Evening journal., 1913-06-14
UNCERTAINTY In
ARCHITECTS FEES

In view of the many published
statements about the large fee to be
received by Guy Lowell, the architect
of the new Court House for New
York, II is interesting to observe the
element of uncertainty which at
taches to the profit TO be obtained
from an undertaking Of this magni-
tude.
The cost to 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, how
ever applies only to the general
class Of buildings and not to residen-
tial or public and monumental work.
The cost is then as high as 20 per
cent. of the architects commission.
The United States Government pre-
pared a statement which was sub
mitted to Congress (Senate document
No. 9i6. Sixty-second Congress, sec
ond SESSION. which gave the average
cost Of preparing drawings and spec
lfications alone, exclusive Of superin-
tendance or any other field expenses,
for the years 1905 to 1911, inclusive
10 be 6.2 per cent. This was for pre-
pairing the drawings for the buildings
erected by the United States Gov
ernment and done by the supervising
architect of the Treasury, a man
known for his great executive ability,
and, therefore. done with the greatest
economy possible.
Reports have been submitted by
the State architect of New York
showing that the cost 10 the State
for preparing the plans and speci-
hcations made in the State archi-
tect's Offices exceeds per cent. The
cost TO the New York Central Rail
road for preparing the plans for their
new station has exceeded per cent.
Therefore, an architect who is able
to prepare the plans for a 100000
building at a cost to him of less than
per cent Of the total cost OF the
building, must run his office In the
most economic manner possible aud
take his chance that the work may
I
IL seems to be the general impress
sion In many uniformed places that
an architect makes a few sketches,
taking a few days Of his time, and
for this work receives an enormous
fee. The fact of the matter is that
to prepare the plans for a 100000 900
the work Of a S10000,000 court house,
will require the services of from 20
i a. tr.I. rI.fa aa
well as a number of engineers and
specialists on strucral work, heat
ing and ventilation, sanitation, me-
ohanical equipment, etc, working for
a period of at least FIVE years, will
require a large ce at a high rental
and with the most economic admin
istration, his work will cost about
$4,000. This will leave him about
S150,000 profit, or about $4,000 q
year.
What business man is there who Il
/, willing to head a S10,000,OO0 corpo
ration with a salary of 100000
. year? What corporation Is there o
this size that pays its counsel les
than this amount? Such men, how
, ever, receive these salaries withou
! investing any of their own money Z
ouldln IL 1 ut .dItHiltNi must lHNc0
, about $4,000 in actual cash paid on
to receive his profit of S15O,000.
All of the above has nothing to d.
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 IL al
a loss. but he must give his skill ia
designing, his knowledge Of engineer
! ing and construction and his train
/ ing In sculpture and mural decora-
ton in order that he may obtain his
/ fee
OF course. it would be possible fol-
an architect to have his work cosi
him less than one-half of his com.
mission, and the result would bC
poorly prepared plans and specifica
tions and inadequate superintendent
of the erection of the building, which
would result in a greater cost OF thl
building a far greater cost than an!
saving in the commission paid TO III
architect In carrying out the worl
Of the new court house the architec
will have TO give almost his entir
time and attention TO this one piece o
work and in comparison to the fee
or salaries paid to the best men Il
, other professions his compensation
] will be very small.