The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-18
FEES or ARCHITECTS.
\ Member Of the Guild Desentis Them u
Not High Enough.

Not Hish Enough.
The American Institute OF Architects
allows 6 pes <Ant. for complete architec-
tural services. including sketches. work
ing drawings and details. taking Of figures.
letting OF contracts. superintendence OF
the construction and tho payment of all
contractors bills.
The institute however. recommends
4 higher scale for residences and altera-
| ton work. Most architects adopt .
sliding scale. to 3 per cent. for work
less than 900 and per cent. for all
work over that amount
What should bs charged. declares an
architect in Country Life in America. lis
10 per cont straight for all residence work
This IL the amount OF clear profit usually
figured upon by the contractor. have
kept careful count Of the time spent on
all work turned out of my ONCE. and by
an empirical rule based ON the salaries
81 the dranghtsmsn employed this time
is reduced 10 Office hours
i have figured that 10 return myself
an incom. Of s. 90 a year there should be
a gross receipt Of % for each Office hour
expended on building Perhaps TO ex-
pect an income Of 5000 a wear Is pro
sumptuous in as humble a member OF
society AS an architect
Nevertheless SOME Of VS. do. and 10
It were not for a factory building once in
a W hile most OF us would be disappointed
or eight houses recently completed the
lowest return W as 81 rs an otiice hour and
IN. highest 81 10. with an average Of q -
R.nodelling jobs NJ 10 per cent. COM
mission will return higher
i might fur.her state that my Office is
run IN very economical way and the
maximum salary paid IL SIS a week
This should amply demonstrate that the
practice of architecture Is not a lucrative
one. and | believe IL could be demon
stratsd that Of the professions IL returns
the least in money for the capital invested.
the arduous labor required and the great
responsibilities incurred
Possibly We make one set Of Ak stchss
more likely We make five or six Consul
tations with orr clients last usually from
p NJ 20 1880 and we cheerfiIlly give
up our evenings because our client tact
fully informs iIs that he il too busy during
the day 70 waste any time taking about
plans Finally tho plans are completed
and are changed back and forth and back
The specifications also are completed.
An owner should realize that an archi-
recr - not necromancer He il just as
dependent as the owner on the contractor
He cannot by a wave Of his wand or his
pencil make a $1,000 house cost IS ,00O
An owner can say. Here i- - 600; do the
best YOU can for me- or he can say i
want so and so. keep the price as low as
you can But he cannot say, I want
20 and 20 and won't pay a cent over
81 900 for it Maybe he can get IL and
mavbe he can't The contractor deter
mines that question.
The architect will make mistakes,
hut small wonder Did you ever stop
TO consider what an architect must know
First the artistic side: here We must start
with a certain amount OF Godgven talent
To design properly an architect must
have or thinks he must have exact and
intimate knowledge Of the great styles Of
RTy hitecture This knowledge IL usually
acquired in four years OF arduous study
at school either At home or abroad
Furthermore, he must know something
no. he must know a great deal about
the following Professions: Civil engineer
ing. the design Of beams. trisses. &c
mechanical engineering for heating and
power plants. sanitary engineering for
plumbing, electrical engineering for cleo
trio vi ring. &c
To construct his building he must
have exact and minute know ledge OF
each one OF the twelve or more trades
that enter into il This IL essential for
efficient superinuendence and II com
prises for instance. knowledge Of charac-
ieri$tics Of all kinds Of woods, the proper
ties Of all varieties OF building stone,
the strengths Of different MIXTURES OF
concrete. properties OF plaster and meth
DDS OF manufactures; the same OF slate,
sheet metal. hardware. glass. tile, paints.
stains and varnishes, plumbing goods,
boilers, radiators, &c.
Not only that but he must be &C
gusinted with the prices OF these articles
He must be a business man, for he l~fs
all your contracts and pays by certificate
all your bills and he must have knowl-
edge Of building law because under the
laws 0f most States mechanics liens may
be levied by contractors. sub-contractors.
sub-sub- contractors. and yet after ALL
artist. engineer, builder, financier. lawyer
though he be II availeth him nothing II
he cannot GET the lob