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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 73
Location: Lexington, VA
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 Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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As with any start-up business, the best way to get customers is to advertise.
Advertise where your customers are.
Who are your customers, and where are they?
They are general contractors, and they spend a lot of time in building supply stores.
So display your work there, and let them see what you can do.
For more info, go to www.checkpointplans.com |
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csintexas
millennium club
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 1919
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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I have built nearly 100 houses just down the road from Houston so I guess I might know a little bit about it. But I somehow did not catch the original intent of wanting to build a custom on your own land. That is easier from the standpoint of money but harder in the extent you will need to find a client who is willing to be your first. Particularly for a goal like "firm builder"
That would be the equivalent of me coming from my building background and wanting to start residential design by saying I build real good so all I need is a client to let me design their 300 dollar per foot project.
Wouldn't that be great:
Have lot, will tear down, firm builder client needed
No, unless you have rich parents you have to start at the bottom like the rest of us.
_________________
Chris Stewart
Modern Texas Home Project |
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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 73
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with csintexas.
Going off on your own does mean, in many ways, starting at the bottom.
Starting your own design firm means you are starting your own business.
You can learn a lot in general about small business from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Service Corps Of Retired Executives (SCORE).
One of the suggestions they will make is to turn your previous employer into a client.
This means you can offer to provide some design work for them, while you build your reputation for freelance services.
Perhaps some of your past clients see you as the preferred designer in your last workplace. Now you can offer your personal service to them as well.
But remember, you're moving away from the comfort and security of a steady paycheck. There will be a lot to carry on your shoulders, and it's not all design work.
Good Luck. |
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customdreamhomeguy
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Sugarland, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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goingsolo...
man by now i am sure you are more confused to some degree than you were prior to posting the question... but that's to be expected when you are in an open forum like such...
let me chime in with my own $.02...
for starters, starting your own business in and of itself is not a conservative move by any means so it is prudent to have a minimum of 6 months but more like a years worth of expenses saved for starters, and also you need a contingency plan in place in the event your business fails (which we know it won't, however)
With that said, I would start by creating a blog, posting my designs and optimizing my site to get traffic (free & paid). Post to your blog at least 3 times a week for the first 90 days and then twice weekly on-going, as over 80% of all homebuyers start online and with people who will buy your designs it will be no different. Secondly, I would develop a marketing strategy for getting your designs into agents who work inner city Houston and the Owner Builder market as well as making some connections with the Owner Builder programs here in the city UBuildit, OwnerBuilderNetwork.com and BuiltbyOwner.com as well as I would get booths in the on-going home shows that are always happening at George R. Brown & Reliant Center.
As for building on your lot, that is a viable idea provided you are inside of the loop or just outside of the loop in an area like Garden Oaks near the Heights, Memorial or a similar high dollar area. I would make the home as green as possible even garnering a LEED certification as that will generate a HUGE amount of local news media coverage for you and quite possibly make it a solar or zero energy home. A home with these kind of qualities garners plenty of FREE publicity and will sell for top-dollar and has little to no competition from even the smallest of custom builders.
If you followed a plan like such, I find it hard to believe that this home wouldn't be sold before completion despite the mortgage credit crunch as 90% of the people who are buying in these areas and price range have plenty of liquid cash for down payments and have great jobs and/or businesses and they have not been impacted by the mortgage implosion and secondly Houston is the strongest real estate market in the nation right now, so if it can be done in any right now, Houston is definitely the place to do it. And last thing, I would also enlist the services of a starving young Public Relations person to file press releases and I would host an unveiling or groundbreaking service for the home as well.
That's what I would do...
CustomDreamHomeGuy
www.MyDreamHomeforLess.com |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:55 am Post subject: |
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Personally, I've lost count as to how many buildings I've worked on but they include just about every typology; not just residential but hundredds of commercial/retail, several museums, several churches, from additions to new to historic preservation, and on and on (no highrises though...hmmm...) and for over 12 years, so I'm not green (the original sense of the term for green, as in "wet") and have been involved in ALL aspects of the profession, literally (from ordering erasers to writing contracts; ie., marketing, business development, office management, Architecture...from A to Z).
Now that my bio is explained, I must now say I am very pleased to see a lot more reasonable explanations from all parties. I am not a party-pooper...just someone who knows the difference between wishing on a star and actually getting something done for real...
peace.
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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Antisthenes
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 640
Location: Phoenix
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| Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:59 am Post subject: |
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with stable wealthy clients?
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The most necessary/useful piece of learning is that which unlearns what is untrue: 'evil'
may be acquired, Happiness through virtue which is based on knowledge!/? |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:17 am Post subject: |
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You may laugh but...YES! As one of my bosses once told me "don't let your clients choose you, choose your clients". This is not as cocky as it may first appear...what he means is too often we allow "bad" clients to lead us into losing situations, despite our original instincts and perspective of the potential project. It also hints at the niche market you may be targeting as a professional who wishes to do business for many years to come ...(think "one hit wonder"?).
Think of it this way, there are many KINDS of Architects...but we could break down into two: the corporate architects and the sole practitioners. The corporate architects work for businesses and coporations and will work on many types of buildings from warehouses to strip malls to highrises. The way they do business is completely different, ie...there is a lot of contract documenting, insurance requirements, a little bit more loyalty than say "one-time" clients leading to repeat business, and veyr little time to do the work (quicker, cheaper, better). The sole practitioner works alone or with a few draftsmen creating custom buildings and houses and is typically limited to fewer projects and smaller projects. The way they do business can vary from as simple as a handshake to a standard contract with less specifications than a corporate document but far more hands on involvement, especially during construction (designing is constant thruout the life of a project).
But the way both architects choose to work and choose to go after work is fundamental to the kind of work and the way their companies are setup. Food for thought...
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 565
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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MX2 - good comments.
I have worked for larger national firms and now as a small practitioner. The latter for nearly 15 years. Even as a small practice, I use the lessons learned at the large firms. I use contracts, have insurance, have marketing materials (God bless the Mac  ) and the rest.
The biggest difference is a small practice or our market is constantly under attack at the fringes by "design/build" contractors, draftsman, residential designers, and just plain unlicensed people trying to do commercial work..... which in Ohio is illegal. Worst yet is the moonlighter and the "plan stamper".
I can tell very quickly if a client is right for us or if we are right for them. And I do not hesitate to tell them a fee range. I am not going to compete with "joe blow house designer" - I have a Master of Architecture and an E/O insurance premium to pay. So nothing gets done for less than $2,500.
Single room addition...... $2,500.00. Detached Garage...... $2,500.00. Of course, we don't do alot of that type of work after 15 years in business If they have someone or the lumber yard has someone who can do their drawings for $200 or $500..... have at it. We are a professional service firm - we're not whores.
We go on gut instinct alot. At some point you have to get into the mindset that I will not get every project nor should I think I desire every project. Nor do I want every project. SIDE NOTE: Some of the projects referred to us by other architects is pretty horrible stuff and we typically do not take on those project..... usually "We are buildin' an addition and da county inspector just stopped us from workin...... we just need you to write a letter saying what we are doing is okay..... you don't need to come see the project. We just need a letter..... with your seal on it." 
Now that does not mean I don't have projects with small fees - we do..... they are called continuing clients and we are providing a variety of levels of service to these clients - writing a spec manual for resealing a 700,000 SF warehouse facility, renovating a coffee bar in their corporate office, and so on. Typically that work is accomplished under an annual open-end service agreement. (DOD does the same for hundreds of thousands of dollars with larger firms..... I'm just one person)
That being said, the best lesson I learned at the large firm is "Sometimes you have to fire the client." Clients who are constantly difficult, slow pay, don't file for permit, expose you to unneeded liability, or think we should cut our fee all the time...... "I don't know if I am going to be able to meet your schedule on that project. You should contact another architect." |
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