Ask The Architect: What Is Schematic Design? Phase 2 of the project process

dslociceroarchitect.com - Ask the architect: what is schematic design?
The third in a series of videos explaining the architectural project process, this video explains Phase 2 of the process: schematic design.
Once you have collected all the pertinent information required during pre-design, we move on to schematic design. This is when we actually start designing! This is the fun part! It can also feel like hand-to-hand combat if the project is complex and difficult. But in most cases it's a lot of fun.
This is when we start looking at different potential ways to solve the problem in an artful way. We want the building to be functional, but we also want it to be beautiful, a delight to inhabit, and a wonderful place to raise your kids and make lasting memories. All those outcomes start in a flurry of sketches and piles of tracing paper that make up schematic design.

[@jonathanbasco9619]

For CA, what would suggest fees to be for pre-design + schematic design only? (For a single family residential in CA, recent M.Arch grad unlicensed)

[@jonathanbasco9619]

Matter of fact, it will probably get into much of design development as well

[@dslociceroarchitect]

@@jonathanbasco9619 pre-design through DD is roughly 40-50% of an architect's fee for a residential project. 30-40% for construction docs, and 15-25% for construction administration. Giving ranges because it'll vary depending on the site, the client, the solution, etc. This has been my experience.

[@saraohara2504]

This question is from my 11 year old son (6th grade) who has always loved legos, loves games in which he can build his own houses, and loves the idea of being an architect as a career:
If someone finds math to be not easy and sometimes hard, can that person still be a very good architect? Like if someone has to work very hard for a B+ in math and doesn’t really enjoy the math, do you think that is a sign that being an architect may not be a great career choice? Please be honest!

[@dslociceroarchitect]

Sara, that is totally me! I was just like your son. Not a fan of math. At two different times in my schooling, I had to have special tutors to keep up with the math. I had to work very hard to keep up at math in high school. But, the math required for structural engineering is pretty easy. I am not a math guy, and I do okay. The little secret that they don't tell you is that you work in a team with engineers to design buildings and they do most of the math! It's awesome. There is math that architects use on a daily basis, but it's pretty simple stuff. Hope that reassures your son that he can be an architect even if he isn't great at math. But, that doesn't mean we can ignore math. it's important and I do have to calculate stuff every day.

[@saraohara2504]

I had to let you know that your reply a few weeks ago has had a profound impact on my son - thank you so much.
If you can imagine the look on a kid’s face when he first learns there is no Santa, I’d describe the change I saw on my son’s face as the polar opposite: The look of learning that something he strongly believed to be untrue IS, in fact, possible. A smile ear-to-ear and a limiting belief replaced by new confidence.
You also tore down the idea in his mind that getting extra help or having a tutor is some sort of failure, when in reality it’s just action taken to increase one’s chances of success.
I’m sure you haven’t thought about your comment since you posted it, so I just felt compelled to let you know that your taking a few minutes to write a candid, thoughtful & personal reply really made a difference. Thank you💗