Posts: 198
Threads: 29
Joined: Jul 2006
Hotzcatz,
So, if you charged $600 and only made $3.82/hr, then it took you 157 hours to complete the plans? Do you have 2D details that you cut and paste into the drawings?
Just curious, as I am thinking about doing some architectural drafting in the future using Chief Architect.
Mahalo
PS If anyone caught my post for the fee we were charged for drafting services, it was incorrect. I pulled it off this site as soon as I realized my mistake.
Susan
Susan
Posts: 603
Threads: 60
Joined: Mar 2008
We are charged $350 for architect stamps. Period. (That allows for up to $1400 sq.ft.) Drafting fees are 98 cents per square foot. That's a good, competitive price for custom drafting. Costs are different for living area vs. lanai/deck/garage areas.
If your draft person is also walking your permit through then they also have to charge for health department, permit fees, cess/septic engineering and inspection, etc.
YurtGirl
Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973
Posts: 34
Threads: 14
Joined: Dec 2007
quote:
Originally posted by Nancy Fryhover
I must ask you, FNG...are using a guy with initials TM....if so, [xx(]
Nope, but he is know by his initials.
FNG
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
quote:
Originally posted by Tolleys
Hotzcatz,
So, if you charged $600 and only made $3.82/hr, then it took you 157 hours to complete the plans? Do you have 2D details that you cut and paste into the drawings?
Just curious, as I am thinking about doing some architectural drafting in the future using Chief Architect.
Mahalo
Susan
Yup, 157 hours to complete the plans. They were for a single wall house with lots of architectural details and a woodstove. There were two separate preliminary designs since I had two ideas of something the homeowner would like and drew them both up for her to see. No cut and paste details on that one since it was single wall. Most times there aren't that many details that can be reused since each house I work on is pretty custom.
Also, on this set of plans, the homeowner hadn't built a house before so there was a lot of extra details put in since the usual cryptic set of building plans would have been confusing for her.
I've heard good things of Chief Architect although I don't have a copy of it myself.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 1,839
Threads: 48
Joined: May 2007
FNG, You got a bargain if your prints were complete and accurate.
Hotzcatz, A 17% increase in 27 years? How can you stay in business?
Dan
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
I don't have to pay for an office anymore, word of mouth advertising so no advertising budget anymore and no more commercial phone rates. The yellow pages are expensive for folks who have to have it. My overhead is low, my plotter is old and slow and I like drawing pictures of houses so it isn't anything I'm doing to get rich.
Hawaii Drafting Service is a flexible business. When times get slow I do things other than drafting. The big downturn in the eighties I took up upholstery. Last time (late '90's) I took up commercial driving, this time I'm taking up clock repair and gardening. If you've got a cuckoo clock or other old mechanical clock you need fixed we can fix it. Oh yeah, and I'm hatching out chickens. At the moment that's the most profitable thing. Good thing my overhead is really low!
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 34
Threads: 14
Joined: Dec 2007
quote:
Originally posted by DanielP
FNG, You got a bargain if your prints were complete and accurate.
Dan
I think after this discussion I am doing okay on price. The architech gave me back the plans with his correctins, and I will be taking them back to the draftsman for adjustment this afternoon.
FNG
Posts: 34
Threads: 14
Joined: Dec 2007
quote:
Originally posted by DanielP
FNG, You got a bargain if your prints were complete and accurate.
Hotzcatz, A 17% increase in 27 years? How can you stay in business?
Dan
I just got my architect's stamp yesterday, and I'm ready to go get my permit on Monday morning.
FNG
Posts: 1,727
Threads: 29
Joined: Feb 2006
That will give the Building Department a chance to make changes.
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.
Dept. of Health will keep the plans for a week to ten days so it won't get done in one day.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
Posts: 34
Threads: 14
Joined: Dec 2007
quote:
Originally posted by Hotzcatz
That will give the Building Department a chance to make changes. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.
Dept. of Health will keep the plans for a week to ten days so it won't get done in one day.
Yeah, I think it is a file and forget process.
FNG