AA+I News & Insights
The General Notes
Design thinking, process notes, and market insights from the AA+I team.
The Real Math on Design Fees for a $200K to $500K Build-Out
The fee difference between firms runs to four figures, while the costs that fee controls run to five.
Where the Industry's Money Actually Leaks
U.S. construction loses about $177 billion a year to labor spent on avoidable problems, and 48% of all rework traces to poor project information and miscommunication.
The Mistake Allowance the Federal Government Wrote Down
The National Research Council treats change orders from architect and engineer errors of up to 5% of construction cost as normal. On a $2M home that is $100,000 of surprises, and a complete drawing set exists to beat that yardstick.
Why the Architect Should Be There Until the End
Drawings are half the job, and making sure the building matches them is the other half. An attorney who defends architects explains why construction administration is the wrong place to cut costs.