Steven Johnson Architect

Credentials

FAQs

• What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
  Generally speaking my design fees are presented as a fixed sum, that way the owner has something to budget with. After our initial consultation I will sit down and calculate how much time I believe a specific project will take based on my experience, and I simply multiply that time by my hourly rate of approximately $150 per hour. I will honor that fixed rate as long as the scope of work does not change significantly. Above all, once the contract for design services is signed I do not want my fee to become a Achilles’ heel in the design process. I do not want the owner worried about how much I am costing every time they talk to me or every time we meet. Quality design happens in an organic nature at all times of the day. For projects that require travel, I will often add additional time and expenses to cover my travel expenses. I always require a deposit for my fees, required to commence the project. It is often between a quarter and 1/3 of the overall fee. It is nonrefundable. I also often break my total fees up into smaller phases based on the level of design required for the project, that will allow the owner to stop or pause the project between phases with no obligation to additional fees if they decide to stop the process.
• What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
  In most cases I offer a one complimentary one hour consultation to meet with you at your property and make sure we are a good fit both in terms of personality, level of interest, and budget. We will discuss your construction budget, timing/schedule, and I will offer a broad range of design fee options. I will then create a written proposal that outlines the detail scope of the work and my fee so that there are no surprises and expectations are set. I often require a deposit to start the work - often a percentage of the overall fee. Depending upon the size and complexity of the project my design fee is often broken into phases which are invoiced individually. That allows the client to stop or pause between phases if they need time to digest the design process or pursue financing. In the end my goal is to make the design process fun and enjoyable and I try to be as flexible in my methods as possible to achieve that
• What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
  I have a five-year Bachelors of Architecture from Kansas State University, an Associates degree in Environmental Design, 18 years of architectural experience in both commercial and residential projects with budgets ranging from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars, and I have a general contractors license.