How to Afford an Architect

摘要

When David and Nancy Stein came to see me about designing a house, their biggest concern, like most clients', was cost. Their house had just burned down, and they had to rebuild. They would be reusing most of the original foundation, and they had a builder, Clark Sellars, lined up. But they wanted to know whether they could hire me to design the new house and still stay within their budget. The Steins' budget was limited strictly to the insurance check. If the project came in over budget, they wouldn't have the money to pay for it. Given their insurance settlement and the house's footprint, they could afford about $115 per sq. ft., including design and structural-engineering fees. Although I knew completing the project on this budget was possible, I wouldn't be able to provide a full scope of architectural services. The Steins, however, were willing to roll up their sleeves and become actively involved in the design process.