All Forum Posts by: Kinley Puzey

@Jaron Sherwood,

What type of project are you working on and where specifically is it located? I have a list of contractors that I have connections with that I can send your way.  They all seem to have specific areas they prefer to cover. More than likely you will need to reach out to a few to get good numbers. 

@Devan Mcclish,

Thanks for sharing your story, the numbers, and tips! Very informative and inspiring. I'm looking into doing similar work. I've only been on the design side until recently. 

I also just want to second that those are not typical architect fees. If that's what he charges, I want his info just so I can contract out my work. That's crazy cheap.

Congrats again on the project!

Based on what it says I'm assuming it's neighborhood area that they are going to make into commercial area. Zoning is city specific so it means whatever the city wants it to mean. You can find a cities zoning regulations on their website. (usually under building department). They break down all their zoned areas and list the required setbacks, allowed building types, and allowed building height, etc. 

Hope that helps. Good luck

The only reason I can see the city would require a survey is if you are going to subdivide it and they need a survey to review for zoning purposes. It could potentially be a waste of thousands of dollars to do a survey on a piece of land that you don't own. If you do purchase a property with the intent of subdividing it, then yes, you would need a survey. Contact a local civil engineer as they will help you put the documents together for the subdivision.  But..... If I were you.... I would take what information you have on the lot to the city and see if it is even possible to subdivide the property. Do this before before buying anything. Also talk to the seller. Often times the property has already been surveyed. 

Good Luck.

My bad. Someone just pointed out that your are an architect as well. I guess I read your post from the wrong angle. My apologies.

Can I throw out a few suggestions? I've worked as an architect on a few multifamily projects. Multifamily are often very time consuming, demanding, and code intensive. A few suggestions I would throw out from my perspective are as follows:

• For beginners, You can check out the American Institute of Architects organizationhttp://www.aia.org/ . They have an online database of architects that belong to their organization and that would be local to your area. It's not a sure fire way to get a solid architecture group but it shows that they are current and active within their industry and that they are maintaining current continuing education. It's not mandatory but it may help as a starting point if you have no connections.
• I would also look at your competitors and who worked with them on their projects. I would look at local buildings that are going up and research who worked on them. Not just the architect but the entire team.
• I find an informal interview works best before getting pricing. It's a long and involved process so I would make sure it's someone who you would feel comfortable working. Especially when there's problems. And there will be problems.
• Because most architects work on a plethora of building types they are constantly juggling code requirements for different methodologies. Multifamily buildings, in my opinion, are fairly complex due to the occupancy and density. Make sure they have a team or someone that knows multifamily housing inside and out. If you get someone that is specialized or just currently finished a project they will hit the ground running because its fresh on their minds.
• I would ask about their current projects and current schedule to make sure they have adequate time to give to you and your project. Ask specifically who you will be working with and if they have a dedicated team for your project. You will not be their only client but they shouldn't be spread too thin.
• If you have a contractor that's worked with other architecture firms see who they recommend.
• I would make sure they have experience with multifamily projects. I would check out their portfolio, walk through a project, and talk to past clients.
• Ask past clients how they were to work with. Ask how they handled revisions, changes, and problems on site. Ask how quickly they responded to design and construction issues.
• I would check to see if the type of work they do aligns with what you are hoping for with your project.
• See who they use for consultants. Make sure their consultants are capable and also have time for your project. Honestly, from my experience the consultants and engineers are where you may be losing out on money and time. Sometimes they are not as responsive as the architecture team and slow down the entire project. But, because they work for the architect it looks like its the architects fault.
• If your looking to save money, cutting design fees may not be the best place to look. If you have a good team the design fees may be more but it will save you more in the end.
• If you have a good architecture and team they will save you money but it may not be on the front end.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Kinley

@Jennifer Umbaugh,

In my opinion it would be wise to add gutters and downspouts. They are typically inexpensive and I've seen it show up on home inspections as something that needs to be fixed. Easy and inexpensive fix. 

@Account Closed,

As an architect I've worked with a lot of clients on both types of projects. My preferred style is more on the modern side. I feel it looks classy and high end. My wife on the other end things it looks harsh, cold, and uncomfortable. It really is a personal preference. I've found that a lot of younger clients prefer the more modern look and the opposite is true for the older generation. It might also depend on the area and who you are trying to cater to. If there is not a lot of them around you need to be the judge on if it's a risk you are willing to take. It would definitely make the home stand out from the rest but it may also be that there's a reason that the other homes in the area are not "modern".

My recommendation would be to go with your gut. I typically try to blend the two.  I try to find something that will make it pop whether it be a unique roof line or material choice that can help accentuate an area and update the home. 

I would also look at your home and ask yourself if it has the bones to be modern. If its a traditional symmetrical brick home with gable roof then its going to take a lot to make it look modern. The roof line has the most potential for making a home feel modern, at least from the outside. I quite often get clients that have a boring rectangle box with a boring roof and they want it modern but don't want make any significant exterior or roof improvements. 

It's hard to turn this..

 into this.... 

without significant changes.

That being said, designing a nice home no matter the design should cost the same. Building a nice home no matter the style should cost about the same. The problem is with modern homes a lot of times you want to use wood or metal and those materials cost more then stucco and siding. A metal or flat roof is going to cost more than a truss roof with asphalt shingles. Also for some reasons, at least around here, you mention "Modern" and contractors charge more because they know that they need to be perfect in their execution because errors are more apparent when your concerned with clean lines.

Insulation costs are the same. The only cost differences come into play in the structure and final finishes. 

Hopefully that's helpful. 

Congrats @Nelson Barss,

I've also been on the other side doing architectural design and am looking to make the leap in the next couple of months. Looks like we are not too far away from each other. Good luck.

@Devin Deswert,

You are correct, I've been watching the area over the past 5-6 years. the Granary District has gotten a lot of hype in the past but it seems to be taking longer to take off then people were hoping. I had an architecture office a few blocks from the area and worked with a few developers in the past that have looked at the area. None of those projects have seemed to pan out and those projects have since dried up. It seems like there are a few little developments that have been introduced (mostly around the trax stop) and local businesses are taking over old warehouses but it is far from the bustling, eclectic, and hip place that people have been trying for. If you check out the following website they keep it up to date on what the RDA and others are doing throughout Salt Lake including the Granary District.

http://www.buildingsaltlake.com/category/salt-lake...

I think eventually it will get there but it's going to take a while. It has potential as it is really close to downtown but the area is filled with homeless and dilapidated structures that would need to be razed and is not a place where people are willing to call home just yet. I think it's going to take a few large developments to make a big enough difference. The fleet block looked like it might be the first big development to help the area, and and RFP went out from the RDA for development of the block but I haven't heard if anything ever came of it. 

The current issues between the RDA and the mayor seem to also be slowing down progress, but that's a whole other discussion.