Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-08
COST REDUCES FEE
OF THE ARCHITECT
Sometimes as Much as IS Per
Cent. of His Com
mission.

In view of the many published
statements about the large fee to be
received by Guy Lowell. the archi-
tect Of the new Court House for New
York, it is interesting to observe the
clement of uncertainty which at
taches to the profit to be derived
from an undertaking of this magni-
tude.
The cost of an architect of prepar-
ing his drawings and specifications
and seeing that they are properly
carried out, in offices run on the best
business basis, is at least one-half
OF his commission This. however, APP
plies only to the general class OF
buildings and not to residential or
public and monumental work. The
cost is then as high as 10 per cent.
of the architects commission.
The United States government pre-
pared statement which was sub
mitted to Congress Senate document
No. 916, Sixty-second Congress, sec
ond SESSION. which gave the average
cost of preparing drawings and spec
ifications alone, exclusive of superin-
tendence or any other field expenses,
for the years 1905 to 1911, inclusive,
to be 81 percent. This was for pre-
pairing the drawings for the build
ings erected by the United States
government and done by the super
yising architect of the. treasury, a
man known for his great executive
ability, and, therefore, done with the
greatest economy possible.
six Per Cent. the Cost.
Reports have been submitted by
state architect of New York showing
that the cost to the State for pre-
pairing the plans and specifications
made in the State architects offices
exceeds 6 per cent. The cost to the
New York Central railroad for pre-
pairing the plans for their new sta
ton has exceeded per cent.
Therefore, an architect who is able
to prepare the plans for 1O,00O,0O0
building at cost to him of less than
6 per cent. of the total cost OF the
building, must run his office IN the
most economic manner possible and
take his chance that the work may
cost him more than his entire fee.
1t seems to be the general inn
precision in many uniformed places
that an architect makes a few
sketches taking few days OF MS
time and for this work receives an
enormous fee. The fact of the matter
is that to prepare the plans and carry
out the work of a $10,00O,00O court
house will require the services or
from twenty to thirty high-priced
draughtsmen, as we'll as number OF
engineers and specialists on struc-
tural work, heating and ventiiating,
sanitation, mechanical equipment.
ETC.. working for period of at least
FIVE years; will require a large office
at a high rental, and with the most
economic administration, his work
will cost about s45O.OO0. This will
leave him about $15O,OOO profit, or
about 100000 a year.
Architects Investment.
What business man is there VINO
is willing to head a $10OO0,OO0 cor
poration with a salary of $S00O0 a
year? What corporation is there OF
this size that pays its counsel less
than this amount? Such men, how
ever. receive these salaries without
investing any of their own money
to obtain it. The architect must m
vest about $45O,000 in actual cash paid
out to receive his profit of sl5O,00o.
All of the above has nothing to do
with the professional training and
skill of the architect and for which
he receives his compensation. he
must. therefore, not only invest his
own money and run a large business
office with a chance of running 1t at
loss, but he must give his skill in de-
signing, his knowledge of engineer
ing and construction. and his train
ing in sculpture and mural decoration
that he may obtain his fee
OF course it would be possible for
for an architect to have his work cost
him less than one-half of his COM
mission. and the result would be
poorly prepared plans and specifica-
tions and inadequate superintendent
of the erection of the building, which
would result in greater cost OF the
building, a far greater cost than any
saving in the commission paid to tho
architect. In carrying out the work
of the new court house the archltect
will have to give almost his entire
time and attention to this one piece
OF work and in comparison to the
fees or salaries paid to the best men
IN other professions, his compensa-
ton will be very small