This architectural firm designs new buildings, additions and alterations to residences, apartments, and commercial uses using AutoCAD LT. 5% discount to Angie's List members
Architectural & Interior Design
Yes
Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
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92% | ||
0% | ||
4% | ||
4% | ||
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"How is telling a prospective client I am too busy to take on their project is worthy of a negative review? I am following my mentor's advice when I take on only what I can handle in order to not disappoint my clients."
My wife and I hired Ed to help devise a solution to a specific problem?create a pitched roof over the portion of our house that has a flat roof so that we no longer would have to shovel off the snow. In our first meeting, we told Ed that we had a bid by a licensed builder for a simple shed roof, for $13K plus architect fees. Ed suggested that if we were willing to spend somewhat more, we possibly could acquire not just dead space under a pitched roof, but also simple unfinished storage space or even additional living space. We replied that our maximum budget for any option was $30-40K.
In the preliminary phase, Ed designed a pitched roof covering a new, 170 sq ft finished sitting room with a dormer, to adjoin our master bedroom. We were satisfied with the design work. The ?overall? rating above reflects our belief that Ed gave us poor advice on the cost of the project, resulting in designs whose cost far exceeded the budget we had discussed with him.
On at least three occasions?including at the end of the preliminary phase, when we had the option to end our agreement and not pay the remaining $1,300 fee if we did not wish to proceed with the working drawings?we reminded ourselves and Ed of our maximum cost range. On each of these occasions, even though our contract did not require Ed to give us construction cost estimates, we explicitly asked him for a reality check on the cost of the new space we were designing. He never said, ?Sorry, I can?t or won?t offer you any opinion on this subject.? Far from it. Instead, he responded consistently that the new sitting room we had been discussing was a very small job and that he was confident we would find builders interested in doing it within or very close to our price range. At the end of the preliminary phase, he also advised us that we probably could not get meaningful ballpark cost estimates from builders without the working drawings.
After paying the second fee installment of $1,300, we distributed the working drawings to three potential builders, including two recommended by Ed. We received one firm written bid for $62,500 that would have grown to at least $70,000 when adding excluded items such as painting. We received ?ballpark? estimates of $75-80K and $95-115K from the other builders, both of whom we then asked not to submit a firm bid. As the three price indications were so far above our budget maximum, we put the project on hold and declined Ed's suggestion to talk further.
We were naïve to rely upon Ed?s reassurances concerning building costs and not seek independent input from local builders anywhere during this process. However, Ed should not have offered us repeated assurances that the space he was designing for us would be within or near our budget maximum, given that his market knowledge on this score was, apparently, quite inadequate.
In February 2015, we decided to proceed with a simple gable type roof over the flat roof, with no additional storage or living space, in the hope of accomplishing our original goal within our maximum budget. We asked Ed several times by email and phone if he would do the necessary drawings for us for a reduced fee, but he did not respond to any of these requests.
"When the client asked me to provide a cost, I told him that is not a service I provide. When the Culps pressed me, I gave them a standard price per square foot prevalent in the field and said I did not know if it would be applicable in his situation. I designed a minimal design and the client decided to add a dormer and some extra windows. I explained the extra dormer would increase the price substantially but the client did not heed my advice. I also advised the client he could be his own contractor and save 20% but I do not think he was willing to do that either. I later found a contractor that was willing to build the addition for $30,000 but the Culps has lost interest."
"When I got to Mt. Kisco, the memeber told me that she had e-mailed me to cancel (to which I had never responded because I did not read it). She said she had a medical condition that was interfering with her talking to me but she was healthy enough to come to the door and talk to me. I do not know of any medical condition that would prevent a walking talking person from having a conversation about improving their home. I sent her a bill for my hour of travel time. Instead of paying me for my time, she complained to Angie’s List."
"I gave the member an estimate. She did not like it. Although I would like to, I cannot please everyone. Next time I will refer another architect or engineer."
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