Home Designer

Started by Ray-Jeffries, August 31, 2006, 08:44:12 AM

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Ray-Jeffries

Hello, i'm new to this forum, seems like a great place to leard. I am an architectural designer and I am thinking of going at it on my own, designing homes, barns and outbuildings. I have designed several homes in my spare time, i work for a registered architect so i pretty much stay busy w/ multi family and public housing work.
I have been with this architect for 8 years, before that i designed nothing but homes with a designer for 7 years and loved it thats why i do some homes in my spare time.
the reason i have not went on my own is the fact that well my current employer takes good care of me and insurence is a factor also, but i really want to be in buisness for myself. my question is, i am in Alabama and was wondering in you have to have a special license to be able to design homes full time, i know from past experience that an architectural stamp is usually not req'd. sorry for being so long, but just thought i'd ask, maybe someone can help me out.

John Raabe

#1
Welcome to the Forum, Ray:

In most states no license is needed to design homes. You have to have a business license, of course, if you are charging for services.

There are guilds that mimic the AIA and these organizations will certify building designers and allow them to use logos and such to the effect that they are registered building designers with the American Institute of Building Designers. This is primarily used to impress clients and charge higher fees. It makes no difference to the building department or the state licensing agency.

Anyone, designer, home owner, or your local dentist can design their own home. Some states have limits on size. In my state (WA) building designers can design residential structures of any size and commercial buildings up to 4000 sf. Architects get all the large commercial work, as you already know. But again, building designers are not licensed by the state.

No matter who designs the building the building department can require an engineering stamp on the structural plans. The more amateur the work the more likely this will be required. Some places allow architectural stamps in place of engineering and some don't. (Most educated architects know their limits and hire out the engineering the same as most building designers.)
None of us are as smart as all of us.


Amanda_931

I've no idea about licenses, but I do know that work detailing condos can keep an architect so employed--so gainfully employed--that he can't do his own stuff.  Have an acquaintance who's always got condos on his computer instead of the small houses for--often broke--natural builder wannabes (like me!).

Ray-Jeffries

Well that's just it, Architects can't really make a lot of money drawing small homes, but i want to get back to basics so to speak. I just worry about talk of the housing bubble popping.

MikeT

Speaking from the perspective of someone who had their own business and was reasonably successful at it:

Bear in mind that there are 3 main areas of work in owning your own business:

1. Getting the work (marketing and promotion)
2. Doing the work
3. Managing the work (administration, bookkeeping, taxes, etc).

Each of these takes time and should not be neglected.  You are interested in #2--that is what you like to do, but when you work solo, you have to spend time constantly doing #1-- even when you are busy because work is often cyclical.  And do not neglect #3--even if you have to hire a bookkeeper.

You can only bill out or price your time for #2, but the other two elements need to be factored into your price.

I realize this is not specific to home design businesses, but I thought I would chime in.

Cheers,
Mike


glenn kangiser

Number 3 makes me want to do number 2 though. :-/  A necessary evil I guess.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

desdawg

Personally I prefer #1 & #3. I can pay people for #2. The trick is getting good people. My favorite part of #3 is getting the checks and taking them to the bank.  ;D
I have done so much with so little for so long that today I can do almost anything with absolutely nothing.

John Raabe

#7
Nice review of reality MikT -

This is especially true when we want to do a type of business that we feel has some social value. We all like to feel good about the work we do and the prices we charge. We want to be fair with people because we feel better when we do.

That said, the reality of business is that you have bring in enough that you can meet all expenses and still keep your personal reality ticking' along. This means you have to keep your books and the taxes up to date. You have to pay the insurance, the CPA and all the others who help you stay out of trouble. (Trouble you most likely don't know exists.)

Actually doing an "honest business", meeting a real need, and then getting it to grow (any organism is either growing or dying) is a process that usually knocks a few of your precious ideas out of your head. Especially the ones about how smart and important you are.

Great teacher business!  :D Here's a good book: Growing a Business, by Paul Hawken.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

Ray-Jeffries



Ray-Jeffries

and by the way go and check out the other thread i started "home from samples" to see a plan of my futer home.
thats what i love to do, design someones dream.

desdawg

My best advice for starting a business is to evaluate your community and see where the need lies. Many small communities have unmet needs. People have to go outside the area to obtain certain services or goods that aren't available locally. Fill a need and you will have a good chance for success. There is no point in opening a jewelry store where people are struggling to buy groceries. Most new small businesses fail in the first three years if the fundamentals aren't there. I see lots of people who convert their hobby into a business and the market won't support them. You have to be filling a need. Of course the internet has changed some of that but the competition is huge. And make sure you have the capital to carry you for a while.
I have done so much with so little for so long that today I can do almost anything with absolutely nothing.

Jens

nothing personal to anybody here, but as a builder, I would like to suggest to anybody that is, has thought about being, or is going to be a home designer, that you build at least a few houses designed by designers.  In my experience, they never build according to the plans, and so many important things are not taken into account in the designing process.  Like I said, nothing personal, I just have been getting fed up with "designers", at least around here, who charge way too much money when the whole house has to be redesigned on-the-fly by we carpenters and the client. :)
just spent a few days building a website, and didn't know that it could be so physically taxing to sit and do nothing all day!

Ray-Jeffries

yes, i realise this. In addition to designing, i have also built barns and outbuildings, have also helped out on some home construction. Also at my current job i am a project manager, i work very close with superintendants at construction sites correcting problems, and i know very well that a lot of times the construction goes different from the plans, problems come up that were never thought of in the design process, noe ones perfect, thats why it really does take a good contractor when the plans arn't so good. but a combination of both good, acurate plans and a good contractor, and both having good communication, goes a long way in making things go smoother.
i know why a lot of contractors don't like architects, i don't like a lot of architects myself, too much school and no hands on expirence. I grew up helping my dad a lot,
he is a builder and can build anything, he has been the most valuable learning tool i have had, 2nd would be the on site feet in the mud work i do around here.
we had an intern architect here a few years ago, and the guy would come up with this really wierd stuff, problem is a lot of time it woldn't even work on paper, too much
school plus he just woldn't listen, contractor love guys like him, they make a lot on change orders with guys like that, and they are a lot of them i know.

Ray-Jeffries

like i said, i do homes now on the side and it is mostly for a couple of contractors i work well with, i charge a cut rate price just for the opertunity to have a design of mine come to life, and i do also like to work with wood myself, in the future i plan on building my own home, every bit, as i could't afford to contract it out, it will take longer, but the exp. is always good. I also see a lot of "fly-by-night-designers", sometimes contractors want me to redo them.