Custom Residential Architects Network

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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Depends how big the remodel was and if the client is bringing you their ideas on a scratch paper (as more and more of our clients are) complete with tons of pictures of houses on Houzz that don't go together (think quoins on a Spanish rancher) and you have tons of work already you'd probably turn down the project. I get a call a day for new projects. Can't do them all nor do I want to. Luckily this is the time to be selective. 

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John Stewart AIA
Stewart Associates Architects
San Carlos CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2014 10:07
From: Brenda Nelson
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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Brenda,

I don't know the answers to your questions either, but thank you for posing all of those scenarios and not jumping to a conclusion. Your assessment is accurate - it might have been any of those reasons. It is just unfortunate that the client could not find another architect. I believe in choosing carefully but there is such diversity in architects and their practices, I'd like to think that someone would be interested and could have extended their experience and value to these people.

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Lee Calisti AIA
Principal
lee CALISTI architecture+design
Greensburg PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2014 10:07
From: Brenda Nelson
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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Brenda,

In my experience the most likely underlying reason is closest to #3. And there are two factors that led to the homeowner simply doing the work themselves:
1. The architect they contacted was indeed a commercial architect and refused their project because of size and potential liability - added to that they did not recommend any other architects in the area for fear of promoting their competition.
2. The homeowner, upon being rebuffed by one architect, simply did not seek out any other making the gross assumption that ALL architects would turn them down because their project is too small and the fee would be also.

There is a combination of a lack of community among architects as well as a general level of ignorance and reluctance to shop around on the part of the homeowner. Hence the cycle continues. It's up to us to remedy this.

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Jeremiah Russell, AIA, NCARB
Principal/Architect
Jeremiah S. Russell, Architect
Little Rock, Arkansas
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2014 10:07
From: Brenda Nelson
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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I read that post as the Clients were not willing to pay an adequate fee for the work and the Architect turned down the project.

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Robert Smith AIA
Okemos MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2014 10:07
From: Brenda Nelson
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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There are many reasons an architect might turn down a potential client. We have never turned one down because of the size of the job, but we have referred to other architects clients who: 
know exactly what they want and are really looking for a drafting service
are looking for a high end project but have a beer budget
are unpleasant to communicate with - one man was so hostile to his wife he made us very uncomfortable.

No job too small! Bathrooms R us!

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Judith Wasserman AIA
Bressack & Wasserman
Palo Alto CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2014 19:55
From: Robert Smith
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I read that post as the Clients were not willing to pay an adequate fee for the work and the Architect turned down the project.

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Robert Smith AIA
Okemos MI
-------------------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2014 10:07
From: Brenda Nelson
Subject: Architect refusing work...?

I was reading through a Houzz.com ideabook and the comments that accompanied the article. The article was on what to expect when you're renovating a home. I came across this comment and thought it was relevant to share with this community.

"For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft)."

I'm going to take this with a little grain of salt because:
1. The client may have thought they were talking to an architect, but it was not, it could've been just a residential designer.
2. The architect may have decided that this was a CLIENT they didn't feel comfortable working with and used the excuse of the size of the project rather than saying they just didn't like the client. (but that's just poor communication skills)
3. The client could have consulted with a commercial oriented architect who didn't want to take on a smaller residential project, and that architect didn't adequately explain the difference in specialties.

If the architect had actually refused this client flat out, based only on the size of the project, well, that just makes me sad.

People share more stories like this than stories where their architect/client relationship was great. I know several CRAN members who work in smaller renovations and additions, I even know several commercial architects in my local area who would've taken on a project of this size. I hope we can continue to promote residential design so that stories like this one become few and far between.
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Brenda Nelson Assoc. AIA
Ankeny IA
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