r/Architects

I am a newly minted Architect with 10 years experience, I have worked at architecture firms but moved to consulting at a small BEC firm a year ago (best decision for me personally) and I’m on the partner track.

One of the partners is going to retire in the next year or two and I will be the one signing and sealing all of our drawings. It is what I have said I wanted for a long time but now that I have my license I’m nervous to carry the liability.

I trust the other partners and we are well established, but I can’t shake the fear lately.

I’d appreciate any feedback or advice you’re willing to share.

I’ve only ever worked at firms where the principals stamp drawings. Now I’m at a firm where I will be expected to do so. I’m hesitant to do so because I don’t feel I have enough control over the project, scope, schedule, design decisions, etc. I’m a project architect and sometimes I feel like it’s just my job to just execute the vision of the design architects I work with. Thoughts? What is everyone else’s experience?

I swear by Anki for studying and memorization, and I can't seem to find an ARE deck anywhere. I'm making cards too but a pre-made deck would be so helpful. Thank you all in advance if anyone has one and would be willing to share.

Hello,

We are planning on doing a home expansion sometime within the next 5 years hopefully, I’d like to hire an architect to create the plans and offer suggestions. What would be the best option to hire one? Should I go to one of the freelance sites or is it better to go to an architecture company? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Looking for some advice on getting my architecture license in NYS. I also may just need someone to tell me to shut up and finish the degree but I'm being stubborn.

I "graduated " in 2018 with a BFA in Interior Design but TBH never finished because I failed 2 gen Ed courses( great at design school I suck at gen ed). I also despise this school and refuse to give them any more money which yes is dumb of me. That's the only thing holding me from having the degree finished.

Prior to that degree I completed 2 AAS degrees, 1 in Science 1 in Fine arts. Unfortunately none of those gen Ed's transfer in to complete that BFA.

Clearly I collect degrees like they are playing cards. Anyways, I have worked in the architecture design field since 2018. I just recently decided I would go for my Architecture License in NY. I roughly have 8 years of field experience now.

I made an NCRB profile I started adding in my hours ect. But I haven't met the total hrs yet.I am halfway and I was informed I could start some of my exams. Of course they are asking for transcripts and I sent my 3 but clearly the last one isn't a finished degree. Will that prevent me from being able to test--probably..anyways.

My questions are:

Do I have to finish that damn degree to have NCARB allow me to sit for exams?

Can I take an alternative route and go for another state license anywhere with what I have? (Like Wisconsin I have heard some things)

Should I just suck it up and do the two gen Ed courses and finish the degree?

Is there another school that might accept my transcripts and say take this 1 class and we will give you a degree. (Yes willing to give another school money for 1 class over this past one that's how much I hate them.)

Clearly I am looking for any path left that keeps me from going back to this school or giving them anymore of my soul and time.

Advice, or a head slap to say just finish it? I just would like to know the best and cheapest way possible to move forward with this. I also hated schooling and really suck at school, So I'm afraid I'll just fail those Gen Ed's again.

What would you do?

I am an ex architect turned BIM / AI consultant turned entrepreneur and I had started to notice a pattern in the industry.

I have been interviewing a lot of architects, builders, brokers and realtors to get a better understanding of the building process - outside of my own experience in architecture. The common denominator amongst all these professionals is that they depend heavily on their network for deal flow. The better they do the job the more likely they are going to be recommended to someone in their network. It’s like a private trustpilot, very old school, very “I know a guy” (or girl!) - but when it works it tends to at least give these professionals a way to get projects, and that is sometimes enough to run a somewhat profitable business.

But that’s kind of it. They do the work, and hope the Rolodex of people they’ve worked with gets them more work via their own private conversations. No sales team. Usually basically no marketing. Just reputation and trust - which don’t get me wrong, sounds very respectable. But I also think it’s the reason why architects (more than the other professionals) make so little money. It’s because they are barely running a business - it has no data on what works, lead engines, marketing strategies, margin viability, growth tactics, etc. I am generalizing but I would say 80-90% of the people I have interviewed do the bare minimum when it comes to any business functions.

Those are the things that need to be done at a firm level to allow architects to make more money - but architects don’t want to do that stuff because it is literally not their job. But no one is hired to do it? So it just doesn’t get done? Or if it does get done it’s done not very well?

Curious how it’s going for my architecture business owners and if I’m out to lunch or if I hit a nerve!