Evening star., 1938-07-23
ARCHITECTS SET
HOUSING FEES
Institute Transmits Plan, to
Nathan Straus for Years
Trial.

A schedule Of fees for architectural
services on housing projects has been
transmitted by the American Institute
OF Architects to Nathan Straus. ad-
ministrator Of the United States Hous-
ing Authority. for one years trial.
The fees. which include normal en-
Elneering and landscape architectural
services, range from per cent for
project costing 100000 to 25 per
cent for a $l0,0Oo,000 project. The
committee authorized by the institute
to prepare the schedule consisted of
Walter r. Mccormack of Cleveland,
chairman OF the Institutes Committee
on Housing: Richmond H. Shreve of
New York, c. C. zantzinger of Phila-
; delphia, William Stanley Parker of
Boston and Frederick w. CARRIER of
Cincinnati.
Conference Is Held.
The committee, in response to a re-
guest by Mr.. Straus, conferred with
officials of national organizations rep
resenting civil and mechanical engi-
neers, landscape architects and city
gard to the interests of all the tech
'nical branches of the work and rea-
sonable economy in the provision of
their services to low rental housing
projects" the fees are as follows:
Five per cent, or $4,000, for work
costing 100000; $4,000 or per cent,
for 100000 project; S47,5O0, or
AIS per cent, for $1,000000 project;
$4,000, or 4.3 per cent, for a $2,O00.-
600 project; sll4,000 or 38 per cent,
for 100000 project; $l36,000, or
"a per cent, for a s4,OOO,0OO project;
sl55,o00, or 81 per cent, for a $5,OO0.-
900 project; sl74,000, or 2s per cent,
'for s6,000,0Oo project: sl92,500, or
2,75 per cent, for $1,000, 900 project;
$4,000, or 2.65 per cent, for an S.
100000 project; s229,5O0 or 255 per
cent, for a 100000 project, and
s250,000 or 2.5 per cent, for a sl0,-
100000 project.
Fee to Be Interpolated.
For intermediate costs the fee is to
be interpolated. Where earthquakes
or other special structural conditions
, exist, or where subsoil conditions re-
ouire special foundations or more than
one basement is involved, the archi-
tect is to be paid the extra cost to him,
in accordance with prepared sched-
ule of fees for structural and founda-
ton engineering services.
The most economical results will
Ho f,,1l IL,
therefor is placed upon the architect
and where his technical decisions are
permitted to control the results" de-
, clares a statement by the institute
The institute believes that the sue
cess of the housing projects requires
that the architects be employed for
full services of design and supervision.
The practice indulged in by both
public and private groups of engaging
an architect for the preparation of
drawings and refusing to permit him
to supervise the construction will ul-
timately seriously undermine the pro-
fession and the art it represents.
Fees in Lump Sum Amount.
Decentralization of the program of
the Federal Housing Authority, with
no more delay in carrying on the work
than in private practice, was assumed
by the institutes committee Projects
intended to be covered by the table of
fees are those undertaken by local
housing authorities, under the terms
of the Housing Act of 1887 as admin
istered by the United States Housing
Authority. In one year the schedule
may be reconsidered, following the
hearing of evidence from architects
engaged in the various projects.
The committee feels that the max
imum number of architects to be en-
gagged on any one project should not
exceed three, and that this organiza-
ton might be considered on the basis
Of firm of three partners it is ex-
planned. The fees agreed upon set
premium on ability to organize. 1t is
obvious that this is not only an ad-
vantage to the housing movement, but
ITO the architects as well.
1T is recommended that the fee be
made lump sum amount, composed
of the total of the architectural. en-
glneering and landscape architects
fees, with the contract so written as
to protect the architect from delays
and changes beyond his control"