The Congress of Residential Architecture

If you all thought Dubai is bad, according to this article China could be a thousand times worse and very bad for the US economy and American architects.
http://ow.ly/Uo3J

lovely.
I don't think there will be any US architects left in business in three years anyway if the current malaise continues.

I'm going to be so bold as to say the past two months have shown indicators of a very slight improvement in my world. Since the nature of the inquiries I receive span the country I feel that I can reflect on the status of the entire country as a generalization. Meaning, it may still suck in Florida, but the country as a whole may just be starting to improve. I find people are considering building homes again - really the first time in 20 months.

John - I'll be in business. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it's about understanding how the client/customer views the value of your services.

Yes, there is work out there no doubt.
And smart marketing will bring the client to you.
I see better signs ahead but also very little to solve root problems in the housing market: foreclosures due to job loss.

John H. wrote:



Until we as a nation address the "kind" of jobs that we are losing, then we all are in trouble. You cannot expect someone working for Walmart or McDonalds to pay for design services (unless they very gifted) to do a custom home, while the decent paying jobs (manufacture sector, tech sector, etc...) continue to be outsource to others.

Frankly I don't think we can count on the vast majority of manufacturing jobs if they were here to make people that would be custom design clients.

We have to be able to offer some kind of "customized catalog" designs - something you can offer profitably for 5k or less.

OK.
How cheap can you go? -- and offer customization?

Here is a website, plan is a 2,010 SF Craftsman style: http://www.eplans.com/craftsman_house-p ... L08463.hwx

Cost to buy CAD set is $2200
Probably has more details than the FreeGreen offering, due to being avaiable for a longer period of time and with multiple changes and versions available.

These guys can customize. Cost is $50 for a consultation:
http://www.eplans.com/add-to-cart.hwx/Q/Plan.HWEPL08463

You have to say either that most or all of these companies are competent with functional and aesthetically pleasing design work and ALREADY offer the model you are advocating or..... what exactly?? Please compare with FreeGreen offerings.

Nothing to compare. If every stock house plans was as nicely done as the bungalow you linked to we would not be here right now.