Can I sell my house designs to architects?
Im 15, almost 16 and ive been designing houses for awhile. Most of my houses are large, in excess of 5000 sq ft and beyond. The houses that i have designed are extremely detailed and I think are good enough to be an architects work, not bragging but I beleive they are very good. Are you able to get in contact with firms and see if they would want to buy the plans from you? My plans are only drawings of the sides of the house and floorplans, enough for a real architect to carry on.
I don’t think they’d be interested because many architects have several of their own designs they’d really love to see built, but unfortunately, not all of those make it past the drawing board. This isn’t to discourage you though, you are quite young and seem very interested in the field.. compile your work into a portfolio, it could earn you an internship or impressive job someday =)
Landscape How much do architects, vets, and histroy professors make on average?
I am considering future careers and I’ve narrowed it down to either architect, a veterinarian, or a history professor at a top university like Harvard, Princeton, Yale etc. How much do each of these careers make on average. Please help.
You’ll need a bachelors degree and a masters in some states to be an architect (4-6 years of college), a veterinary degree (8 years of college) to be a vet, and a PhD in history (8-12 years of college) to be a history professor. There are many, MANY more people with PhDs who want to teach college than there are jobs for them. My university (just a state school) advertised a single professor position a few years ago and got 800 applications – and that was in physics. The humanities like history are even worse. It is not reasonable to expect to get a job at a top school; right now it’s not even reasonable to expect you’ll get a full-time teaching job at all. I know many PhDs working as adjunct professors making 20k a year without benefits. Go with the vet career; it pays the best, even better than if you do gt a job as a history professor, but it’s very competitive to get into vet school.
Why does the pyramid at the Louvre appeal to architects as a building form?
I am wondering about people opinions on why does the pyramid at the Louvre appeal to architects as a building form?
Actually, you have to go way, way back before the Louvre pyramid to understand why an architect should pick this shape in the first place.
And the answer is simple: geometric shapes have always appealed to architects for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Pyramidal shapes are more complex than straightforward squares and rectangles, so naturally they appeal as the architecture in a culture is itself becoming more complex, and pyramids may acquire symbolic symbolic and religious value, though these values will vary according to culture, time, and place.
architects and masons in many cultures have built pyramids for thousands of years. See below:
What is Business Insurance?
Any type of insurance is a form of risk management; it guarantees a small loss (a premium) to prevent a possibly large loss. Business insurance is protecting your business and insuring it against the risk of loss. There are many different types of business insurance available and so it is important to have the right one in place to make certain you are fully covered and to make sure you don’t have cover for items you do not need.
By law all businesses need certain types of insurance for example if the general public come to your business premises you’ll need Public Liability Insurance, and if you hire staff you need Employer’s Liability Insurance.
What are the different types of business insurance?
There are many different types of business insurance, here are a few and a description of each:
Retailers Insurance – this insurance policy covers everything that the majority of shops will need. The main items retailer’s insurance covers are Trade Contents in case of loss due to fire, flood, Money, Personal Assault, Glass and Sanitary Fittings, Employers Liability, Public Liability, Product Liability, and Business Interruption.
Tradesman’s Insurance – this business insurance is specifically designed for sole traders, limited companies and partnerships in manual occupations for example plumbers, builders, electricians, gardeners and hairdressers. Within this type of industry the insurance may include cover for Temporary Employees as this is quite common with builders for example as you employ staff for the job at hand and it is not always permanent, and cover for Equipment and Tools, and Contract Work.
Professionals Insurance – is for business owners who work as consultants, architects, bookkeepers or tutors. Every business insurance policy can be tailored to your needs and so it is essential to give as many details as you possibly can to your insurance company or broker so you can be sure you are fully covered for every aspect of your business.
Property Owners Insurance – this business insurance is the buildings insurance for residential and / or commercial premises and may include cover for Business Interruption, Employers Liability and Property Owners Liability for example.
Whatever your business you will need some kind of insurance to protect yourself in the event of accidents and incidents, contact an insurance company and they will be able to lead you in the right direction for the right insurance for your business.
Diana Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/what-is-business-insurance-728384.html
Architects – Early Grave
Architects – “Early Grave”, official music video, from the album, ‘Hollow Crown’, in stores and online now!
http://www.myspace.com/architectsUK
http://www.itunes.com/architects/hollowcrown
Duration : 0:3:54
Home Improvement Tips
Houses are extremely valuable assets which are sometimes worth a lifetime of work and sacrifice. But homeowners know that their efforts are more than worth it because these assets not only provide financial security but also years and years of joy. Real estate properties are known for lasting even hundreds of years, but for that to happen, a certain maintenance has to be provided. This is something which should be taken into account at the time of purchasing your future home. Will you be able to afford remodels and repairs? What is more, some very old houses might need to be completely refurbished before being sold or even inhabited.
If the time to improve your home or one of your rental properties has come, you must be fully aware of the fact that there are dozens of things to thought over, plan out and decide on. This is an investment of sorts, and any bad decisions you make will result in possible very undesirable money losses. In this article you will find some tips on home improvement for you to make the best possible deal.
What Will You Improve?
So you are eager to make some renovations in your home to turn it into your dreamed house. This is all very nice, but it is more complicated than that. Before embarking yourself in this process, you should have a very clear idea of what needs to be renovated. What is more, think of the added value your house will have with this renovations. Some home additions then to be rather useless if your idea is to sell the property in the short run.
For example, you might be dying to build a swimming pool or a sunroom, but have recently tied the knot and want to start a family as soon as possible. You know your current house is not big enough for you to have a large family, which is exactly what you want. Will it be worth it to spend thousands on an improvement which will not add significant value to your property? Think about it, you would be loosing money in the end.
How Much Will It Cost? How Much Are You Willing To Spend?
These are questions you should be asking yourself from the very beginning. It is not a mystery that home renovations and additions can easily cost several thousand dollars, but having a clear idea of how much you will spend on the project is key for deciding on the type of funding you will need.
There are many online calculators you can resort to so as to get the rough numbers, but this should only be a mere indication. You should not base your entire project estimate on a calculator because chances are you will either get too large a loan or fall short on the loan amount. None of the two possibilities are attractive because if your loan is too big, you will be paying interest on money you will not use and if it is too small, you will have to resort to a second loan, thus having two monthly payments, two interest rates, etc. You get the picture.
The best thing you can do so as to avoid expensive mistakes is to get in touch with contractors and architects and obtain quotes.
Lara Sawyer
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/home-improvement-tips-695488.html
old film,kate bush,vintage places,UKHouston French Drains, Drainage Systems, Yard Drains, Channel Drains
Effective and ecologically-correct features of a landscape drainage system, French drains are trenches or ditches filled with gravel (usually) that move water parallel to the ground. Water flows much easier through loose gravel, especially as compared to the thick, gumbo-like clay soil found here in Houston. To further ease the flow of water from the wet area to the dry one, a French drainage system will often have pipes buried in the gravel.
The Positives
French drains can have a positive impact on your overall landscape. Advantages include:
By draining standing water out of the landscape while at the same time storing rain water in the subsoil, this type of drain helps your grass look healthy and vibrant. Thus your overall lawn service is improved.
French drains can be a de facto part of your irrigation systems. They can be developed by landscape designers or landscape architects so that water collects in and nurtures garden beds, thus conserving water. French drains turn your landscape into a green garden-in both senses of the word “green.”
residential landscape maintenance is made easier with French drains since they prevent standing water that can cause slippery surfaces and mosquito breeding grounds. They also help prevent drowned plants and help reducing fungus growth, which is the main killer of plants in tropical climates.
Drainage Systems: An Overview
In Houston, storm drainage issues are very serious due to our flat topography, dense clay soils, and heavy forested lots compacted by years of construction that have increased impervious surfaces. These factors have caused more streets and homes to become flooded during the heaviest rainfalls. Consequently, local ordinances are beginning to follow the model used by the Memorial Villages that require minimum pipe sizes, flow rates, temporary drainage systems, engineered drainage plans, calculations, topographic maps, and as/built plans.
“If drainage contractors embark on a drainage project without a thorough understanding of these demands, homeowners may find themselves drowning in a big mess that can cost thousands to rectify,” says Jeff Halper, landscape design specialist with Exterior Worlds.
Tree Preservation and Tree projection
When installing any drainage system, it is recommended to hand-dig trenches around trees to minimize damage to them. It is best to tunnel under tree roots by using compressed air. This tree preservation method exposes tree roots so they are not torn. Alternately, pressurized water can be used to dig deep trenches and expose roots, which also minimizes damage. Tree preservation is one of the most important aspects of proper drain installation procedures.
Fun to Know
French drains were not invented in France. Rather Henry French of Concord, Massachusetts came up with the idea in the mid-1800s. A judge and farmer, he published a book on the subject with the memorable title-”Farm Drainage-The Principles, Processes, and Effects of Draining Land with Stones, Wood, Plows, and Open Ditches and Especially with Tiles, Including Tables of Rain-Fall, Evaporation, Filtration, Excavation, Capacity of Pipes, Cost and Number to the Acre of Tiles, Etc, Etc.
Jeff Halper
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/houston-french-drains-drainage-systems-yard-drains-channel-drains-707638.html
Houston Landscape Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscape Plans
Houston Texas is one of the most difficult and challenging climates to design and build landscape gardens in the country. We have heavily compacted soils that when inundated with torrential rains suffocate plants and low lying flood areas that if not installed with a proper drainage system could flood a house. In Houston our temperature extremes from summer drought and 100 degree days to humid fall and spring weather causes plant stress and diseases. These weather extremes also can take their toll on outdoor building elements such as pool and deck surfaces, arbors, and night lighting fixtures. In hiring Houston Landscape Designers, you want not only creative ideas but material know-how, local construction standards, and someone who knows the durability of materials as well. Below we will present the four types of Houston Landscape Designer services available with their positive and negative perspectives as to what they bring to the table for your particular project.
The “design-only” landscape designers
This would be an individual who will meet and provide a design for your landscape but is not involved in the supervision, construction or maintenance of designed elements.
Positives:
The positive here is that you could get an overall design of your site or master plan for the property to phase in over time and get alternate bids from various landscape contractors for proposed design elements.
Negatives:
Some of the plants, materials, and design ideas may not work if the landscape designers do not have regular experience with construction, maintenance and plant care.
Construction of some elements may be cost prohibitive if budget is not taken into consideration with the design.
Another understandable problem is that the designer is not responsible or does not have to concern themselves with the implementation of proposed elements.
“Landscape Contractors” as “landscape designers”.
A landscape contractor is usually at the other end of the spectrum from the landscape designer in that they may know how to implement and install a garden but may lack design experience.
Positives:
The positive is that you know what it will cost and a landscape contractor will be able to cost out several options or make several proposals to finally arrive at an acceptable budget.
Another positive is there may be a cost savings and scheduling may happen much quicker because they may do 80% of the installation.
Negatives:
The negative is that an overall design is often missing.
The quality of craftsmanship is questionable even with a portfolio.
The implementation from proposal to built vision might not be fully realized which are conveyed in design plans, material and construction methods chosen.
Horticulturalist as landscape designer. This might be someone who works at a nursery or local garden center. This person have lots of knowledge about soil and plant health as well as the right plant for the right location. A horticulturalist or plants man may not have an overall design vision, knowledge of irrigation systems, drainage systems, patios and walks.
Positives:
The positive here would be the variety of plants and proper soil preparation and planting of plant material.
Negatives:
There could be too much plant variety.
Could be too much of a plant lover’s garden rather than simple overall home aesthetics.
Overall design layout of patio, walk and lawn areas might not be as strong.
Landscape Design-Build Company as “designer” and “installer”. In this category responsibility is taken for the overall design, supervision, management and implementation of the landscape plan through completion of all elements to their maintenance.
Positives:
Design ideas must be able to be implemented.
Overall costs are based on actuality.
Flexibility to phase the project in many ways.
Intent of the design is carried through the construction process.
Knowledge, understanding and responsibility for the project as the property continues to be maintained.
Negatives:
May be some additional costs for over sight and general contracting of elements.
The Design-Build process is the most ideal scenario because all design decisions, construction, installation, costs and maintenance of the entire project are taken into consideration representing the most experienced view.
Conclusion
Choosing Houston landscape designers is a difficult task. Considerations including like ability of the designer and fit with their style of work are all essential. In the end analysis one has to decide if compromising price is also compromising quality and value of work.
Jeff Halper
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/houston-landscape-designers-landscape-architects-landscape-plans-714275.html