One challenge for an ARCHITECTURAL Firm doing nationwide work is obtaining the correct local codes in order to do the crucial design and planning of the project.
Communication - The best practice is to call the local city hall in the area in which you are working, and ask what the codes are and for zoning information for your specific project type. The sectors for designing a building and verifying that you’re accounting for all of the design parameters and the local/code parameters are as follows:
- ZONING requirements - This encompasses a wide array of items from parking, building materials to signage.
- PLANNING or other BOARD reviews that are required - This can be the hardest part of the review and approval process.
- BUILDING Code & local amendments to the state code
Completing this time consuming coordination of these items for small firms is sometimes underestimated. This research will be one of the defining factors for your client in the design phase that determines for them if you are a good architect or one with excuses that causes them money and time. A major mistake in the planning stage could cost months to the project.
Talking to each department head is another great procedure to implement. You will get valuable information on who the board is, their likes, what to submit, how to address issues, what have been issues in the past, etc. This sit down or even counter talk with the officials and administrative assistants places you in a better light on the city’s side and will be the building blocks for an ally on your side at the meetings.
Coordination - The next best practice for coordinating the design is through yourschedule. Your client’s project schedule is already tight, but factor in the local official single monthly meeting and you could lose a month quickly. Note that most municipalities want the documents weeks in advance to get on to the docket/agenda for their next month’s meeting. This equates into planning your design schedule with the client. If you don’t, you find yourself in a hurry to catch up in order to submit the design for local consideration.
The Dance - In front of the board or commission, you had better know your stuff. A majority of the time there is one person who knows the laws and amendments inside and out and wants to play with you to find out if you’re on your game. Then there could be the person on the board that has no clue what architecture or construction is, or worse yet, they may be totally against your project. The diplomacy dance is always the best. As with design you must be able to communicate and compromise. In a heated discussion with a point taken/understood, your response should offer up a suggestion convincing them why your product or design meets or exceeds their point or issue. Sometimes you lose, and you need to let your client know the chances. This is why communication is the key with the head of the department to find out the scoop, as well as inform your client of the detective work you completed on their behalf.
Defend your design but only in the context of diplomacy. At the board meeting is not the time to work out differences, but it is the time to convince, get approval and GET OUT/ON with your project.
The Solution - Be Dilligent - Good luck! The Building code is probably the easiest task you have in the beginning stages of the project. Now, with the international building code being the same in the majority of states, your baseline for designs are leveled. However, watch out for the states that think they have a better thing than the code. This includes the local amendments to the code; they can be zingers, and costly if not found out in the investigation procedures noted above.
How do you find out the latest codes for each state and the local amendments? See my next blog on "Where do I find the Building Codes".
Thanks for your time: JOHN OUT.