[Porsche-O-Phile]

Thanks Blue Tone...this one resonates:

Quote

"In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable ". Dwight D. Eisenhower

Another good one: "Plan your work and work your plan"

I recently participated in a local project where the owner did not have a plan and it was (IMHO) a very haphazard chaotic operation. Lots of angst from those involved. I stayed out on the fringe as much as possible because I detected early on it would be in my best interest to stay as far as possible away from the project. So at the end of the project the owner's wife comes up to me and says "Oh my - I can see now how we may a mistake in not including more areas for plants....but things were happening so fast....we didn't have a lot of time to think about what we were doing."

Well....I attended two pre-project planning 'meetings' and at both meetings I asked for a schematic of the floor plan. They did not have one needless to say. But I not only asked...I strongly suggested getting one together even if it was something scribbled on a napkin! They had plenty of time but were over their heads in their 'roles' as owners trying to manage a project.

BTW, the project would have gone very smoothly if they had let a local architect be involved but they chose not to (probably to save $). I'll never understand how they didn't understand the importance of planning. SMH....

This is why most architects (including me) can't stand residential work. Homeowners are the cheapest, most inflexibly opinionated and self-righteous type of client. They expect you to design, redesign and re-redesign for peanuts and very few can get their egos and opinions out of the way and let us do what we're trained to do - identify their needs and offer the best design solutions for them, while being considerate of their budgets and schedules. That's a SERVICE people - and yes, you're expected to pay for it. It's not cheap but it's a lot cheaper than getting taken advantage of by some sleazeball residential hammer-swinger who can and will rip you apart for your indecisions and prattling about and creating "delays".

I've done enough residential to mKe me thank my lucky stars I do commercial and civic work. Anyone that can make commercial / retail clients look desirable has got to suck!

I'm on the developer side now, which is quite nice; I've been approached for residential work on the side a few times which I always politely decline. Yes, I hate to turn down work, but it's just not worth the hassle. BTDT!