While clients tend to interview several architects before selecting one, Architects also share tales of woe from the client choices they have not made at professional meetings,  and continuing education seminars to help one another avoid similar mistakes.

The initial interview is really a dialog and two-way interview and a gut-check at a fundamental \”fit\” level.  But since it is also a business transaction, where lots of time and money can be spent with poor result if the relationship is not good, many factors enter into the \”pursue or pass\” equation.  Here\’s the short list: from our side

• How many other projects are in house?
• Is this project from a trusted referral or a tire-kicker?
• Does this project fit within our skill-set and experience?
• Did we just lose a project-or did another project just get put on hold due to approval hiccups or client indecision? (are we hungry?)
• If it is not in our wheelhouse, are we willing to make less money at the benefit of expanding our knowledge base? or join with trusted consultants?
• Do we have the staff or associates to handle the project?
• What is the opportunity cost of taking on the project if something better comes along that we need to decline?
• Can we make a fair profit on the project?
• Do we have a good sense the client has the temperament, resources and commitment to see it through?
• 

Yes, typically if we are interviewing for the project we are interested, we want the project – but it certainly depends how badly. There have a been projects we took in desperation and regretted later.  Since we run a business, and the financial pressure of Friday payday comes around quickly;  the reality of paying your guys and bills often trumps moments of reflection and selection.

Interviewing architects-

Let me suggest an approach that starts with some easy questions to interview architects then get into a few tougher ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUJVZk1i1E

Just to get the conversation going you may start-

• 1. Like,”Tell me what you think of our project?”  or “Can you tell me a little more about the ___project that we saw on your website?”
• 2. What kind of services do you offer?  Full package or limited? Are you involved during bidding and construction? How about approvals and permits?
• 3. How do you bill?  Hourly, lump sum, square footage or percentage?https://seconarchitect.com/whats-the-vig/
• 4. What is a  typical schedule for similar projects?  Can you tell me a little about the various phases?
• 5. What are your staffing levels, education levels?  How many are licensed?
• 6. Is work done in-house? or subbed out?
• 7. Do you have strong relationships with certain contractors? Who are they? Can you tell me a little about them?
• 8. How much experience do you have in this type of project? Why should we choose your firm?

• 9. How much experience do you have in this municipality?
• 10. Can you tell me a bit about jobs that did not go well. What factors do you feel were at play here? How can we avoid that for our project?
• 11. How do you like to communicate? Email, text, phone-call? Myspace?
• 12. What percentage of your work is from referrals?
• 13. Have you been involved in any judgments or law suits? What happened – if  you can share?
• 14. Can you provide us with similar project references?
• 15. How many project in your office? Can you safely handle all these projects?
• 16. What else should I be asking?https://seconarchitect.com/faqa-saqs/

Selecting an architect is an important step in the design-construction process. Don’t blow it.  We know we can’t be everybody’s choice  of architect, but we frequently recommend some good ones with more expertise in certain areas with no remorse.

Let\’s answer those questions, call Steve now at 914 980 5532.

https://www.aiaetn.org/find-an-architect/selecting-an-architect/

Phew, that was cathartic and cheaper than therapy!  Thanks for reading. Give me a call and tell me what you think. 914 980 5532

The shape of the earth. Slope, pitch, levelness, steepness.

Site design. Road design. Drainage design among others. There is so much to each of these disciplines, but this blog is just about slope.

The slope of the land is called topography and it heavily influences site and building  design.  While there are landscape architects, site engineers, and architects, in reality, one cannot ignore the effect of the site on the building and the buildings affect on the site. So the two are always co-mingled. Elegant ramps, stairs, retaining walls, terraced acres of hills are affected by the slope and how it is addressed – sometimes it is a curse, other times a blessing (see photo).

Grading is the art and science of moving earth around to make the site work for its purpose.  The site steepness influences more than just who skis on which part of the mountain- the ability to climb the stairs, the velocity of water and vehicular navigation all rely on the steepness, called \”grade\” in design terms.  The grade is generally expressed in percentages. It derives from the expression rise/run or vertical height divided by horizontal distance.  For example, most handicapped ramps have an 8.33% grade meaning they are 1\” high per 12\” length (1/12=8.33). Cars in parking garages use 6.7% slope, and can seldom go up a grade exceeding 25 %. Most folks find walking uphill over a grade of 10% to be uncomfortable -better think of stairs. Class 2 hiking (rigorous) tops out at 18%. Sidewalks are generally sloped 2% away from the buildings to shed water, but we perceive the walking experience along the sidewalk as flat.

On the other hand: A baseball diamond needs a certain degree of levelness, where a ski slope – not so much.

How we travel shows this, too. Did you ever notice how the tires on your car wear out on the right side first? Why? When one looks carefully at the shape of the road in profile it has a gentle slope called a crown or camber. The camber helps shed water toward the curb -which helps guide the water into drains or ditches. But it also slightly tilts the car, which puts more pressure and wears on the tires of the downhill side of your travel direction (see illustration).  Yet one says \”dead level\” that\’s a problem too, since we rely on gravity to move the water.

Think of a retaining wall  (https://seconarchitect.com/retain-this-a-primer-to-retaining-walls/), this allows us to manipulate the grade to more level uses. but also disturbs the drainage patterns and movement patterns of the users.  Tilt the ditch too far and it carries away the earth -erosion happens-and has to be controlled.

What\’s your site challenge? Let\’s talk. 914 980 5532. Ask for Steve.

DECLUTTER! DECLUTTER! DECLUTTER!

This is the perfect time to take stock of the items that are important and useful to you vs. the items you no longer need or use.  As you empty your cabinets, drawers, and closets sort and store them by category.  Items that have out lived their usefulness should be set aside to sell, donate or trash.  Items you will use regularly during your project should be placed in accessible storage boxes.  I recommend using clear boxes to make it easier to see what is stored inside. Seldom used items can be packed and stored in basements and/or closets. Clearly label all your boxes to create ease for the post renovation resettling.  A home renovation is one of the more exciting projects a homeowner will undertake.

This is the moment when you can finally put your stamp on your home making it truly your own.  However, this can also be one of the most stressful times in your home life.  Will it be disruptive, YES!  But with careful pre-renovation planning and strategies, you can minimize the inconvenience and stress factors.  Here are my 5-stress-busting organizing tips to get you through your renovation project.

CHECK EXPIRATION DATES

Check all the expiration dates on food products and medications. Properly dispose of the items that have expired or will expire during the renovation period. Make a list of the items that need to be replaced now and those that can wait until after the renovation.

RECYCLE NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

We seldom go back and read out of date publications despite our best intentions. As a result, those piles of newspapers and magazines seem to multiply overnight.  You can access most publications on-line freeing you to recycle the paper versions.

SETTING UP TEMPORARY LOCATIONS (KITCHENS, HOME OFFICES, PLAY AREAS, HOMEWORK STATIONS)

Many rooms in our homes serve multiple functions.  Kitchens in particular do double and triple duty. In addition to food preparation and a place for the family to gather, kitchens may be a home-offices, play areas or homework stations. Plan in advance where each function can be relocated and equip that space with the essentials necessary to perform those tasks.  Additionally, portable storage containers or storage solutions on wheels give you flexibility to move from room to room.  Most of my clients use a combination of the two strategies depending on the space(s) being renovated. It is helpful to prepare a chart indicating where each function is moving to help decrease the feelings of dislocation.

STORAGE UNITS / PODS

I have two words if you are embarking on a renovation that will necessitate moving your belongings into either a temporary storage unit or Pod. INVENTORY LIST.  I know this is time consuming but trust me, it will truly give you peace of mind when you know where each of your stored belongings is located. Number each box, write a general description on the box and to what room that box will be going post renovation. On your inventory list, enter all box numbers and a detailed content description of each box.

There is no magic wand to take away all the disruption and inconvenience a major renovation creates.  But careful pre-planning and organizing will reduce these factors and make the resettling process go smoothly.  I hope you try these tips and enjoy your beautiful new home.

To answer,  one must fully understand there are two main components of a project that influence what you can build:  scope (what you are building) and budget (cost of building: called hard costs, and soft costs: architects\’ fees, surveys, application fees etc.)  To know how much one can build and afford -one has to identify the budget early in the process.  So many times we need to  \”back into\” the scope via the budget that is available. Why bother designing something that is unaffordable?  https://seconarchitect.com/bidding-mistakes-for-the-hayseed/

Among the first budgeting questions I get asked during an initial project interview is \”What\’s this going to cost, and how can we lower that?\”.  My response of course is to find out the following -before answering:

How big?

How quickly?

Where is it located?

External factors?  ( pandemic, wars, foreign / energy policies )

What is it being used for?

Who is building it?

Each of these questions has an impact on cost and delivery of the project.  When we don\’t get the answers, we are forced into this dialog of \”Just gimme a ballpark feel for the budget\”  ok- so here goes (fall 2023):

Rule of thumb and why:

We take the recent projects for which we receive bids and glean the numbers from them as a simple database…..We first divide up the project into similar areas and their uses (i.e. bathrooms cost more than garages) then multiply the size of the proposed project in square feet times a rough dollars per square foot (psf) to obtain an order of magnitude/ballpark figure:

• -New construction residential wood frame for single family homes varies between $300-500 per square foot. (bathrooms and kitchens are 20-40% additional)  With a large delta in location.
• -Heavily residential renovation  (gutted)  areas that include moving walls, new mechanical, new electrical, new finishes runs about $200-300 psf.
• -Office space interiors , i.e. tenant fit-out with medium level of fixtures, finish and equipment we budget around $75-450 psf.  (Yes it\’s a big Ballpark)
• -One story commercial building $350 sf for core and shell (meaning that the space is raw and awaiting tenant improvements-see above)
• -Some site improvements include new asphalt for driveways or parking include:  figure $8 /psf including decent gravel base and curbs.
• -Regrading averages very widely due to site characteristics,  but at a minimum of $15,000-30,000 for site work for an medium sized addition in Westchester County NY which would include 2 medium drywells for drainage.
• Don\’t forget a contingency budget for when things don\’t go according to plan!  https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2305349/how-much-to-budget-for-construction-contingency

So start with some graph paper,  count up those squares and start doing the math!or better yet give Steve  a call and let\’s talk 914 980 5532…..ask away!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUC8SD-zntA&t=65s

So then, what\’s needed to avoid acts of needless drama?

• 1. Do you have a good contractor, solid drawings and good written construction agreement?
• 2. Are your finances in order- including a 10% contingency fund? Who developed your construction budget?  Don\’t become a dead-beat or get hurt by potential extras.
• 3. Did you plan for your daily operations and payables: parking, storage, eating, etc . Will your plans conflict with the contractors needs for parking, staging materials, portapotty, etc? A simple discussion is usually appropriate to catch any potential snags.  Who is monitoring your construction?

• 4. Did you discuss with your contractors their on- site behavior, expectation and operations? Is smoking allowed? Radios? Parking? Dumpsters?

• 5. Are you properly insured? Call your insurance agent to discuss \”builder risk\” insurance. Once your home or building is renovated- it will be worth more. Are you covered for the full amount? Is your contractor properly covered? How about his subs?
• 6.  Did you get a written construction schedule? Don\’t just start and not know when you can expect to end. Even a \”back of the envelope\” schedule with a few milestone dates .

• 7. Are everyone\’s contacts (emails, cell phones, yes addresses too)  available to those who need to know? contractors? Neighbors? Vendors? Service providers? Issues will come up- quickly !!! The ability to get to the right person (or their backup)  in short-order is critical.

Call Steve if you want numbers 8, 9 and 10…Steven Secon Architect 914 674 2950.

There are a lot of issues one intuitively knows about retaining walls we learned at the beach as little kids. I.e. when you have a deep hole-don\’t step too close to the edge of the hole, or the sand will collapse.  The steeper the slope of the sand next to the hole the more likely the bottom of the hole will settle.   The deeper the hole, the more careful you have to be when digging.  Water near the hole quickly affects the stability of the hole…Etc.

Each of the 5 types shown here have different characteristics in terms of appearance, cost,  longevity and viability to the environment.

Segmental block: medium cost, lego-like construction, reinforced with layers of horizontal mesh that bond with the uphill soil.

Concrete: medium to high cost, monolithic construction, strongest resistance to movement

Sheet piling: medium to high cost, difficult to install, also appropriate for marine bulkheads, requires maintenance,

Stone retaining wall: highest cost, requires skill labor to install, nicest appearance, can be reinforced or dry laid

Railroad tie: lowest cost, easiest to build, shortest life-span

Accordingly, there is more that goes into the retaining wall , than meets the eye. Soil characteristics like how much clay or slippery silt the wall rest on can be critical. The amount of water in the soil and the direction it flows  can also create havoc for walls- and has to be addressed in the design.  https://seconarchitect.com/pondering-ponding-drainage-basics/

Much of the stability of the retaining wall comes from the footing and the way that the wall itself is reinforced. So – think carefully of a bookend and how it keeps the books from  falling over. It\’s really the weight of the books resting on the flange of the bookend that stops the rotation of the books from falling over.  Similarly many footings of the retaining wall has a \”heel that is much longer than the \”toe\” to help use the soil weight to help keep the vertical wall stiff and resistant to toppling over.

Likewise think of a diving board – the longer it is,  the more bouncy it is towards the end. In effect, the retaining wall behaves like that diving board too. So the taller the wall- the more heavily reinforced it will need to be and the larger the footing that will be required…See the illustration below:

When the soil or water starts to win the battle, the wall starts to lean- wrong way- like below…and it\’s game over. You don\’t want the wall on your car or your passenger!

We can help you out with your situation call us now 914 980 5532, ask for Steve!

Yes, sometimes the interview occurs at the end of a tough day and the potential customer (or me)  is tired and not on their game, but sometimes it seems like there\’s no planning or forethought before the interview begins.  Here are some battle-tested strategies. I want to engage too- I want a conversation that is meaningful and revealing to both of us.   https://seconarchitect.com/client-owner-and-architect-selection/

Let me suggest an approach that starts with some easy questions to interview architects then get into a few tougher ones. Call me @ 914 674 2950, let\’s discuss your situation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUJVZk1i1E

Just to get the conversation going you may start-

• 1. Like,\”Tell me what you think of our project?\”  or \”Can you tell me a little more about the ___project that we saw on your website?\”
• 2. What kind of services do you offer?  Full package or limited? Are you involved during bidding and construction? How about approvals and permits?
• 3. How do you bill?  Hourly, lump sum, square footage or percentage?https://seconarchitect.com/whats-the-vig/
• 4. What is a  typical schedule for similar projects?  Can you tell me a little about the various phases?
• 5. What are your staffing levels, education levels?  How many are licensed?
• 6. Is work done in-house? or subbed out?
• 7. Do you have strong relationships with certain contractors? Who are they? Can you tell me a little about them?

• 8. How much experience do you have in this type of project? Why should we choose your firm?
• 9. How much experience do you have in this municipality?
• 10. Can you tell me a bit about jobs that did not go well. What factors do you feel were at play here? How can we avoid that for our project?
• 11. How do you like to communicate? Email, text, phone-call? Myspace?
• 12. What percentage of your work is from referrals?
• 13. Have you been involved in any judgments or law suits? What happened – if  you can share?
• 14. Can you provide us with similar project references?
• 15. How many project in your office? Can you safely handle all these projects?
• 16. What else should I be asking?https://seconarchitect.com/faqa-saqs/

Selecting an architect is an important step in the design-construction process. Don\’t blow it.  We know we can\’t be everybody\’s choice  of architect, but we frequently recommend some good ones with more expertise in certain areas with no remorse.

Call Steve now at 914 980 5532.

Hopefully you\’ve already done the school research, commute comparison, tax shudder-dance and you\’ve narrowed it down to a target area. The final answer is based on many factors which include:

Location

Neighborhood

Accessibility to transportation modes and highways

Is parking sufficient?

Proximity to schools, shopping, friends, family

Usability of the space in its new vs present configuration

Work from home ability

Long vs short term space usage

Cost, not just purchase and tax , but moving, additional utilities, taxes, location-transportation, parking, insurance, rent, etc

Appearance

Maintenance requirements

Regulations (i.e. do zoning regulations allow you do what you are intending to do- can you work from home with employees?)

Gut instinct and advice from neutral sources who you respect

Nearby development plans

Many customers rely too heavily on the cost paradigm and fail to look ahead as to the use and future planning.  Will they possibly be expanding? What is the length of the projected stay?  There is no substitute for legwork and due diligence.

So do the analysis, take a deep breath and try to imagine where you want to be in 5 years.  Good luck. If you\’re a little unsure and want to run it by us, please feel free to call and discuss your specific situation 914 674 2950.