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If you know who the contractor is before you get on site that would be great.  Walking onto a job site and seeing a familiar face always helps to put one at ease.  Call ahead let them know you are coming out to the job to observe the construction and answser any questions they may have.  Be confident but not arrogant.  If this is the initial mee…[Read more]

For the record I thought section 3 was quite easy and based more in reading comprehension than actual design skill, but Ive been doing commercial and public site design for several years now on a daily basis.The new format provides zero feedback–its pass/fail, though there are a lot of weird questions. I made sure to add notes to questions I…[Read more]

Is the new test perceived as being easier, or harder? Im not sure if there is a “fair” way to answer this. Unless someone took the old test and immediately took the second and then compared the results to see if they were extreme enough to draw a comparison. I have however heard that the computerization of the new test has practically ruled out a…[Read more]

I feel I started flying on my own way too early compared with my experience. It was tough to have to do things I’d never done before, all alone. There were for me, and I guess for pretty much everyone doing new tasks, times when I just had no idea on how to proceed. This wasn’t too much of a handicap when drawing at home for example, where I had…[Read more]

Best advice I ever received: Your job is to work with, not just for, your client. That applies to the person who hires you to design something and the contractors who are hired to implement it.
Another good piece of advice: Keep copious notes and take lots of pictures. Then take a few more pictures.
Finally: Be alert, watch where you walk, and…[Read more]

Not really for free, but you can buy the study materials at the same place you sign up for the test.  I took the first one right out of school ( bought the study materials) aced the first test.  Still waiting to see the scores for the second but im sure I did fine.  They are pretty similar questions to what the test will have.

Thanks for the answers! I did kind of figure that this was probably the case.  Heres another one for you.  I was actually told a week or so ago that he needed to get me started at some smaller projects in the field for construction management.  What exactly is expected of me when i get out there?  I mean for now..I know what the plan says to do,…[Read more]

Given that you are working for a residential landscape LA firm, you will probably get to do some construction administration out in field.  That is where you will start to see what you have detailed become reality and will have a better understanding of what it was you have drawn in 2D.  When it really starts to make sense is when/if the c…[Read more]

This is a profession of patience. Very little happens quickly. Think of it as compacting in lifts. After a while you are on a solid foundation.

Your kid probably knows how to drive.  But would you trust them to do so ?
As you mention in a previous post, you’re looking to maybe start your own firm.  Would you hire a fresh out of school grad to sell and design for you, or would you confine them to learning the nuts and bolts of the operation?
Your boss probably knows you can sell and d…[Read more]

A few other things that you need to consider before they bite you…
Make sure to include all the TAXES in the billable rate!

• federal – paid quarterly and occasionally ahead of future income to avoid penalties
• state
• local
• social security – you get to pay both halves of this
• medicare
• health insurance – not a tax or is a tax as determined by what…

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Another question…
If I currently do not receive benefits other than paid holiday time off. And apparently after first year paid vacation and paid time off does the other “2/3” serve as added profit for the company? Everyone at the firms has their own private insurance. Should there be some sort of compensation to cover the expenses that I will…[Read more]

All that money that does not go to the employee directly as wage goes to pay for their benefits (expensive), unemployment insurance (really expensive) and all of the other insurances and benefit packages like 401k administration fees, vacation days, and any other benefit an employee may receive. And it goes into CORPORATE taxes (really, really…[Read more]

Don’t forget that you get paid for every hour you work, not just the hours that can be billed to a client.
 
There is no correlation between what your boss can bill you out for and what he pays you. It might not seem fair to you, but you, me, or your boss are/were paid as little as reasonably (or comfortably, if the boss is a nice person)…[Read more]

Thanks Jordan. Great insight. I talked to my instructor about who has gone on to get licensed and was told no one that she knows of. The Associates is geared towards those who have the work experience without the education to obtain licensure. I guess a top down, reverse approach to becoming licensed. Thank you for answering my question everyone.…[Read more]

Yep, West Village is the name I think. That’s a nice example, thanks Tosh and Roland. 

We were told that if we updated within three versions of our current version, we would only pay upgrade price. Beyond three versions, we would pay full software price. Therefore, for AutoCAD and all of our Adobe products we upgrade every 2 versions. I would ask your vendor to be sure.

You mean Village Homes? Maybe West Village?

First, if you have 2013, it’s not the full $4,200 to upgrade to the next year.
Although the changes from year to year will never be that stark, putting it off for a number of years will guarantee a large amount of downtime as you acclimate to the now dramatic changes.  Staying back a few years is also going to make it more challenging for new…[Read more]