Design + Drafting

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Right now additions and remodels, but Im trying to get into more new home jobs (discounts available).

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. You pay for experience. The more experience someone has, they higher their fee will be. I feel I am at the perfect level for someone looking for an affordable option. I have enough experience to get the job done perfectly, but Im fresh enough to still have low fees. Over time, Im sure my fees will go up as well.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. 1. You do not need to be a licensed architect to design/draw a residential project. I will have my license in about a year.

2. If you ever hire an established, popular, architecture firm: you sign their contract, you shake the architects hand, you leave their fancy office, and that architect throws your project on my desk (or someone like me). Not only that, but if it is a residential project, it is the smallest project in the office and therefore the lowest priority.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. -Try to find existing floor plans of your home.
-Figure out your zoning information and if you are in a historical district.
-Thumb through some design magazines and try to figure out your style.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. When it comes to design, I offer passion. When it comes to drafting, I offer efficiency. Passion and efficiency are lacking in architecture these days because of the economy. Architecture firms are forced to make tough cuts to stay afloat, and the morale in these companies is low. When morale is down, people are unhappy with their job. When employees are unhappy, productivity is down. The best way to ensure passion and efficiency in your work is to put YOUR name on the wall. Anything less than 100% and you might as well close up shop.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love to create new spaces for families. Just a few tweaks from a professional designer can make all of the difference!

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. Some projects move slow, and some move fast. It depends on the client and what people they have hired aside from me. I always work at the clients pace. I remember thinking I havent heard from one of my clients in a while regarding their project. I was worried they were unhappy or thinking about putting the project on hold. That day I got a call from her. She callled me to tell me that she met someone who wants to build an addition, and she gave them my name because she was happy with my work. That felt great.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. Architecture is not all about drawing pretty pictures. 10% of the work is design. The rest is problem solving and the organization of your project so it goes as smooth as possible.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have wanted to be a residential architect since I was 5 years old. Designing and planning a space to meet a specific client's needs is not only my specialty, but my true passion.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I recently wrapped up remodel drawings for a client. Everything has gone smoothly, and they "over" thank me because I put in the extra work and always keep them posted. Nothing is more important than a happy client right now, especially as I try to establish myself.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I am LEED AP, which is Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional. I am always keeping my membership up to date with meetings and continuing education classes.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. Green design is the future. As more sustainable options become available, there is more competition. Therefore the prices are lower, and eventually there wont be a difference. I was taking environmental design courses in college in 2002, way before the "green wave" hit.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. My most recent project was a living room, master suite remodel. The client basically gutted the existing walls to change them around. They now will have one open living room space, as well as a master bedroom, walk in closet, and master bath. The drafting and coordination were billed at 44 hours, and was in the hands of the plan runner three weeks from when I got the first phone call. The clients were thrilled, and I have a great referral from them.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. My proposal is a list of possible services that I can provide for your project. Depending on what you need help with, we select the necessary services, and I estimate the hours each service will take. Total hours x hourly rate = estimated fee. Most small projects land between 20-40 hours.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Take some business or marketing courses in college. The people in my field who arent good with people and/or clients rarely do well. Clients want to feel comfortable working with their designer / drafter / architect, so if you dont know how to treat customers, it might be tough. A lot of people I went to school with are great designers, but they didnt know how to work with people, but that is just as important.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. Why should I hire Balance Dynamic Residential Design over the competition? I put everything into my work, and I keep my fees low. It's not about money. It's all about working hard to make the client happy in order to get a good referral. If I could do this for free, I would.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. Describe your latest project. Was the client happy? I recently drafted a remodel for a house flipper. The place was beat up, and we took a few walls out to make the bathroom bigger and open the place up. I finished it in 1.5 days and he paid me for 21 hours. He was very happy with my ability to work on his tight schedule.