Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cost Engineers

[Shedrick Coleman (shedarch]

> You asked me: "Please give one good reason why a Cost "Engineer" (reminds
> me of Sanitation Engineers, are they professionally qualified and
> registered?) is better qualified than the future homeowners to choose the
> architects."
> Here is one reason.
> Cost Engineers are tough bastards. If the client says that they wish to
> build a cohousing project so that the complete cost of a unit (including
> land) is $66,000.or under-- the Cost Engineer sitting in on the
> interviews, will quiz the architects on their ability to meet the budget
> criteria--as well the architect who is finally hired realizes that THIS
> time the project must be under budget--because it has been made very
> clear that a design over the budget will be rejected by the Cost Engineer
> and revised designs will be continued to be rejected by the Cost Engineer
> til it comes in, on or under budget

I think that you are providing the members of this list with a great
disservice regarding the relationship between the client and a responsible
architect.  I have sat back and viewed all of your correspondence stating
that architects have no clue how to design to meet budgets or successful
communities.  Well, my backround has focused on strong commitment to client
budgets and meeting the needs of the intended user, which may not always be
the client signing the architect's contract.  By simply handing over the
control of the project to a cost engineer as you profess, the group will
also be giving up much imput in the final design of their project.  The cost
engineer shall have final say in all matters which impact the cost of the
project to meet the specified cost.  This means everything!

My function on at this University to coordinate multi-million dollar
projects from inception to reality and meet strict deadlines and totally
fixed budget constraints without exception.  I am a architect and I perform
these duties well, despite your postion that it's not possible.  You will
benefit this group better by providing your experience in a less
confrontational manner, for I can tell you that your personal experiences
and "research" cannot account for all the complexities that arise in the
implementation of these projects.  I think you have many good points in your
posts, but they are not valid across the board.

I've personally designed no cohousing in my private practice, but I joined
this group to find out what it is all about and "research" the feelings of
those who find it a positive altenative to the standard approach to
housing.  It is clear to me that there are many problems which beset the
process and that a team approach is the only way to resolve the various
levels of communication necessary to obtain a successful project. Successful
designs are not those which simply stroke the ego of an architect, but those
which can be look at years down the road by the users as sucessful.  That is
the grade I seek as an architect, not the results of a egghead survey.  Is
my "client" satified with my effort!  So far, it has always been "yes".
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W. Shedrick Coleman, AIA                |W. Shedrick Coleman, AIA
Architect                               |Wm. Shedrick Coleman, Architect
Facilities Planning & Space Utilization |130 Brandlewood Drive
Georgia Southern University             |Savannah, Georgia 31405
Statesboro, Georgia                     |(912)232-7233 FAX:(912)239-9920
(912)681-5237 FAX:(912)681-0009
shedarch [at] gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu            |Shedarch [at] AOL.com
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