Builders Or Tradesman Turned Architect Or Designer?

CNC

im 20 years old, and have been in the trades for 2 years as an electrician working on high end custom homes. i like the environment im in, and have been latley toying with the idea of of going to college which i never had wanted to do, due to me hating school as i grew up. but now find myself with a desire to formally learn. i enjoy the design side of construction alot, and am considering going to school for architecture. i think with the designers and architects i have worked with construction experience would have helped alot. any good builders or tradesmen you know take this route? any storys of motivation? i figure im young now, i dont want to regret it.

Grumpy

I think we discussed a topic very similiar to this in the past. My 2 cents is that Architects and Designers with no hands on experience sometimes design what would be near impossible to do as designed. I feel that someone who has hands on experience and decides to turn designer will design much more practical and logical buildings. The trades will more enjoy working for that person.

kevjob

my favorite line is " just because you draw it doesn't mean it will be built that way"!

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Kevin
Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
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FWConstGrp

I grew up as a framer/carpenter working for my father. I can tell you with proof this is a true statement [others will tell you the same].

In regards to going to school. My suggestion is that if you want to go to school then do so. If it was me, I would try and get into framing so that as you are going to school you can begin to learn how the prints and jobsite aren't always exactly the same. This is easier said then do of course and you would obviously have to start as a laborer which we all know just sucks. It will give some "very" basic background in structure if nothing else.

Going to school to further your education is never a bad thing. Good Luck.

mdshunk

I will say, however, that 2 years in the field as an electrician might not give you the leg up that you might think it will. It's better than nothing, but I'd hardly qualify that as "tradesman turned designer/architect".

ch0mpie

I worked for a construction company as a labor then carpenter for few years before I went to school for engineering, and I continued working in construction while I was in school. I now work for an engineering firm and have a handyman business. I plan on starting a design/build company after I get my PE.

Having experiance with a trade will give you a good advantage in my opinion. I've come to realize that a lot of people in the design end of this business have never even been to a constrution site, and have a hard time visualizing the order in which thing need to come together. As Grumpy and Kev implied you need to be able to anticipate how a contractor will want to build something as you are designing it. The way I ussually put it is "you can draw an a$$h*le on paper, but that doesn't mean it can take a $h!t."

Peladu

The following is just a thought nothing more:

The Architects that design to the brink of un-buildability, have the nicer looking stuff.

Mike Finley

Exactly.

I just glad Frank Lloyd Wright, Ieoh Ming Pei or Daniel Libeskind never worried about if some dumb ass contractor could figure out how to build what they wanted to design. Half of the modern materials and building practices we use every day wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for Wright.

How would you like to be doing the take off for this?

Jon F

CNC,

I've got a 4yr degree in biz, not exactly archt/des. but here are my thoughts anyway:

1) You are at the borderline age of fun/not-fun college--meaning, the partying is for the younger students. Not saying you are just going to try and get a new party scene, but you are on the downward curve of it.

2) Sure, you'd enjoy the design/arc. classes.....but to get a degree you still take math, history, anatomy, polysci, Pys, chem, Engl, journalism, etc. You're basically gonna have to take two yrs worth of garbage that ain't gonna be too fun for you.

3) I assume you need to pay for it (college), your living, is that managable?

All that being said, I'd recommend it. And get involved, even though you'll be a couple yrs older starting out. Just don't tell. One of your most valuable assets you'll gain from college is your network. But you have to work for that, just like you grades.

I just turned 30, but personally, I wish college was 2-3 yrs. and more prepatory. And then when you turned like 26 or 28, you went back to finish your degree in classes like History, Chemistry, Poetry, etc......I was miserable sitting through that stuff at 19 but I'd really absorb it now and enjoy it.

My advice would be to use any electives possible learning more about accounting, law, persuasion, psychology....or whatever you are weak at that will make you a better business person. I should have done more in acct. and computers. I keep saying I am going to take some classes in those fields. Good luck with your choice,

Bradracer18

My take on it.......Go for it!!! Make sure you can mangae the workload(school) and your costs.....if you can't, go to a community college for a while, and take the prereq's(possibly even at night if needed). I highly suggest getting around the framing side of construction, as it will give you a heads up on how to read plans and how to better design to suite the builders needs. There a tons of examples where the designer is waay out of the "right", but we usually build it anyways. Also, there are many little "things" to do that will save lots of materials(or use them more wisely), learn those too.

theworx

I would love to see a designer or architect who had experience in the trades (even engineers). Although, as MD stated, two years as an electrician would not be as helpful as say two years framing and building. Architects spec how you are to build something. An Architect who actaually had experience with building and framing would be a total asset. Would save us guys in the trenches from trying to figure out how to make the bookworm Architects drawings make sense...

Bradracer18

I'm going for engineering.......by the way.......only about 2 more yrs left......

ch0mpie

Peladu and Mike, I think those kinds of buildings are a challenge for architects to design, engineers to support, and contractors to build. I was speaking more of poor designs and communications between designers which, for example, end up with a structural member and mechanical equipment in the same space because the designer didn't realize that the line on the drawing was accually an 30" deep beam.

troubleseeker

Good luck on moving up. Just don't forget what it was like in the field when a task was three times more difficult tha it should have been because of poor design. I have always believed that no architect or building designer should be licensed until they have spent several years working as a tradesman. I gaurantee we would not see so many ridiculous designs.

dayexco

troubleseeker, i have several engineering firms that i work a lot with. it's quite common they'll call, say....this is what we have to do, this is what we're proposing, will it work, can you build it? not all engineers/architects are arrogant jerks.

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

fox builders

go to college

My feeling is someone with practical on the job experience and continues on to school is a more knowledge,Met a few arch in my day that knew **** and had never gotten dirty in thier lifes.

Theres an old saying 4 yrs of college or 40 yrs of hard labor