Architects??

[DVerbarg]

<font color=blue>I just paid $1100 for a set of house plans from one of the supposed "leading house plan architects" that has no means to get HVAC air from the furnace (in the basement) to the second floor.</font color=blue>

We used house plans from one of those "leading house plan architects" also and had the same issue. Well, in all fairness, there was a space in a closet for HVAC chase to run from the basement to the second floor but needed to be 4 times larger in order to be effective, there goes the closet! The HVAC sub said that the distance would be a problem, unless we used fan boosters which would increase the sound level, and that we would be better off having two HVAC units, one in the basement and one on the second floor.

Ended up having two units (actually three if you count the boiler for the radiant floor heat in the basement and garage) and loosing a small closet on the second floor. Does have its advantages though. During the summer the second floor A/C runs more often as heat accumulates up there without having to condition the first floor and during the winter the first floor furnace runs more often as the cooler air sinks to the first floor.

A good HVAC sub can make a house so much more comfortable to live in. Some new homes have very noticeable temperature swings from room to room.

 

[RobS]

<font color=blue>Sometimes even the fact that they're architects doesn't mean they can't mess up</font color=blue>

There are just so many details to watch I don't think it's possible to not have a couple of "mess ups".

An example, yesterday we met with our builder at the site. She showed us a couple of places where the framers built exactly per the prints but the door openings end up too close to a corner for a full width piece of trim to fit. In hind-sight, it seems easy enough to realize what's happening, but that's one of the myriad details that must be considered by the architect/designer. We had reviews with the designer, builder and framer but didn't catch it until it's actually up. Not a big deal to correct, but the message is to expect a few issues like this to crop up /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Chuck52]

EJB,

If you like playing wth your computer, there are some amazingly powerful and inexpensive house design programs available. I bought one called 3D Home Architect for $29.95 at Sams. You can input your present floorplan and then move walls and windows and such very easily. Apparently, many professional designers use the "pro" version of this software, which gets into the engineering specs and all. We are in the proces of adding a master bath to our 1958 house, and since it was a simple bumpout from the bedroom wing, the software let me do everything my builder really needed in the way of drawings...turns out that by the time all the codes are satisfied, most of the framing, electric and plumbing details are set anyway. On the other hand, we paid a local architect $250 (a real good deal) to help us fugure out how to arrange a bumpout of the family room so the extension wouldn't look weird in relation to the newly extended bedroom wing. He prepared just the necessary drawings a good contractor needs to go with. It took him a couple hours...lordy he could make that sketch pencil talk! Anyway, we're in the final stages of both additions and so far as the design part is concerned, all is well. Scheduling some of these subcontractors is a real pain. I about half expect the tile guy to show up some time today to finish the tub surround, but he might not and then the plumber won't be able to......aaaarrrrrgggghhh!

Whooeee. But anyway, the software is really neat. Push walls. Move doors and windows. Change rooflines. Move furniture around. Printout floorplans to your heart's content. It came with a big bunch of sample plans, too, so we could look at bathroom designs and such. Easily worth the $29.95.

Chuck

 

[ejb]

Re: Architects?? /do-it-yourself software

Good suggestion on the software, but I have tried a few and have been pretty disappointed with them; at least the versions I tried.

It seems they are pretty good at designing a single floor at a time, but as soon as you want to add a second floor and/or roof it was almost impossible to get it to work; at least I found it that way. Maybe I should see if much has changed since the last time I tried one...about 12 months ago.

Maybe they are more powerful and more intuitive...not a bad idea. $29.95 will be cheap if it saves me some time with the architect/designer.

Anyone else have specifc recommendations on software and versions that people have used (on a windows platform) and are happy with?

Thanks again guys.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Architects?? /3D Home Architect

I agree… I love this program… It’s very intuitive, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to use it… and the learning curve is very short, the power of the program is intense… I’ve fiddled with a number of these home design programs and by far I think 3D Home Architect is the best… and @ $29. is the bargain of bargains for software… If you want more power, go to it’s granddaddy… Chief Architect for $3995.

I promise you won’t be disappointed…

 

[ejb]

Re: Architects?? /3D Home Architect

I guess for $29.95 I'll try it again...lets see at aboyt $150 hour for an architect, if I can somehow figure out how to save 12 minutes of the guys time the software should pay for itself/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif!

 

[MossRoad]

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I did the same thing when I re-did our present house. Added a door and left no room for a light switch. The smallest details are the ones that getcha. Of couse, no room for HVAC is not a small detail /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif.

 

[MDNY]

I have one of the Home CAD programs too. But gave up on it since I could never get the walls to line up correctly. I guess when it's all built I will try and use the new drawings to make the house on the computer again.

The benefit is the one I bought was also for decks, and landscaping as well. You can determine plants, growth cycles etc before you plant.

But then again paper and pencil works wells too.

 

[ejb]

Re: Architects/Construction Costs

Hi Guys...we'll we started the process with an architectural designer and he seems pretty decent guy...quick turnaround anyway, and within 3 days had some nice drawings done already. He is going to end up costing 4% of the construction, which I estimate would cost $150K to do.

Problem is, I am hoping to do most all the work I can, and sub out what I can't as a means of getting perhaps $200-$225K worth of work for that $150K (I figure I could probably put in 50-75K of sweat equity.

My architect designer is really pushing me to not do the work myself and is claiming that I'll probably at most save about 5% of the cost of the project by doing a lot of the work and acting as a GC....that seems ridiculously low to me. Seems to me I should be able to save 20% or even much more??

Anyone want to chime in on this? I am wondering if perhaps he might be getting a "kickback" from builders if he recommends the job.

Anyone have any real-world experience on how much they saved by acting as GC and by doing a LOT of the work?

Thanks/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

BTW: This is for a fairly substantial remodel, not new construction..ie. new 2nd floor, moving walls around, new kitchen, windows etc.

 

[RobS]

Re: Architects/Construction Costs

ejb, I doubt if he's getting a kickback from the builders but if he quoted his price based on a percentage of total construction cost he probably wants to see a higher construction cost! Our architect/designer priced per square foot and he didn't care who we went with or if we were to have been our own GC /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif