[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

I wouldn’t count on it too much, My 15″ macbook pro bogs down severely with SketchUp and I would assume the productivity would be low while using 2012. What graphic card do you use?

 

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

I might be wrong, but it seems like the local govts. in the South East are looking more favorably at environmentalism. I am not saying to put all eggs in that basket, but that is a niche that could possibly be worked in some areas. I also would suggest that people in our profession should take this slow down as an opportunity to research a specialty and try to create a market.

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

Stay the course! you have worked too hard to turn back now! There is nothing wrong with geting a liitle experience in the field, in fact, I know that seeing how things work away from the desk will help you be a better LA in the future… I started my own firm in November 08 and 2 weeks after I left, my former employer he informed me that he was cutting the others hours. I couldnt hve left at a better time for him or for myself. I am starting to see a little action on the residential front in some isolated coastal areas in NC… I will leave you with a good woe that should make you feel a little better about your situation; I have a wife and kids to support!!!

Keep your head up, think positive and things will get better!

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

Thanks for the reply and I agree totally. I probably didnt do a good job of starting this group, but my intentions were to create a group to get LA’s to speak about past experiences on projects to spark some discussions about real world issues in our profession. So many LA’s lack true construction experience and i hope that this group will attract conversation on technical style issues that LAs and designers may find helpful as they move through their carreer. Please feel free to insert another topic that might start some discussion along these lines.

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

I truly think you ar e branding yourself and not the specific elements; if your design is copied, I would consider it to be a success… I think that your designed element will make its mark and if it is aesthetically pleasing and functional, you will have accomplished your goal and sold the units expected before it is copied. Continue to come up with exciting elements and your name is your patent, your brand will be purchased first and the copies later… The other side of this is to choose who manufactures your product wisely; one person could view your design and claim that it is a failure and then build it w/o you knowing. I have taken items to fabricators and requested for them to sign a document stating that they will not reproduce or share the design w/o written permission. Unfortunately there is always a way to beat the system, even a small dimension change might be enough for someone to get away with a copy.

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

I agree and I couldnt have said it better myself… I once had a colleague that designed a single door, cedar shake bath house that sat all alone on a teak boardwalk; she laughed when I suggested that this photo grace the cover of our promotional material… She just couldn’t see the beauty; granted she truly made a beautiful mistake and will never be able to appreciate the simple elegance of the design, but it was a work of art none the less… I still stop and stare at the photo and it has inspired me on several occasions.

[Jay Horton, RLA, ASLA]

Are you wanting to become a GC or do you want to oversee the project for quality purposes regrding the implementation of your design? When we manage projects, the client pays an hourly fee for travel and time spent on the job site… In the state of North Carolina we cant engage in contracting unless our documents state “Limited Liability Landscape Architect”, or something like that. In general, I think the LA receives more respect from the other trades if his role is to assist in the success of the project instead of profitting from the subs. I am not disagreeing with anything Chris said, but I personally prefer to stay away from the contracting side… I also agree with Chris on the fact that once the trust is there, the client will stick with you and the construction management of the project is just a natural course of progression. I also think that the term “Construction Manager at risk” applies more to an LA that is hiring and marking up the subs. I respect the design build guys, but it’s not for me; I keep in close with the clients and cater to their needs by offering advice that is not based off of the profit I stand to gain from a sub that I hire. I manage a lot of large residential projects and I am more than willing to share any of my experiences with you. Let me know If I can help… By the way, great site, I just signed up tonight!

Good Luck,

Jay

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