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Self Unemployment

9/30/2014

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I never planned on being self employed.  I had planned on leaving the last firm I worked for, as things had gotten a little funky there.  I came back from lunch one day and was asked to come to a room by both partners who told me they were going to have to let me go.  They are really nice guys and still friends of mine today.  I told them not to worry about it as they had done me more of a favor than they realized.  


When thinking about what I was going to do next, my first thought was to go get another job, but before I even left the office that afternoon I really decided I could do everything my bosses could do and the only thing I was missing was clients!  It was a pretty easy decision to go on my own and never look back.


Being self employed to me meant I would never be laid off again.  My fate would be in my hands, not in the hands of someone else.  My ability, my commitment, and my personal relationship with future clients would determine if I sink or swim.  I have managed to tread water for 27 years.


Do you have to be super talented to be successful, no.  Being a better business man is more important than being a great architect, if you consider successful as staying in business.  


You have to be disciplined, and more importantly you have to be self motivating.  I like what I do to a fault.  I have never had a time when I did not wanted to come to work.  My enjoyment of my job has been detrimental to the profitability of my business for I have looked far more often through my passion rather than my wallet.  I am not saying I would take advantage of people to make a profit, but I have done work for far less of a fee than I should have.  I am the only one to blame, but I have made a good living.  Is there a potential to make a great deal of money in architecture, sure, but it is like any other business and if that is your goal and you market and price accordingly you probably can make a lot of money.  I just don't think for many of us money was the motivating factor for getting into the profession.  


I do not advertise and all my work is by referrals.  Treat people fairly, be honest and give good service and you stand a good chance of surviving.  You have to remember there are all types of clients and niches to be filled.  I cater to contractors and developers, so for some more detailed oriented architects that type of work may not be satisfying.  There are those who cater to the high end residential and for some that may be to demanding.


Your business is what YOU make it.  If you think you should run your business one way and you don't get clients, you better change and adapt or go figure out where that clientele resides and move there. 


Some would say dedication is required for self employment, but if you are disciplined and self motivated, dedication just follows along. One characteristic I did fail to mention is confident.  That is not to be confused with arrogant and I think a lot of people can't distinguish between the two.


Who should become self employed?  I think it is something you just know.  If you spend your time trying to figure out how to do things more than you spend time worrying about if you should  do things, you probably are one of the few that should make the leap.  


Why do I laughing refer to myself as "Self Unemployed"?  It didn't occur to me until after I left my last office.  While working for someone you assume as long as you do your job well you will remain secure at your position, you will stay employed.  Once I started working for myself I realized I had no guarantee that any client would ever walk through my door to bring me work.  The false security of working for someone else made me realize we are all just a moment away of being unemployed.  So I concluded self employment was just client funded unemployment in a way, right?

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"You do what you have to do because it's the right thing to do" - Barry Martin

9/22/2014

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Last week I told you about a book I had ordered "Under One Roof".  I got it on Monday and finished it on Friday.  I ran across this book via an article that I had read in my Feedly - architect's folder.  It was about an 84 year old woman who wouldn't sell her house so they built the shopping center around it and how the foreman, Barry Martin, befriended her and took care of her until she passed away.

I see there being to basic parts of the architectural business, the architecture and the business.  Sometimes what architects complain about are business issues, not architectural issue.  We all need to make money to stay in business.  The architectural part is the more warm and fuzzy part of the two.  Architecture is the creative part and the emotional part or maybe it is just the people part? 

I see many discussions on how architects should be paid and how undervalued and unappreciated we are.  I agree that I don't think many people know what architects do and I am not quite sure some architects do.  Every now and then I am asked to help someone.  They may say "Do you do this?" or "Can you do this", but they really have no idea what is involved in providing the service they are asking about.  Let me state that I work to my own standards, so  I will provide them with exactly what they asked for, but my final product is usually of a quality above what they expected.  I go into a lot of these situations with the intention of doing it for free, just to help them, but I don't always tell them that.  In the end they say "Let me pay you something" and I typically reply "You don't owe me anything".  They insist on paying me something so I tell them whatever they want to pay is fine.  I think this gives them a sense of satisfaction, so I end up getting paid $500 for about $4000 worth of work.  In my mind even $10 would have been fine.  I take a great deal of satisfaction knowing that I have made their space better whether they really do or not.

My wife and I have friends who asked me to help them with the new house they had purchased.  They wanted to remodel and reorganize some spaces.   There had been a hallway coming right off the living room that they wanted to close off.  On one end they were going to make an additional closet for the first floor bedroom and the other side a half bath for visiting guest.  I told them that was not a good location as it was to close to the living area and no one would use it.  At first they didn't understand why, so I explained that people are very self conscience about going to the bathroom and having anybody hear them.  So I recommend they put a hallway into the garage area, that was also being remodeled,  and at the end of the hall put in the half bath.  The new bathroom was still in the front of the house, but at the other end.  You went from the living area past the dining area, which was open to the living area, and down the hallway to the bath.  I told them contrary to what they may think, swing the door out toward the direction they had just come from, as this would give visual privacy into the bathroom.  My last suggestion was to get the loudest fan they could find as it would give a sense of audible security to the individual using the bathroom.  We have been over several times and I am constantly thanked for making such a great recommendation.  This was one of those project I intended on doing for free but was given a small stipend for my work and for the first time my wife finally realize and said "People don't really understand the amount of time you put into these projects do they?"

In North Carolina you are required to have a sealed set of drawing when the  project square footage is over 2,500 SF and the cost over $90,000.  I was referred to a young lady by a local building inspector, as she was going to rent two tenant spaces that use to have a demising wall between them, but it had been removed.  She wanted to put the wall back up, but because the two space totaled more than 2,500 SF she was required to have sealed drawings.  I am all for using architects on projects for life safety and good design, but I do not think you need an architect to reconstruct a straight wall that use to separate two tenant spaces.  Both tenant spaces had met the code and has separate bathroom.  So the only thing she need was to put this one wall back.  I wouldn't do he project for free, but I would charge a very, very minimal fee.  We agreed to meet at the site which was only about 15 mins from my office.  I got there at 2:30 as agreed and she was a no show.  I didn't get mad.  I have dealt with people in the past that are of limited means trying to start a business to better themselves.  In this case I may have been a necessary evil for what she wanted to do, but not in the budget.  I don't know if she followed through with her plans for the space and she never called after our scheduled meeting.  She had to have an architect as decided by the inspections department, based on what she wanted to do, I don't think she really needed an architect, but she obviously need help from one, so sometimes "You do what you have to do because it's the right thing to do"
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Under One Roof

9/15/2014

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http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17286719-under-one-roof
Under One Roof: Lessons I Learned from a Tough Old Woman in a Little Old House
by Barry Martin, Philip Lerman
3.96 of 5 stars 3.96  ·   rating details  ·  67 ratings  ·  20 reviews
Sometimes people aren’t who you think they are. 

 Everyone knew what was going on in Ballard, Washington: developers were building a giant shopping mall, but a house belonging to a feisty octogenarian named Edith Wilson Macefield was in the way. They offered her a million dollars. She told them to take a hike.

Everyone knew that Barry Martin, head of the construction project, was involved in the push to get her out of the house so that the project could proceed without further delay.

Everyone was wrong.

When Barry took the job as construction supervisor for the shopping mall that was being erected around Edith’s little house, he determined to make things as easy for her as he could. He didn’t expect that she’d ask him to drive her to a hair appointment—but he did offer to help, after all. And it was in that one small gesture that an unlikely friendship was sparked, one that changed them both forever.

The story of Barry Martin and Edith Macefield is a tale of balance and compassion, of giving enough without giving too much, of helping our elderly loved ones through the tough times without taking away their dignity. In the end, Under One Roof is a tale of grace, and one from which all of us can take solace and strength. From Barry and Edith we have much to learn about love and letting go and, just possibly, about seeing through fading light to find great joy. (less)

I bought this book and can't wait to read it! I was on Feedly in my architects folder and ran across a story about this event that mentioned the book.   As I have explained in the past I looked at Amazon and Alibris to find a used copy in good shape at a reasonable price.  The book arrived today and looks new.  The inside cover price is $24.99.  I paid $2.47 and $3.99 shipping.
Picture
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The First Job

9/9/2014

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Listening to Mark LePage's podcast today about how to get that first job, I decided i would share my experience.

When I was in college (Va. Tech '74-'79) nobody came to interview architects.  I sent many a letter and got some "Thank you, but no thank you" replies.  The standard for getting a job as a recent graduate was to go door to door with a roll of your drawings .  

Many times I was asked to leave a resume and they would call if they need someone, but that never happen to me.  It was a matter if they needed someone "NOW" they may consider you.  My father who was an engineer by degree (also a Hokie) and a lighting rep by profession told me I needed to be able to do two things if I wanted a job "print and draw"

Prior to moving to Roanoke, Va in 1967 we had lived in Greensboro, NC for five years.  Dad had called on most of the engineers and architects throughout the state.  He still had some engineers down in North Carolina that he considered good friends and that gave me an opportunity to get my foot in a few doors.  I can not express the importance that relationships play during one's life.  Those connections are invalueable.  You never know who knows who!

An engineer who worked for an A/E firm in Chapel Hill, NC was my ace in the hole.  "Bombin'" Ramin Amin, who to my memory was the only engineer in this ten man firm was my connection to get an interview with one of the partners.  Dressed in a three piece suit, I went for my interview which was short and I was told I was hired, "Come in Monday".  Then the partner got up and walked out of his office.  I had to follow him down the hall and ask "what time do you start?" to which he replied 8:30 AM.  I asked "What do I wear?" to which he replied "What you have on is fine.".  During my interview we discussed salary.  I asked for $10,000 a year.  I was told that it was higher than they pay interns, so I was given a counter offer in dollars per hour.  I don't remember the exact number, but when I did the math it came out to something like $9,980 per year.

So I start work in a three piece suit and sitting directly in front of me is a guy wearing a rolled up t-shirt and blue jeans, cussing like a sailor!  I thought "Man am I over dressed".  It was the last time I ever worn a suit to work.  

I had tried to get a job working for an architect my fifth year in college, but Blacksburg is a college town, so there weren't many firms to talk to and it never materialized.  So I really didn't have any experience in the "real world".  I sat down my first day and a guy drops a roll of marked up blue prints on my desk and tells me to make the corrections.  I sat there for a while and stared at the prints. I had an electrical eraser on the desk, but I thought "Surely there must be more to it than this?  They can't want me to change these prints, but I really didn't know?"  I got up after after minutes and asked "Aren't I suppose to get some else?" and the guy answered "Oh yeah, the originals are in the flat files."  I gave a sigh or relief, as I realized I averted looking like a green rookie by trying to make changes on the blueprints. 

I lasted in that job about nine months before I was let go due to lack of work, well that is what I was told.  I might not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer, but they had just hired two licensed architects two weeks before I was let go, so I didn't think work load was really the problem.  Again I was pounding the pavement, going door to door with a handful of drawings.  I did land another job within about six weeks.  I lasted there about two and half years before I left to go to my last stop before going out on my own in 1987

I am sure that recent architectural graduates don't go door to door nowadays with laptops under their arms instead of drawings.  Instead of "print and draw", I assume the requirements are now you must know how to "type and use CAD".  I still think that to find a job you need to go where the work is.  Recent graduates need to find out what area's in the country are doing the most construction and go look in those markets.  I still believe that you need to call on a firm that has an immediate need for the best chance of landing that first job.  As my Dad told me, your first job will be production, it doesn't matter if you are the next Frank Lloyd Wright, you will get your first job based on your drawing / production skills.  

I tease a friend who plays the North Carolina lottery and tell him my chances of winning are as good as his and I didn't even buy a ticket.  His response is if someone has to win, it might as well be him.  That is my same attitude about architecture.  As much as I hear about how tough the industry is my thought is as long as there is a need for one architect, it might as well be me!

(Good news is my firm is still open this week!  :-)
Good luck!




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LEEDs, I'm not sold......

9/2/2014

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I am not a big fan of LEEDs certified buildings.  I was always taught that energy efficient design was good design in college, so I assume any responsible architect would take that into consideration.  I also don't have a problem with setting design and energy standards that we should try to meet when we design buildings.  The parts that bothers me is why do we have to have a "certified" person oversee the project and once it is designed to a certain standard there is no guarantee that based on the use of the occupant that the potential savings won't be offset by bad usage.  Leaving all the windows open on a hot day while running the air conditioning in a LEEDs certified building does nothing to save me energy.

http://www.usgbc.org/articles/benefits-green-homebuilding
Benefits of Green Homebuilding
Published on 27 Jul 2012Written by Jennifer EastonPosted in Media
Photo credit: Rob Moody
1
Benefits of LEED-Certified Homes: Savings, Value, Well-Being, Trusted

Savings: Reducing Energy & Water Consumption

The typical household spends about $2,150 a year on residential energy bills1.

LEED-certified homes are:

  • Built to be energy-efficient, ensuring that the home can be comfortably heated and cooled with minimal energy usage;
  • This is based on responsible occupant usage and why can't a home be designed to this standard without LEEDS?
  • Individually tested to minimize envelope and ductwork leakage;
  • Again this can be done without LEEDs if it is important enough to the client
  • Designed to minimize indoor and outdoor water usage;
  • We need LEEDs to do this too?
  • Predicted to use an estimated 30 to 60% less energy than a comparable home built to International Energy Conservation Code.
  • All depends on how the occupants use the buildings and again can't this be done without the expense of a "LEEDs certified consultant"?

I am just saying I don't understand why a building that is designed to LEEDs standard is any less than a building that has been designed and certified by a LEEDS consultant?  

So a building built to LEEDs standard, documented by an architect or engineer that is not LEEDs certified, is less efficient, less valuable, or  less trusted because it hasn't been certified?  I just don't get it?
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    A self  employed architect.  Office of one. 
    I work 24/7 and weekends too!

    "For every complex problem there is usually a simple solution............................................and it is usually wrong"

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