"HOW MUCH DO ARCHITECTS CHARGE, E.G. FOR DESIGNING A 2000 SQUARE FOOT
CONCRETE HOUSE THAT COSTS AROUND $200,000.00 TO BUILD?

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Request for Question Clarification by politicalguru-ga on 30 Jul 2003 07:31 PDT

Dear Mikie, 

This depends on the location of the house, and sometimes also on the
size of the architect's activities. I have written advices on how to
save on interior designer:
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=225193 ; some
of this may apply to you.

Would you like an answer regarding your options to save on an
architect (if any)?

Hello mikie1,
Speaking with many years of experience and at the risk of making
several architects mad. Architects draw pictures of things that civil
and mechanical engineers eventually have to design and build. All that
architects do is cost you money and draw pretty pictures. If you
really want to design and build your dream house, find an engineer.

Redhoss (mechanical engineer with many years in construction)

I feel sorry for some people who still think like this, but architects
are not pros who charge people for beautiful drawings. But here in
Brazil (my homcountry), architects usually charge 7 to 10% of the
average cost of the project, independently of the area.

You are exactly right.  Architects are completely incompetent.  All
they are capable of is drawing pretty pictures...but that's one more
skill than an idiot "engineer", like yourself, is capable of doing. 
By the way, civil and mechanical engineers charge higher fees than
architects.  I have over twenty years in the profession and have yet
to meet an engineer that can visualize the inside of a box.

Well,  As an architect....  I have both a bachelors and a masters
degree.  This is only a portion of what the state of Michigan
requires.  My education included both the artistic side and the
technical side.  I was only 12 credits short of obtaining a dual
degree in structural engineering.  This guy is completely dilusional. 
Architects have the same technical background as an engineer, more
education, visualization skills, and a more stringent exam process.  I
would have to say, if you would like a steel storage building that is
a structurally sound "BOX" with no design character or astetic
value...hire an engineer.  But if you want a well though out design
that both has a beautiful form as well as function..... call an
architect.  I agree, the world is completely upside down when it comes
to this kind of thinking,  when the world is designed by an engineer, 
we will have an environment that looks very much like a truck stop. 
Say?  why don't we let the engineers come up with the new car designs
too.....who really needs designers anyway?

What a sad person you really are!