tion of rent, lease, or ownership arise and the A/E must determine in which he is most in

terested for the present as well as the future. If the general location is right, the next ques
tion is to buy and remodel an existing building, or to design and build a new building from
scratch. Existing buildings may not be properly arranged for the use intended, and may re
quire considerable time and money to rearrange. They may be obsolete also in regard to
code requirements for plumbing and electrical fixtures, or may be structurally unsound.
Remodeling work on old houses can be risky but if a good results, it can also be one of the
best advertisements or public relations items possible.
A new building is really a challenge. The A/E is not only designing a project which must be
within the budget but must function 100% for its intended operation and must be
esthetically pleasing to the public. The shape, material, and appearance of the city will
generally indicate some favoritism by the A/E in one way or another. If this appearance is
pleasing to the general public, it is likely that business may be a bit easier to obtain. If the
building is outstanding either as a great building or as a monstrosity, the public will also
know about it and will have varied opinions. In a number of cases an A/E may determine to
build his own office, plus rental space, to help carry the load. Under these circumstances,
it is probably a good ideas to plan for related organizations such as realtors, insurance or
engineering firms, and to keep in mind the possibility of future expansion. Your own
building is a major investment and a visible adverti_sement that should be carefully con
sidered from all angles.

OFFICE PERSONNEL
Large office have some of the same problems regarding the personnel required. Each must have
a leader or manager, and a number of others to produce the work. Not all offices have the same
titles for their employees, and not all with the same titles have the same job. A great deal
depends upon the size of the office which in turn depends upon the clientele of the office. In the
next few pages let us consider the position, education required, responsibilities, and relative
renumeration. for :the several possible positions. Positions are not necessarily listed in the order
of importance in an office as we shall see later.
As an example, we must consider the positions in an office of perhaps twenty-five persons. In
the smaller office many of the positions may be combined or nonexistent. In the very large of
fices there may be a number of persons with the same titles and the same responsibilities. From
a salary position the Architect is. or at least should be, the top of the pile. The project manager.
specifications writer chief designer, anrj contract administrator are next in line with approx
imately the same salary expectations. The titles of other positions, plus the chart in this
chapter, indicate the relationship of the rema'incier.

1 . THE ARCHITECT - ENGINEER

The architect-engineer is usually the boss. He is normally college educated in the field of
wchitecture and registered by examination in the country 1n which his office does busi
ness. He lias 8t least four or five years experience in Jther offices 1'1d mav havn beer
in his own office for many years. He has the ability to meet and talk to clients as well as
others in the community, and probably belongs to one or more clubs primarily for possible
client contacts. Despite the fact that he 1s essentially a businessman, he knows his protes
sion and can probably "double' in any position in the office.
Although most of the principals in c1n office have had a formai education in their particular
field, there still seem to be quite a few whose formal education may have been in a related
field. A number of architects have education in planning, construction management in
dustriai science. and a few n chemistry or other sciences. The same is true of engineers
There are also quite a few "mustangs", people who have little formal education but years
of experience, who have taken and passed the registration examination. Additionally.

2,(J4
 some have multiple degrees in design, business administration, and an increasing number
have law degrees. While the architectural or engineering graduate usually starts out in his
chosen field, it is certainly an advantage to have additional education or experience in a
business field when the principal becomes involved in the management or administration
of an office.

In partnerships or corporations organizations, there may be many combinations or exper

tise included in the abilities of the principals. Not all architects are good designers or good
production people. In these situation it may be very advisable to have persons in charge of
design, production or field work, as well as business or office management. What is in-
teresting and challenging to one person may not have the same appeal for another, and a
good combination may spell the success of the office. The actual arrangement of duties
also other office personnel to know who is the boss in certain areas and this is particularly
important for smooth office operation.

2. PROJECT MANAGER
A oerson with experience in all aspects of architecture and engineering and proJect manage
ment, the project manager may be registered as an architect or engineer, or it may be
simply a title, to forestall any question of registration. Experience is relative, but would
probably be in the area of five to twenty years in various positions. He manages the total
project, and typical responsibilities normally include: obtaining and analyzing client re
quirements, establishing concepts tor structural, mechanical and electrical systems,
developing design concepts, checking project development against budgeted time,
representing the client at public hearings and/or governmental agencies, and the general
supervision of progress of the entire project. He may be a partner or associate in the firm.
In a larger offices, the prcject manager handles almost all of the phases of a project after
the owner-architect contract is signed. In most cases the project manager, then, is the
leader of a team composed of design, production, and field personnel and directs all con
sultants who may be needed. In some cases the project manager may even "sit-in" on
these contract negotiations. Under his supervision the schematics are prepared,
preliminary documents and design concepts are produced, and, after client approvals, all
of the construction documents (drawings, <.;ost estimates, and specifications) are pro
vided. Also under his general supervision, the bidding procedure is carried out and all of
the field observation. A possible ego-building item is the fact that, in addition to the office
name, the name of the project manager is often also prominently displayed on job signs
and in proJect promotion items in newspapers or magazines.

3 . .JOB CAPl AIN

The ;ob captain may or may not exist in many offices. in the smaller offices this position
may roughly correspond to that of project manager while in larger offices he is an assis
tant to the project manager. As an assistant to the project manager, the duties of the job
captain are primarily concerned with the pri)duction of the working drawings. While the
project manager handles the general affairs to a project, the job captains plans the sheet
arrangement assigns the various forms of drafting to the uew. helps coordination with
consultants, a11d compiles notes and '1ther information f-1r the specifications department.
In some offices he may be terrried ci chief draftsman although his position is more than
that of a lead draftsman As ,th many others ,,, an A 1 E office, the education of the job
captain may be formal or based upon years of experience and hE: may or may not be
registered.

4. SENIOR DRAF iSMAN

A person with substantiai knowledge and experience or m younger men, a college
graduate, may be a senior draftsman, but older men may be trorr, the "school of hard
 knocks." Usually this person has at least eight to ten years experience. Major responsibili
ty for him is in coordinating details and dimensions: checking working drawings for omis
sions or conflicts prior to bid time; checking for code compliance; controlling design con
tinuity in detailing; and in smaller offices he does major drafting such as floor plans and
elevations.
In architectural o.ffices this person is fully capable of interpreting any sketches from the
design <:tepartment completely through the finished drawing stage. The designer seldom
sketches all door or window details, roof flashings, railing details, and similar parts. The
senior draftsman is able to select proper details or draw them from experience. In a similar
manner, the senior draftsman in an engineering office should be capable of also detailing
structure; connections, piping layouts, electrical circuits, and other required details. With
proper experience many senior draftsman in architectural offices are also capable of doing
a limited amount of engineering drafting from rough sketches by the engineer. His ex
perience also makes him a good advisor and supervisor-for less qualified or younger draft
smen in the crew.

5. INTERMEDIATE DRAFTSMEN
Education for an intermediate draftsman probably includes graduation from a college of
architecture or engineering plus three to five years of progressive experience. If not
already registered this employee may be nearly ready for the final examination for registra
tion. With less experience than the senior draftsmen, the intermediate draftsman prepares
working drawings, coordinates details with plans or elevations, and 'A(orks with the senior
draftsman. In some cases the intermediate draftsman is proficient in executing presenta
tion drawings, graphics, or renderings.

6. BEGINNING DRAFTSMAN
A person with limited experience in architectural drafting, normally less than two years
experience, and without a degree in architecture, is a beginning draftsman. He helps to
prepare working drawings, helps prepare presentation drawings, does more correcting of
drawings under supervision of others, and traces details. In small offices he may replace a
trainee in this work.

7. TRAINEE
With little or no architectural education or experience beyond high school, a trainee often
starts as the blueprint machine operator. In addition, he files drawings, delivers office
material and drawings, and is generally "handy" around the office. He may do some basic
drawings or tracing of details with supervision.

8. CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATOR
With a major position in the firms, the construction administrator should have a total
knowledge of construction methods, codes and contracts. He may be a graduate of col
lege with a degree in architecture, construction engineering, c.onstruction management,
or may have come from the ranks of construction superintendents. His responsibility in
cludes actual administration of all projects under construe tion, periodic inspections of the
onsite work, rview and decision on shop drawings, comrnurnc-atior, with thE> contractor
regarding change orders and payment requests some contact with manufacturer
representatives regarding proper materials and superv1s1on of field inspectors in larger of
fices. This individual may also act as the checker of contracts, plus the fact tr,at he has not
worked on the drawings or specifications makes ,t easier for him to spot errors or omis
sions. He is also a ready source for information regarding qualif,cat,on or ability of general
contractors and subcontractors and by his field contacts usually knows about availability
of materials. In small offices this position may be filled by the princ1pai, and in other of
fices it may be a combination with the project manager spot.

26G
 9. SPECIFICATIONS WRITER
The specifications writer must have substantial knowledge of the use of materials and
construction methods and may or may not be registered as an architect or engineer.
Responsibilities include preparation of preliminary and final specifications, checking work
ing drawings for compliance with specifications, evaluating and recommending new
materials and construction methods, dealing with manufacturer's representatives, and
advising other office personnel o:, materials or methods. This person may also be in
general charge of the libra ,. y and sample room.
Great literary ability is not a requirements but the "spec" writer must be able to clearly
and concisely describe materials and methods to be used in the project. Sound knowledge
of actual construction methods is a must, and with a bit of experience a better-than
average idea of labor and union procedures will become second nature. The "spec" writer
will be a major office contact for most manufacturer's representatives and must have, or
develop, the ability to compare equal products to determine if they are indeed essentially
equal. Through his constant contact with producers, the "spec" writer is in a good posi
tion also to advise the designer in regard to availability of materials and their relative costs.
Many designers do not consider this possible help, and costly revision of design
sometimes results due to poorly selected materials or difficult and expensive installation
methods.

10. THE DESIGNER

Location of the designer in this discussion order does not imply that the designer holds a
less important position than others in the office. In fact, this position is one of the most im
portant and quite often is held byone of the principals of the office. College education is
normal, and registration may or may not be coincidental but is not mandatory. The
designer is responsible for the layout aP'ld appearance factors of the project and works
with the project manager to provide proper fac1lit1es for the client. Work includes prepara
tion of schematics, preliminary layouts, renderings, and sometimes interiors or special
phases of the work. In an engineering office, the designer works out the system to be
used, makes the major calculations required, and roughsout diagrammatic sketches to be
further developed by the draftsmen.
While the percentage of the design personnel in an office is quite small, 3% to 5% of all
projects begin here. Those covered by the designer is not simply to provide a pretty pic
ture, as is quite often suggested, but to carefully and accurately plan the work in accor
dance with applicable code requirements and the clier.t's needs. Most designers are not
completely trained, adept, or interested in structural or other engineering systems, and
may be limited in their knowledge of materials available Once the basic idea has
materialized into some forrri, experts in tha engineering and materials field should be used
to redesign any portions the.It may be impossible to provide or that may t,e excessively ex
pensive and will exceed the project budget. If a pro1ect cannm be e,oristructed within the
budget, the design stage 1s a good place to start rev,s!!"'IQ J, even s!oppmg

11 . LIBRARIAN
The librarian does not formally exist in most otf,ces with less than fir y to seventy-five
employer, but is very 1mportam when an extensive library has been acquired and a large
drafting force is continually using reference material. in smaller offices, the "library" is
often scattered througout !he office 1r, severai differem book<. ases and most employees
know -the generai whereabouts of specific nateria1 o w:11 asl< ci fellow ernplcyee. The A/E
librarian does not have formal library training. In fact such training may be a detriment.
Filing and retrieval of A/f::. reference consists almost entirely of arranging cataiogs and
other material in proper areas (preferably in the sixteen Div1s,ons of the Uniform System)
and in datir.g and updating new materials.
 A simple check-out system helps keep track of references and a limited ability to type is
helpful in writing to manufacturers for literature. Some prior exposure to building products
via manufacturer, distributor, or contractor is helpful. The librarian's position, in a number
of cases, has been the starting spot for specifications writers since constant handling of
catalogs and samples often creates an interest in specifications. Split-job responsibility
such as secretary-librarian, or office trainee-librarian, do not usually work out so an office
should arrange for a full-time position in most cases, or none at all.

12. ENGINEERS-ARCHITECTS
In some larger offices the special fields of mechanical and electrical design for projects is
done "in-house", that is in the A/E office rather than being "farmed-out" to consultants.
This then requires education and registered engineers to design the various system, and
different levels of draftsman to produce their workrng drawings. These engineering posi
tions parallel the architectural positions very closely. The same is true of those responsible
for the structural design of a project.

An increasing number of engineering offices are including some architectural work and
reverse of the above is obviously true. Contractors also employ design personnel and a
drafting force, so some positions may be comparable in the larger contracting offices. As
with the A/E office, some public organizations such as large school districts, federal,
state, and city-county governments also maintain A/E departments and their operation
and personnel may be similar, even if called by other names to suit civil service
requirements.

13. NON-ARCHITECTURAL PERSONNEL

Almost all offices require the normal complement of secretaries office accountants, file
checks, receptionists, and other nonarchitectural personnel. The customary requirements
for taking dictation, typing, filing, etc. are necessary and a great variety of education and
experience may need to be considered. Smaller offices may need a combination-type per
son who can handle reception typing, filing, and perhaps even the accounting. In larger
organizations, a number of very specialized positions may be needed: typists with training
on special machines, a.cc,ountants with special tax, knowledge, and private secretaries
with good organizational ability. And in some large offices even people trained in food
handling or processing may be necessary.

14. OFFICE ORGANIZATION

Most offices are not organized with only one project manager, one designer, and one pro
duction group. Such a singular arrangement would mean that, in general, only one project
would be processed at a time and this would not be economical or feasible except in very
small offices. Therefore, two principal systems may be used. The following Figure in
dicates an office with two or more project managers. The specialty personnel (design,
consultants, specifications, and construction manager) each contribute their skills to each
group as needed. This allows the office to operate properly with a minimum number of
specialty people who may work only part of their time on one project and can therefore
spread their skills.

Many offices operate with some combination of either possibility. The average office
employee approximately 3% to 5% of its entire force in a design capacity. The production
force of production manager and the various draftsmen may total approximately 70%,
with the remaining 25% to 27% serving as specialty or supporting personnel.

258
 IR. AR CHITECT
I
JR. ARCHITECT JR. ARCHITECT
partner partner

____.
1
PROJECT MANAGER I
PROJECT MANAGER II....,___

,1,

PRODUCTION CREW

JOB CAPTAIN
DESIGNER
SR. DRAFTSMAN
JR. DRAFTSMA N
TRAINEE

I SPECIFICATIONS IM
CONSULTANTS
I
'.. STRUCTURAL
MECHANICAL
I COST ESTIMATOR r
I,
ELECTRICAL

,,J CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR

r
1NS P ECTOR S
l
Fl G. A - COMMON PRODUCT ION CREW
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT
Job Code: ASA
He shall be responible for over-all conceptualization and design
development of architectural projects in both the proposal and contract
stages. He shall likewise oversee the production of contract documents,
details and specifications. He shall also coordinate with engineering
(MEPS) consultants to ensure the architectural design, intent of the project
is maintained. He must have sufficient skill and experience in client
servicing and must have potential for promotion to partner level.
DESIGN OFFICER
Job Code: DEO
He shall be responsible for various project types. He shall ensure design
quality control during conceptual design up to documentation.
PROJECT LIAISON OFFICER
Job Code: PLO
He shall be responsible for over-all coordination with the client from
proposal to contract stages. He shall take charge of all communications,
documentation of meetings and other administrative concerns with the
client. He shall likewise ensure the smooth and timely delivery of project
submittals.
JOB CAPTAIN
Job Code: JCT
He shall be responsible for managing the schedule and manpower
requirements of the production of contract documents, design details and
specifications. He shall likewise coordinate with engineering (MEPS)
consultants for technical clarifications, consistency in CAD standards and
deadlines of submittals. He shall further undertake quality control in the
production of contract documents and design details.
SPECIFICATIONS WRITER
Job Code: SWA
He shall be responsible for the preparation of specifications for various
architectural projects. He may also be responsible for the generation of
construction and detail working drawings.
CAD DESIGNER
Job Code: CAD
He shall be responsible for the production of construction and detail working
drawings. He may undertake quality control 1n the production of contract
documents and design details.
::J College degree in architecture
:J Professional registration preferred
o Experience m high-rise design an advantage
::J Proficiency in Autocad 2004 required
..J Proficiency in in grapn1c and modeling programs an advantage
.:J CAD portfolio and at least 5 years experienced required
3-0 COMPUTER GRAPHIC;::,
MODELER-RENDERED
Job Code: GRA
He shall be responsible for the production of multi-media presentation
materials using various 3-D graphics and animation programs. He may
also be responsible for the generation of construction and detail working
drawings.
(J Male or Female
(J Proficiency in Autocad 2000, 3D Studio Max or Viz required
o Proficiency in Adobe and Corel programs preferred
.:J Graphics portfolio at least 3 years experience required
FREEHAND RENDERER
Job Code: FAA
He shall be responsible for the production of freehand pen and ink and pen
and colored presentation materials. He may also be responsible for the
generation of construction and detail working drawings.
PROJECT OFFICER
Job Code: PRO
He shall be responsible for construction supervision/inspection. He shall
undertake project management and shall ensure design quality control
during project implementation.
PROJECT SCHEDULER
Job Code: PAS
He shall be responsible in preparing all project schedule requirements of
the company's projects. He/She will also be responsible for updating project
schedules and monitoring these against project progress.
QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Job Code: PRS
He shall be responsible to do quantity take-offs and estimates of company
projects. He/She will maintain a database of construction cost for the com
pany.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Job Code: ADM
J Female
lJ University or College graduate of any Business course
:.J Proficiency ,n MS Office programs required
CLIENT SERVICES OFFICER
Job Code: CSG
Shall be responsible tc) conduct ales calls and deliver company presen
tations. lderit1fy ae'le1op ana handle corpordte accounts. Identify design
facility proiect reauirarnents of corporate clients.
Maintain Chant re,ords Resadrch about corporate clients
MIS MANAGER
Job Code: ITM
Shall be responsible for fac1lrtat1ng aef1111t1on adminstration, development
and mainta1nance of all IT intrastructure network setup. Will assume
management respons1b1htv for all ioca; and reg1ona1 IT set-up of the
company
..J Graduate of BS Computer Science or Computer Engmeenng
::J Must have strong foundation on different computer communication
protocols and on electronic concepts.
CONSULTANTS

Very few architectural-engineering office have the personnel capabilities or other facilities to
handle all phases of a project within their own organization. There is no stigma attached to this
inability since it simply stems from differences in education of personnel, size of office, type of
projects usually worked on, specialization if any, and many other things. The average small to
medium-sized architectural office therefore employee consultants to fill out where their own
facilities or personnel do not cover.
The fields covered by consultants are wide, and few or many may be used by an office. Usually
about at least two types of consultants are used by most offices: structural and mechanical
electrical. The latter may be two separate consultants: one for mechanical work and one for
electrical work. Cost estimating services are also most commonly used where that capability is
not present in an office. In fairly recent years another consultant has appeared - the specifica
tions consultant or material researcher. Consultants may also be used to provide information
regarding required for good preparation and equipment; for product handling of all types; for
fire protection and sprinkler systems for a miscellany of special items.materials, or processes.
In an engineering office where architectural work is not normally done, the architectural work is
not normally done, the architectural firm may be employed as a consultant. Infrequently, ex
perts in finance, real estate, planning, or similar fields may be employed but are not usually con
sidered as consultants.
Most consultants require a fee for their serices and the amounts of such fees are included in the
architect's fee. Some consultants provide services without charge, but these depends a great
deal upon local conditions and customs. Fees may be arranged in the same manner upon local
conditions and customs. Fees may be arranged in the same manner upon which the fees of the
project A/E are: Fee arrangement might include percentage of work provided, hourly rate, time
or material agreement, lump sum, or any other method that is mutually agreeable.
Services provided by various consultants very nearly as much as do the consultants
themselves. Basic engineering services may be limited to structural, mechanical, or electrical
calculations providing only minimum rough sketches. This arrangement requires that the
employer of the consultant does all of the finished drafting and other detailing. Probably a more
satisfactory agreement is one in which the consultant provides finished drawings as well as
presentation calculations and proper specifications section. With this type of agreement, there
must be good cooperation between the two parties in order to assure that the drawings are on
the same type sheets, that specifications are provided with proper typing, section indicators,
and on the same type masters.

RESPONSIBILITY
The architect n.:urnaliy d.rectiv omploys rm, owr1 consultants, in which case he also assumed
major responsibii1ty tor tleir work c1':- r,:s ow,-. 'ri some cases. various consultants are engaged
by the owner and direc1ed to work witt", the arch1tP.t an1 vi,:-e versa. This condition leads to
some confusion and prhaps sore d1fficultv Most of the tio"e the owner employed consultant
1s r.ot a structural. -nechani' a 1 ,:r .. 1ertrn:a 1 enq 1 me, doing a major portion of the object work.
The ro'lsultn, i n,..,. : 1:- "'t " '.f '""f c- 11 ,.. 'P<'MC'r !"\r fFi ,,s0r l\' 1n .,,akes surveys regard
=ng Sr-te plc:IC>'" ""aff: r , i- ... ' '.' ._,1,i -&n;:sc;\!l. t.t l"l" "P'llJt ,. P'7lertS !n COnnectior. With
iridt 1 5t:- 1:]' j)ri)jer t," 1" ,;"'er'. =)r,,,1 18'" :'T'S\ l'P ,o :t,,..,T png1 neer WhO may be a great help
ro the t r.i..... i--o t 11 >f. rr,i '"CP"rf.1 Yt'!t; CjiE S gner of The rnwct \Nith this type of consultant the
IJ:;

respcmsih:ht rn11::.r he ;1ea1 dpt nej a:. <r..-ie idas or recommendations of the consultant may
r1 0.t rnP.-.::r Ntf"l 1 he nvP.rr-11 p!;.ns 0t thr. p; 'E
The proJect cevelol'-in-:erh ,s a tear, t,frcrc requlfmg tt1e best !aient within the least time. Many
offices fee1 that their OV\tn btaff 1s 1u1:y ,,apao1e at aoing all of tha work required, and perhaps
they may b but can they do as good a job 1n the same time er less than tho expert specializ-

271
ed consultant? It's doubtful the architect's office must be aware of the capabilities of both its
own staff and the consultants and must cooperate fully to benefit by the employment of out
side assistance.
In the smaller office, there is usually a shortage of time for the few employees to do all of the ar
chitectural, structural, mechanical, and eletrical work involved in producing a project, even if
they had the capabilities. In the larger office, the tendency to have specialists, or at least those
specifically assigned certain portions of a project, is greater. With the increase in types of
materials, methods of installation, environmental qualifications, code requirements, and the
hundreds of other factors, it may be expected that we will continue to require more and more
specialist or consultants.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONSULTANTS

1. STRUCTURAL CONSULTANTS
Structural consultants to an architect are most always registered civil or structural
engineers. Their training and experience have bee:i slanted toward calculating re
quirements for size and strength of beams, coiumns, footings, walls. etc. In some areas
where earthquakes occur, structural engineers also will do all seismic calculations for the
proposed project. The same general arrangement holds for areas where hurricanes; tor
nadoes, or cyclones and prevalent. The engineer also generaily has a staff of draftsmen
who are capable of providing working drawings for the structural work. Few engineer's
offices however are staffed to provide properly organized structuraj specifications. This is
an unfortunate situation which may be the end result of inadequate instruction, or none at
all, in the education of the engineer. When the agreement for services only includes rough
sketches from the engineer, they may or may not be provided to scale and usually are on
various types of paper and not very coordinated. The architect then needs to arrange
these sketches in proper order, affix designators, coordinate them with his other draw
1
ings, and of course provide specifications from the engineer s notes. Calculations are nor
mally provided on sheets that may be duplicated and passed on to building review depart
ments.
When the structural engineer is required to provide the working structural drawings, there
is an additional burden on the architect to supply information materials. lr,itially the ar
chitect must supply "dummies" of the floor plans upon which the structural columns and
beams will indicated. In some cases ontv the standard bordered sheets are supplied and
the engineer makes the ''dummies'' from a ime print supplied bv the Architect. Along with
the other drawings tt,e engineer .1 u3llv orovides ;. -.:an<.!::irrJ detc1i:s '" severai forrns Quite
often these standards ,ate as=-,err t;/;n r)n ;;.,fi/e -he' .:;nc :11ay be {epeatect over and CJver
On different ptOjeCtS. 51-r ,r-tur81 SedOn<- ("t Thf' ,ir,::t,: , .-. :,H: :;neC\di details an; ODIOUS
notes relating to th strength cf the JY:aterir1I arP. ;;a p.qrt c,f the- ;rructural drawings.
The engineer is also respons:b!e f ,, pro .,m,ng ,.tu:. a!culc.1t101 ,s oy wh:ch thd st:--uc.;tural
members are designed. Eact, pc.:Hd.._,, of ,tie bui:ctmt; rn .,c oa H>J.)er cJes,Hned ro meet the
building codes and hd toto suuc.H ,a mus .. bt' aes1gned +Gr eathquakes, !1ui r,canes. and
other acts uf God. T:-1ese ... wt ... ;, ,t, 1:hsc .16 , p,0a ,c1b1e 'Orn , r .Jrde, tu mak:.. capies
for the building d&partmn re:" t"VV, ,:vt::I .:t it.!\ a "le rc.h1e< L Ttie spec 1t,ca -i- 1ons
may or ma', not n . jeveloped . v h ang et.r , r1t.: ',,rrnat for tt1t: ,:;pec1fca11ons 1s
established by tt,e ach ,uc l The ar ct e,i dl::::,v <. tF;.r 11 1u ...J me pop sec.11or1 numbers to 1
the structural sectiors or :ti_ ;.D '". ,:., at1Jn r.,. t:1c .. ua, ,niurrriat or,. rte words and
phrases. mav be vpe r- th .., a:io1r1et, , ;=<.. t-- alH 1{,C<'l"po,aet:HJ r.to trre final spec1f1calio11s
by the architec s spac ft!"a r r . wrve .,r tr wg,:-iE-n av suppl\ adequate notes and
the actual writing 1s done ir. he office of the ar rh1ter-., The atter 1 s perhaps more sat1sfac
tory as the architectura! sper:1firat1011f writer ,:an eparnte strqcturn! r:oncrete from
miscellaneous concrete twallt:s gutters +nc fnundafr)n machine" bases) and

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 perhaps structural steel from ornamental metals. Uniformity of appearance and
paragraphing is easier also since the same team of writer and typist work together.

2. MECHANICAL - ELECTRICAL CONSULTANTS

Consultants for mechanical work and electrical work may be from separate offices or may
be from one office which has facilities to perform both. Before we go further let's be sure
or what we mean by mechanical. This term usually includes plumbing work, heating
systems, ventilating air conditioning, and perhaps some more specialized phases such as
special piping, solar systems, or even nuclear work. Any of these must be designed
specifically for the project and requires a thorough knowledge of the requirements as well
as a thorough knowledge of materials available, codes, and the project area temperatures,
rainfall, solar conditions, etc. The electrical consultant must have approximately the same
qualifications, oriented toward electrical work, of course. He knows the utility company
rules and the local conditions, as well as suppliers and electrical contractors.
The same requirements for drawings, ca lculations and specifications holds for mechanical
or electrical consultants. However, education and experience here seem to favor the
engineer's personnel. For the most part, architectural people are not trained adequately in
mechanical or electrical working drawings and probably would normally not be able to
properlv transfer rough diagrams, often partially indicated, to finished working drawings.
A pipe or wire showr. incorrectiy connected may give some interesting results. Specifica
tions written for mechanical or electrical work also are different. Since these installations
operate a system most engineers write their project specifications as a system rather than
as separate materials plus installations. To do this they must be familiar with the assumed
operation of their systems, something the average architect doesn't know about.

3. COST ESTiMATING
If the project cannot be built within the budget, the designer is 1n trouble. One of the
methods to avoid this trouble is to do cost-estimating before the project goes to the con
tractor for a bid. Only larger offices normally have in-house cost estimators so consultants
are regularly used. These consultants often do work for contractors as well, so are familiar
with material and labr1 1 -osts, Cost estimates are quite often provided at the preliminary
5tage, partway througii the working document stage, a:id a final estimate is made just
pr,or to the d1stributi('n of doc ume::ts. The competent consultant can give a reasonable
'3stirnate ever. at .h? prelirnwar-,, HHJt- s1nv:.? hs exper!ence allow:; tum a very good idea of
the u,r. .;,mt cf, f1:-"lfrte,,w;,t eqv1r : 1 ,.on, te!r .r0r cNe1c:1ge 1 r1-place costs for various
items, ana thE:: goinp rate 10, labor and profit. When drawings are more complete, the
estimator of c1.:,urse. car rnai<e an dCcl;rate quantItv take-otf and price estimate.
Close cooperati;n ,,s .es ri .c<;fs . w1:t, hi. <..0nsuItaf\t as :t ,s with any other. A change in
size, or qual1t.., usuaily -naan a r;harlge n :..;sts Adequate drawings, including structural,
rPechanicdi and ulact,;i:;ai are 1:?a:J i ea i , SL :rt1 ..:e5es the {.0s1 etirnates for mechanical-
c. 1,a, .s :h::: ave designed that
;ee J .-. 1 u , at!or tc im;orporate into
e dr , r-ec as : se r ;es of pages of caicula
tion& w1 , a fna 1-r;c20 :n,o rl,a er to be duplicated, but it
sho1Jld be prcN1de ; ht arch, ,. '-,: A eview Nith the estimator
should be d oart

4. HARD\/\!ARE: \.,0"1S J! At\

The spec,fir:aton ot ?t'e fin,st'-ng hardwarp s as $pecia1i1ed as mo:::;t anv other part of a
project F,nishing .,ardwat nc:-udAs a" of the ocks. latches. butts, hinges, pulls, closers,
stops and other metal woc,d plastir nr combinations of materials and products that are

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