From distance, the life of an Architect seems very interesting and very glamorous. Taking charge of the entire site as a practicing Architect and giving commands on how things should be incorporated looks very fascinating. But is it really this exciting or it has some other side too that you need to look upon to make any final decision.
There are so many questions that need to be catered to and pondered too.
Questions like-
Is being an Architect worth it?
Is it hard being an Architect?
What is the best/worst part of being an Architect?
If you say that for a practicing Architect, designing their own building and seeing it developing from the ground and reaching its final look is the ultimate happiness in the life of an Architect then, I must say, yes it is true at least for me.
The feeling is really gratifying and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to complete one project. And a person working in an office who has no exposure to how things work on-site will never achieve this feeling.
Everybody has a different set of priorities and for me bringing my design into life was the ultimate goal of my life and that compelled me to quit my regular job with a decent salary to start something which was totally new to me.
Is being an Architect fun? What is the life of an Architect looking behind the curtain? The question is really thoughtful. Everybody has a different set of answers and today I am going to share my opinion and what I have learned so far after becoming a practicing architect.
I love designing and I enjoy everything that happens on-site related to construction. But alone a ‘good designing’ not going to help you to excel in your architectural practice. You have to be prepared for another set of challenges. With my field experience, I am going to share those challenges with you all here. Read the blog to find out more-
Table of Contents
1-ITS JUST NOT ABOUT DESIGNING
As an architect, you are not only responsible for designing a building but also you are responsible for many things that happen on site. Every inches matter. Every line that you draw on paper has its own meaning. And if you draw a line by mistake then disaster can happen on sites.
And it’s going to waste a lot of time, energy, and money. So you have to be very cautious about what you are drawing while preparation of the working details.
No matter how clean and crisp your drawings look on paper, if it has wrong information, then it’s going to spoil the entire look of your site. You have to be very deliberate about every dimension that you provide in your drawings and double-check those with sending the GFC which means Good For Construction.
Also, you have to be aware of the basic steps that are involved at the time of the construction, understand the structure drawing, reinforcement details, knowledge of Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, construction details, and have to physically available at all the crucial stages and check if drawings have been followed or not.
How you are bringing your beautiful design on paper into reality with material specifications and colors. There are a lot more things in a building after drawing on paper. An Architect has to be aware of all that. Everything has to be in your tips. Anybody can ask you anything on site and if you don’t know something then it questions your credibility.
2-AN ARCHITECT HAS TO BE A GOOD LEARNER
You have to learn about construction details, how things happen on-site, how to check the quality of the material…..
Quantification of bricks, quantification of reinforcement, the ideal time for a building to construct, etc., etc. You just cannot run away from all these questions because you are a technical person and if somebody has hired you it he expects you to have all the answers.
Being a woman entrepreneur as an architect and interior designer I have realized people can ask you any question anytime. It can be related to your project it cannot be related to your project. In fact, many times I have found, people ask you questions just to check your knowledge about a particular thing.
Also, you should be aware of the prices of basic materials and work. The first thing that the client asks before the design even starts on site is how much is it going to cost him to make his building. You have to be aware of the cost of materials you should be capable enough to give them a ballpark figure about the cost which is going to be incurred as per your design.
A practicing Architect has to be a constant learner with keen eyes for details and a good observer with a good memory to point out things if something went wrong on site.
ALSO, READ
4 REASONS WHY I QUIT MY JOB WITH NO PLAN
THE DAY I QUIT MY JOB AND HOW I FELT AFTER THAT
3-QUICK DECISION MAKING ABILITY
In architectural practice what to draw on paper and what happens on-site, things might not be the same. It happens sometimes that what you draw on paper doesn’t look good on-site and so you changed it there itself.
You have to be vigilant enough to understand how the change is going to impact the other practical things on site. Like if you have changed the window sizes/ locations, how the electrical design is going to be affected because of that.
Sometimes there is a drastic change that happens on the site and you just don’t have time to redraw things and make a decision. You have to take a call on-site and at that time as a practicing Architect, you have to be observant enough to understand the entire thing. If you change one thing it’s going to affect other things as well.
And in case you make a terrible decision out of experimentation or lack of knowledge. You have to live with fatal truth till that building exists. The life of an Architect as a practicing Architect is not glamourous as it looks.
4-COORDINATION WITH VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS
A practicing Architect has to be in regular touch with the contractors and other vendors. He should do the regular quality check at the right time and update the same to the client.
Guiding the contractors where they can make mistakes so that can be avoided. Coordinating with vendors so that everything can be executed on-site without the time lag.
5-GOOD COMMUNICATION AND CONVINCING SKILL
Though you make good drawings if you don’t know how to communicate well and express yourself then you will find a lot of challenges on your way. A good convincing skill is needed if you want to introduce something new or you want to play with the form or shape of a building.
There are so many things that clients demand in his building, some will look good and some might ruin the entire essence of the project. At that time, your good communication and good convincing skill are going to help out.
You have to make people understand what you are trying to say through your drawings and if you are not good at communication if you lack this skill then it will be very difficult for you.
And it’s not about making other people understand your drawings but it is also about telling other people how it should be done on-site.
Being an architect you are going to deal with skilled and unskilled people and so your communication skill has to be very good in order to maintain a healthy relationship with people on-site and also with your client.
6-MARKET SURVEYS
As a practicing Architect and Interior Designer, you have to visit the market to finalize materials and to stay updated with new technology and new materials.
You have to read the catalog and brochures on a regular basis and also how the fixing is done on-site if something new has appeared in the market. It’s pros and cons, everything.
So be prepared to visit markets a lot which is a time-consuming job and also it takes a lot of your energy.
7-LESSER MONEY AND DIFFICULTY TO GET THE PAYMENT
The grass always looks greener from the other side. If an Architect is doing a lot of projects, it doesn’t mean he is making a lot of money. Sometimes he has to do the work for free or very little money to establish himself. The money is very less in the beginning. You have to prove your credibility with time and good work.
When I started my practicing career, for months I didn’t make any money. I had no work to show to people neither I had any references or backup for support. So for me, it was really difficult in the beginning.
An established Architect can charge whatever he wants for his services, but the life of an Architect sucks who has just entered the market.
Another challenge is asking people for payment. Taking out money from people for your services is really difficult. Nobody wants to pay you money on time and in the end numbers matter. In fact, few people get offended if you ask for payment.
Because we are a service provider it is difficult for people to understand that our simple suggestions matter. And it’s going to cost them something. An Architect’s valuable suggestion can save your space, your time, and your money and very few people consider that.
8-COMPETITION IN THE MARKET
There is so much competition in the market. Everybody is fighting for survival. Architect’s charge 40 to 50% fewer design fees to get the work.
Designing a building incorporates n… number of drawings and the end-user they don’t understand. They only compare on the basis of prices and I am not saying that they are wrong. Everybody wants to save their money and get the work done.
And I just don’t believe in delivering low-quality work. But still, I have to survive in the market. So sometimes being a practicing architect you have to deliver your best with the lesser amount you are being paid.
9-YOU DON’T HAVE WEEKENDS AND OTHER SOCIAL LIVES
Work doesn’t stop on-site neither on Saturday nor on Sunday. You might have to visit the site to check the work progress or in case of any issue on-site. Be prepared to do the market shopping because most of the time clients are available on weekends only.
The life of an Architect has a very less social life. In architectural practice, a practicing Architect has to be available on phones all the time and in fact available for a site visit in case of any emergency. Otherwise, work on-site might get held because of your absence.
At least this case is valid for a new practicing Architect in the market who is being paid very little and is asked to deliver the entire work in that amount. Because the amount is very less, he can’t hire someone to do the job in the beginning. So he has to devote long working hours to complete the task.
10-LONG WORKING HOURS AND A LOT OF WORK PRESSURE
For a good and successful architectural practice, the life of an Architect demands long working hours and proper dedication. There is a lot of drawings that need to be prepared with a lot of work pressure which is coming from a site.
After the work has been assigned to the architect, the client demands the design in a few days to start the work on site. The time given to the designer is always very little and creativity needs time. So sometimes the practicing Architect might feel, he had scope for improvements which couldn’t happen because of the time crunch.
11-THE TEST OF YOUR PATIENCE
An architectural practice demands a lot of time and patience if you don’t have any references around. It takes time to build anything. And starting your own architectural practice as a practicing Architect, you have to be more patient to let people know about your existence.
It takes time for a building to complete. And it takes time for people to know you. It takes time to develop knowledge and confidence. It happens with experience. Here the life of an Architect demands patience and perseverance to establish himself as a practicing architect.
It takes more than a year to understand the change. The first few years are the fight for survival. It took me more than 2 years, after quitting my regular job to get the confidence and knowledge that I know something. It’s been more than 5-years now.
And in these 5-years, I have completed my Master Degree in Architecture, I got married and I became a mother. A lot of things have happened. So you have to be patient enough to see your dream flourishing as a practicing Architect.
12-WORK LIFE BALANCE
You can get a call from your clients anytime and you can’t avoid that. He can visit the market any time according to his convenience and send you images for finalizing and you can’t avoid that at the beginning of your practicing career. The life of an Architect gets difficult here.
There are a few unavoidable situations that you have to face and can’t say ‘no’ to it and that affects your personal life as well. You have to learn how to manage your work and personal life. You have to set proper work timings. You too have a life.
Yes, you are passionate about your work and that’s wonderful but never ignore your physical and mental health. For a healthy life, there has to be a balance between personal and professional life. And being a practicing architect, you have to deliberately take a step and limit the work timings and make other people aware of that too.
13-FINDING THE RIGHT WORK
In the beginning, it took me months to get the work. Even I did the cold calling, asking people for work, I didn’t get any work. It was really a big challenge for me. Even today as well, finding the right kind of work, and connecting with good people is difficult.
Word of mouth matters. So always deliver the best of your knowledge and let your work speak yourself.
CONCLUSION
The life of an Architect- If you love problem-solving, if you are creative, if you have good communication skills, and if you know how to convince people and you enjoy visiting sites, start your own pactice because this profession is for you. It is going to be a fun profession for you.
But if you are skeptical about the above-mentioned points, then you have to rethink again before starting your practicing career.
Never settle for less. If you can improve, work on it to get it better.
I hope you like today’s blog post on ‘life of an architect, fun or stressful. Write down in the comment section if you want to add some points that will help in an architectural practice.
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