed to teach myself
all of the software we use, so there is hope!

Mixed Tile item was interesting & works well. Don't make the mistake I did & got "talked to" by the tile setter. Just make sure that all the tiles you select are the same THICKNESS. My contrast tile was thinner than the field & was a pain in the rear to install!

Mixed Tile item was interesting & works well. Don't make the mistake I did & got "talked to" by the tile setter. Just make sure that all the tiles you select are the same THICKNESS. My contrast tile was thinner than the field & was a pain in the rear to install!

Note to dave regarding CAD systems. I used AutoCad for several years and was introduced to ArchiCad by Graphisoft about 5 years ago. For about 4K the system is up and running. I have used it on a PC and now I have shifted to Mac but the program works about the same on either platform. The pros are that you can import surveys and build a topo very quickly, you can build and spin a 3-d model develop sections elevations and show the client a realistic model of their building in a short period of time. That said, the cons seem to be that Graphisoft wants to upgrade their program every 18 months, which means that the upgrade (about $800.00) will cost you about $2.00 per hour, based on a 1500 hour year. Good luck in your quest.

Anybody have any thoughts on employee incentives for a small business. I am a small office, my self and my partner and two full time achitectural graduates. One employee has been with me for 7 years, is half way through the licensing process and wants to know whats next at our firm for him. I am not interested in takng on any additional partners but want to offer some incentives for growth in the office. Salary with benefits is currently around 75k.

The information on small firms is welcome. However, remember that some small firms do strictly commercial work and may be fairly sophisticated in many areas. Please look for topics that are relevant to a small firm but may not be basic or beginner's information. Thank you

Does anyone know of published information on the marketing usefulness of an architectural website? Do they bring referrals or actual clients? The effort to design, mount and maintain a distinguished website is considerable. Is it worth that effort for a very small firm?

To Curtis:

I started my firm 5 years ago and have since helped another start his own firm. I am willing to share some of my experiences and what to expect. Please email me and I can forward contact info and we can speak on the phone.

The AIA Small Project Practitioners Knowledge Community announces its fourth annual Small Project Awards Program to recognize the high-quality work of small-project practitioners and to promote excellence in small-project design. This awards program raises public awareness of the value and design excellence that architects bring to projects regardless of size and scope. For more information, visit: www.aia.org/spp.

For me the unique element of a small firm is completing against larger firms for projects. It is harder to get your name out there, as a small firm cannot complete the same number of projects at one time. So, developing your resume' takes longer. You can purchase and use any software. Cost is always a factor, but using BIM, I don't see this as an issue.

To Dave - I've been using Revit and it's incredible. I really, really love it. Unfortunatly, now that I have my own firm, I cannot afford it. Autodesk really screws the little guy when it comes to pricing their software. I've been encouraged to try ArchiCad, and have seen other small firms do amazing things with it. I teach at our local university, and the students say that both Revit and ArchiCad are very similar. I'm looking into ArchiCad now. Nobody I know uses Chief Architect.

To Allen - Write a good article for your local or neighborhood newspaper. Include contact information, or at least the name of your company. Every time I do that, I get phone calls. Personally, I'd stay away from the newsletter idea - people hate those.

I recently opened a residential design firm and am a sole proprieter. Getting exposure in order to get work is a challenge. I've joined the local chamber of commerce and also have been doing some networking in order to meet people. One idea I had is a monthly newsletter that I would email to those people I meet. Has anyone done a newsletter or something similar? Is this an effective tool for marketing purposes? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

We need the capacity to easily illustrate interior and exterior perspectives for residential and small commercial buildings.
"Chief Architect" has been suggested. Any experience or advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I have designed a number of houses over the years and had the mechanical engineer install a humidifying system because we are in a very arid zone and skin can get very dry in the winter months.

When I designed my own home, I decided to utilize the excess water from the humidifying system to water trees near the house, rather than simply putting it into the sewer as the engineers always did. We have a severe water shortage in Arizona being in an extended drought, so it made sense to me to try to utilize this "lost" water.

I was very surprised to discover that on a cold winter day I would collect over 25 gallons of fresh water that would otherwise have gone down the sewer. Apparently it takes about 7 gallons of water to put 2 gallons of water into the air in the house.
An effective system to store and direct this water to irrigate vegetation is a responsible way to use this "waste" water.

I have been a registered architect for over 35 years. 16 years ago we began using AutoCAD, a 2-dimensional system, to design residential and small commercial buildings. We now need the capacity to easily illustrate interior and exterior perspectives, etc., etc.
"Chief Architect" has been suggested to us. Any experience or advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

As I read through my previous comment, I see that I missed the key point of
the book I referenced, BIG BIM, little bim.
Information is the key to BIM; the AIA's integrated practice is combined
with generating information early (spreadsheets on steroids) to provide
better decisions early in the process.
The 3D IFC compliant software (ArchiCAD, Revit, Bentley) is a valuable
tool in its own right, but doesn't realize the full potential without
revising how architectural services are delivered.
Please visit Kimon Onuma's website to get a taste of what BIM can really
be.
http://onuma.com/services/BimStorm.php

Has anyone used Archioffice for small office accounting,billing, time sheets, profit/loss? If so, any comments? We have Quickbooks but it doesn't seem to be able to do that much.Are there any other recommended programs out there?
I would like to be able to have time sheets entered directly into the system by each individual, so it doesn't need to be handled twice.
Almost all our billing is by the hour so it should be simple accounting but somehow it's not.

As I read through my previous comment, I see that I missed the key point of the book I referenced, BIG BIM, little bim.
Information is the key to BIM; the AIA's integrated practice is combined with generating information early (spreadsheets on steroids) to provide better decisions early in the process.
The 3D IFC compliant software (ArchiCAD, Revit, Bentley) is a valuable tool in its own right, but doesn't realize the full potential without revising how architectural services are delivered.
Please visit Kimon Onuma's website to get a taste of what BIM can really be.
http://onuma.com/services/BimStorm.php

I am a licensed architect with ten years experience. For about the past year I have been considering starting my own practice but have been hesitant because I am not sure what to expect with regard to income especially during the first couple of years. I would be interested in hearing what is a realistic expectation financially (in the mid-atlantic region) as well as any tips for securing new clients when starting out.

A friend of mine, Finith Jernigan has a small firm in Baltimore called Design Atlantic; he just wrote a book called BIG BIM, little bim that discusses small firm use of BIM and the competitive advantage that is possible.

I would agree with Bruce's comments that one can take on larger projects and be competitive. Last year I was able to complete a small office building for a local water district with just my engineering consultants for support.

I am a one person firm and use ArchiCAD too. I consider there to essentially be only one phase-design. The CDs are a 'side effect' of having thought through the design and preparing the viewpoints you want to use to explain it to the client and contractors.

That said, I put a lot of time into staying current with technology and continuing education. I envy the firms that have a whole department to handle marketing. :-)

For me, BIM technology makes it easier for my office to stay small. Using ArchiCAD, I find there is less need for drafters - I'm able to transition from 3D model to CDs easier.

I don't see a connection between one's ethnic heritage and BIM; we're all architects offering the same services to folks who own buildings.