RICH ARCHITECTS???

[lookn4anewcareer]

ok, sorry to bump an old thread, but i was doing research on architects and architecture salary and i wanted to post in my 2 cents quite simply because A LOT of architects out there are biased and will tell people that everything is roses when in reality they are broke!
i personally have worked as an architect for 5 years, and i can sincerely say it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i never design. basically you start off as a cad monkey and work your way to do construction administration, which is y i'm lookn4anewcareer. i'm going into the construction side (which i should of done from the beginning) there is more money and you can make a decent living from construction unlike architecture.
i just want to give a big heads up to those lookin to get into this profession. it is not a respected profession. most architects are bitter cuz they are overworked and underpaid!! and for some reason hardly anyone knows answers to things and in the end the contractor is the one having to figure out our crappy drawings.
when i went into architecture i wasn't getting into it for the money. i was young naive and thinking wow architecture is great i can live happy knowing i'll be happy doing architecture....WRONG! the politics behind architecture wont let you be happy. and yes you will be poor until you are maybe 55? 60? then you'll be making ok money as an architect.
my advise jump ship early in life...you'll notice a lot of architects who can't afford to do so become even more bitter or envious when you do.

[Checkpoint43]

I've been studying this problem for some time, now.

These days, people don't want to hire an architect.
They want to buy a home plan.

This is your enemy:


The magazines claim, "Over 250 home plans, designed by 40 of the nations best architects!"
But I looked through them very carefully. I looked cover to cover.

There were no architects listed.
There were no names at all.
Has the home plan industry become nothing more than a bunch of blueprint brokers who buy and sell nameless floorplans for a quick profit?

Sure, it all seems very convenient.
Just place an order, and in a week or so, their plans are delivered to your door.

But what happens next?
What happens when the customer want to modify the plans to fit their needs?
What if they want a bigger kitchen, handicap accessible bathroom, walk-out basement?

They call an architect now!

Well doesn't that make you feel dandy?

You worked hard to get to where you are, and you're rewarded by customers who want you to "tweak" a cookie-cutter stock plan.

You're Mr. Fix-It!
No wonder architects don't make much money.
You don't even have a name.

But what if you became the source?
What if people knew your name, and associated it with the plans they saw on display?
They would come to you first.

No more "Tweaking", unless it was to customize your own designs.
No more concern about copyright infringement of stock plan magazine homes.

More customers.
More recognition.

As I said, I have been working on this problem, and my solution is a unique system of advertising.
I do not buy and sell stock plans.
I allow you to showcase your work, so you can attract more customers.

For more information, visit my web site.
It is for information only, not an on-line business.
www.checkpointplans.com

Thank you,
Roy Shafer
owner,
Checkpoint Architecture Showcase And Home Plan Center

[solidred]

Most architects probably earn more than most fine artists. Most architects earn less than most corporate lawyers.
It depends what your values are and what you focus on, no matter what your job title ostensibly suggests.
There are a small few art-types who've got rich. Picasso, say. But this has nothing to do with Art.
Good news is that if you focus on art and develop it and love it, you won't need to become rich. But you will need to earn some money to live on. This is where the drudge-hack-work comes in. Make sure it doesn't take over and, more significantly, don't let employers persuade you that it amounts to the 'real' world. It's only a tawdry part of it and should know its place.

[Ghost of Frank L. Wright]

It's a shame that professional Architects aren't respected a lot more as they are degreed & licensed & are supposedly commited to livelong learning. If they work for someone then most likely they are not as wealthy as if they are in their own business. If you look at the history of all the famous architects, most went on to not only fame but wealth as well...Frank Lloyd Wright for example as he catered mostly to the rich.

Our whole life is practcally centered in or around architecture on a daily basis. We do everything in bulidings such as eat, sleep, play, relax, work, raise families, get educated, plot, plan, revise , etc., etc. Therefore, knowing that, then Architects should get all kinds of priase, fame & glory IMHO. But I think they no longer get the recognition they deserve because of technology as it got in the way of things. People depend & think too much about a computer generating something now instead of the human engineering spirit involved. This is a complex subject in which one can go into great depth & detail.

If an Architect wants to get rich & famous I think they need to get back to basics & stop being so dependent on AutoCAD for example & go back to handdrafting. Afterall, Architects are artists & if they drew pretty & accurate drawings like they used to in the old days (the old-fashioned way) then I think they would be more recognized & will even make more money. But this is just my opinion.

An Architect is 3 things...an artist, a Businessperson & a Scientist. THEY DEFINITELY DO DESERVE A HELUVA LOT MORE RECOGNITIOJN, FAME & FORTUNE! Afterall, if not for Architecture we would all still be living in caves with sticks & stones. Architecture is everything in our lives in society today & everythng we do revolves around & is related to architecture in some way, shape or form. Nuff said...for now.

Barry - Dynamic Fortune Enterprises (Residential Designer & Interior Decorator)

[BroadaxeGrizzlyJones]

I live in caves. Nuff said for now.

[Checkpoint43]

AutoCAD is a tool.
Its purpose is to allow those with talent, perform their craft faster and with even greater accuracy.

Why would you say such negative things about it?

It's like saying a carpenter doesn't have skill because he's chosen to use a nail gun over an old fashioned hammer.

AutoCAD isn't a crutch. So I don't know why people would believe they should depend on it instead of their own skills.

Do you think a bad cook will suddenly become a good cook because they bought a microwave?

Take some classes and learn AutoCAD.
If you're a good designer, it can only help.

[csintexas]

Well, I think it is a myth generated by Hollywood that architects in general where ever rich. Most houses where never designed by architects. There is more regulation in place today protecting architects from competition which would theoretically increase their salaries.

On the other hand there are a lot of architects being trained as well as global competition made possible by modern communications technology. In general the USA is has become very exposed to deflationary pressures because of global competition. No country can export it's manufacturing base and then expect to do well.

Architects do not "deserve" anything -nor does any other group. Does the US autoworkers union deserve to make more than non union workers? This is a simple product of supply, demand and competition.

There are a hell of a lot worse jobs out there so I guess architects ought to be happy that they are not in one of those.

Medical field jobs on the other hand can't be exported and the baby boomer population is just now starting to retire.

I would guess that any owner of a fairly large architectural firm is going to do pretty well (not including this building bust which has hurt everyone in this industry but will eventually end).

There has never been big money in average residential design. Only at the very high end.

I don't think that CAD had anything to do with this and I think it would be extremely foolish to hand draw plans.

[88]

Architects can make serious money if you can think outside the box and be good at business end ! David Hovey saee link below is one

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=31610

Jonathan is another one and there are many more that are not in public eyes

http://www.jonathansegalarchitect.com/

______________________________________________

If you want to be rich by doing architectural design...it is going to be really really tough.