Practice Management Member Conversations

I received the email from AIA National about the new compensation survey report that I could purchase for the members price of $209.50.  Maybe there is some prohibition about distributing this kind of information for free, but if not, this seems like one of the most valuable services the AIA could offer to its members as part of its rather high annual membership fee.  I hate the idea of paying my own professional organization for this information and wonder if others had this reaction.

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Eric Anderson AIA
Director, Facility Design & Management
Woolpert, Inc.
Atlanta GA
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Eric-

 

Thank you for your note. We have made the full overview chapter of the report, including topline salary data, available to members at no charge at www.aia.org/compensation. There are also different versions of the Compensation Report available at lower price points; for example, the regional reports. These regional reports contain much of the same information as the full report, but only for the states/metro areas/cities in that region, instead of for the entire country. You may also wish to contact your local component and see if you can visit their office and take a look at their copy of the report.

 

Thank you,

 

Jennifer

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Jennifer Riskus
Manager, Economic Research
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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The AIA has eliminated some of my posts here due to 'prohibited' discussions of fees paid to consultants or clients' hiring of CMs or whatever.  I can only assume that is because I wasn't SELLING that information as they might.  The sad joke of the old anti-trust ruling against the AIA supposedly fixing fees looms as the spectral reason behind something of that sort.  And no response to my direct email from the person who [supposedly] deleted the post.

Apparently, when I open a health insurance [or auto insurance or....?] that lists the cost [but not really the value] of services that is ok.  One more thing that the AIA doesn't spend a minute [or a dollar <gasp>] trying to fix for the membership.

Let's see if this one makes it through.

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Michael Elia AIA
Associate Principal
NTD Architecture
San Dimas CA
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These reports purport to show salary / wage rates, nothing more.  No information on what firms might charge clients (where the price-fixing issue comes from).  They're prepared from information submitted on a voluntary basis, and tend to (in my experience) be tilted toward information from bigger firms in bigger cities or towns.  There is data there from the outlying suburbs and the like.

Useful if you're trying to justify pay increases or lack of the same, maybe helpful if you want to know what you might be having to pay to attract staff away from other firms.

Not a challenge to the "can't quote fees" requirements

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Joel Niemi AIA
Principal
Snohomish WA

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Original Message:
Sent: 10-20-2013 19:38
From: Michael Elia
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey

The AIA has eliminated some of my posts here due to 'prohibited' discussions of fees paid to consultants or clients' hiring of CMs or whatever.  I can only assume that is because I wasn't SELLING that information as they might.  The sad joke of the old anti-trust ruling against the AIA supposedly fixing fees looms as the spectral reason behind something of that sort.  And no response to my direct email from the person who [supposedly] deleted the post.

Apparently, when I open a health insurance [or auto insurance or....?] that lists the cost [but not really the value] of services that is ok.  One more thing that the AIA doesn't spend a minute [or a dollar <gasp>] trying to fix for the membership.

Let's see if this one makes it through.

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Michael Elia AIA
Associate Principal
NTD Architecture
San Dimas CA
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Anthony Romano AIA
Romano Architects
Yorktown Heights NY
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I had the same reaction as Eric but did not immediatly respond. I agree we should not be paying OUR organization for OUR information.

Interesting discussion about what members should be paying for, particularly this week when we are all receiving our AIA membership dues invoices (ouch!).  While it does seem that we should receive information for free that is generated by AIA staff, who are funded in part by our membership dues, I also see the case that not all AIA members will value this compensation survey equally.  So subsidizing the development with our membership dues, making a portion of it available for free to all members (as AIA is doing), and then charging for those that want the more complete and detailed survey, seems like a valid approach.

It does seem, however, that some sort of discount would be appropriate to sole practitioners and small firm practitioners, as the value of information contained in the compensation survey cannot be amortized over as many members.  Thoughts?

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Michael Strogoff, FAIA
President, Strogoff Consulting
Mill Valley CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2013 15:56
From: Anthony Romano
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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Anthony Romano AIA
Romano Architects
Yorktown Heights NY
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I had the same reaction as Eric but did not immediatly respond. I agree we should not be paying OUR organization for OUR information.

I agree with your assessment Michael, and also your suggestion that we need to be more tuned to the economic differences across our profession.  We have a rather peculiar dichotomy with a full 25% of architecture firms are 1 person and a majority of those firms less than 9 people; while it is my understanding that a majority of the membership of the AIA are employees in large firms.


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Michael Malinowski AIA
AIA Director - California Region
Applied Architecture, Inc.
Sacramento CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-22-2013 17:45
From: Michael Strogoff
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey

Interesting discussion about what members should be paying for, particularly this week when we are all receiving our AIA membership dues invoices (ouch!).  While it does seem that we should receive information for free that is generated by AIA staff, who are funded in part by our membership dues, I also see the case that not all AIA members will value this compensation survey equally.  So subsidizing the development with our membership dues, making a portion of it available for free to all members (as AIA is doing), and then charging for those that want the more complete and detailed survey, seems like a valid approach.

It does seem, however, that some sort of discount would be appropriate to sole practitioners and small firm practitioners, as the value of information contained in the compensation survey cannot be amortized over as many members.  Thoughts?

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Michael Strogoff, FAIA
President, Strogoff Consulting
Mill Valley CA
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There used to be firm dues on top of individual dues.  The membership or at least a vocal group pushed through the elimination of firm dues and AIA has to reduce staff and reorganized.  At that time it was agreed that items that were considered firm benefits would be charged for so the costs of items would NOT be paid for by individual dues.
Comparing AIA services with services of other organizations you need to look at their due structure and alternative funding sources (IE drug companies).  Paying dues for the office is painful but what we get is worth it. 

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Robert Carlson AIA
Principal
Carlson Design Team PC
Iowa City IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-22-2013 17:45
From: Michael Strogoff
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey

Interesting discussion about what members should be paying for, particularly this week when we are all receiving our AIA membership dues invoices (ouch!).  While it does seem that we should receive information for free that is generated by AIA staff, who are funded in part by our membership dues, I also see the case that not all AIA members will value this compensation survey equally.  So subsidizing the development with our membership dues, making a portion of it available for free to all members (as AIA is doing), and then charging for those that want the more complete and detailed survey, seems like a valid approach.

It does seem, however, that some sort of discount would be appropriate to sole practitioners and small firm practitioners, as the value of information contained in the compensation survey cannot be amortized over as many members.  Thoughts?

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Michael Strogoff, FAIA
President, Strogoff Consulting
Mill Valley CA
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William Nerison AIA
Senior Architect
WRN Architects
Missoula MT
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Why would the AIA distribute useful, helpful information to us when they can cash in on it. I grow more and more disillusioned with the organization and its supposed representation of us as professionals. The majority of exposure that architecture gets is the multi-million dollar projects with ridiculous budgets that only the name brand firms have exclusive access to. When I look at what the AMA  does for physicians and the American Bar Association does for attorneys, it makes me wonder why I continue to pay dues to the AIA. I have a small firm and pay as much in overhead in dues and fees as firms ten time my size. I worry about the future of the profession and those considering a future career in architecture.





Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2013 15:56
From: Anthony Romano
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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Anthony Romano AIA
Romano Architects
Yorktown Heights NY
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I had the same reaction as Eric but did not immediatly respond. I agree we should not be paying OUR organization for OUR information.

i agree with the gist > AIA dues for small and individual practitioners is pretty darn high. been a member since '84 and with the current state of the construction economy at my low horsepower and shallow pockets state the dues have become too much to bear. likely will not be able to justify renewal this year until things pick up. and then to get another request for spending money to get our information fed back to us puts another nail in the coffin.

AIA has always been and always will likely be a relatively weak political force for the whole spectrum of AIA member architects, especially the ones who practice solely or as a small practice. the one value item i feel that i receive is the tracking of CEU's, but that is changing with most CEU providers doing more to provide certificates via the internet or as real time handouts.

times are tough and will be slow in recovering.

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Jeffrey Warren AIA
Architect
DESIGNshop, inc.
Simpsonville SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-22-2013 22:05
From: William Nerison
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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William Nerison AIA
Senior Architect
WRN Architects
Missoula MT
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Why would the AIA distribute useful, helpful information to us when they can cash in on it. I grow more and more disillusioned with the organization and its supposed representation of us as professionals. The majority of exposure that architecture gets is the multi-million dollar projects with ridiculous budgets that only the name brand firms have exclusive access to. When I look at what the AMA  does for physicians and the American Bar Association does for attorneys, it makes me wonder why I continue to pay dues to the AIA. I have a small firm and pay as much in overhead in dues and fees as firms ten time my size. I worry about the future of the profession and those considering a future career in architecture.

I'm a small firm too, and would have a hard time justifying the cost of the survey.  However, in January there was an email from National AIA offering  a free copy if you participated.  I spent 30 minutes responding to it, and ta da!  Got the survey.  It is very well done.  It was worth the time, my firm information contributed to the results, and I didn't have to pay for it.

If it was to be distributed free to the membership, I wonder how many firms would have participated in the survey and how good the results would have been?

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Thomas Jameson AIA
President
JAMESON Architects, P.A.
Little Rock AR
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-24-2013 08:56
From: Jeffrey Warren
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey

i agree with the gist > AIA dues for small and individual practitioners is pretty darn high. been a member since '84 and with the current state of the construction economy at my low horsepower and shallow pockets state the dues have become too much to bear. likely will not be able to justify renewal this year until things pick up. and then to get another request for spending money to get our information fed back to us puts another nail in the coffin.

AIA has always been and always will likely be a relatively weak political force for the whole spectrum of AIA member architects, especially the ones who practice solely or as a small practice. the one value item i feel that i receive is the tracking of CEU's, but that is changing with most CEU providers doing more to provide certificates via the internet or as real time handouts.

times are tough and will be slow in recovering.

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Jeffrey Warren AIA
Architect
DESIGNshop, inc.
Simpsonville SC
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 10-22-2013 22:05
From: William Nerison
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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William Nerison AIA
Senior Architect
WRN Architects
Missoula MT
-------------------------------------------

Why would the AIA distribute useful, helpful information to us when they can cash in on it. I grow more and more disillusioned with the organization and its supposed representation of us as professionals. The majority of exposure that architecture gets is the multi-million dollar projects with ridiculous budgets that only the name brand firms have exclusive access to. When I look at what the AMA  does for physicians and the American Bar Association does for attorneys, it makes me wonder why I continue to pay dues to the AIA. I have a small firm and pay as much in overhead in dues and fees as firms ten time my size. I worry about the future of the profession and those considering a future career in architecture.

Agreed! This is just another example of why so many architects decline to join the AIA.

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T. Victor Williamson AIA
Project Manager
OHM Advisors
Gahanna OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2013 15:56
From: Anthony Romano
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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Anthony Romano AIA
Romano Architects
Yorktown Heights NY
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I had the same reaction as Eric but did not immediatly respond. I agree we should not be paying OUR organization for OUR information.

And it illustrates the extreme disconnect between the AIA and its membership.

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Gary Barber AIA
Principal
urban solutions studio
Renton WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-23-2013 07:35
From: Thomas Williamson
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey

Agreed! This is just another example of why so many architects decline to join the AIA.

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T. Victor Williamson AIA
Project Manager
OHM Advisors
Gahanna OH
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Hi, My firm in AK was conjtacted by AIA to provide salary information in exchange for receiving a free electronic version of the survey.   We have done this for the past 5 years in exchange for a free download.   Maybe they only do that for certain markets, I do not know.

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Daniel Seiser AIA
President
Bezek Durst Seiser Inc
Anchorage AK
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2013 15:56
From: Anthony Romano
Subject: Architects Compensation Survey



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Anthony Romano AIA
Romano Architects
Yorktown Heights NY
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I had the same reaction as Eric but did not immediatly respond. I agree we should not be paying OUR organization for OUR information.