Why aren’t we paid more?

What is the value of architectural services?

The simple answer is that our society does not value our services as much as we think they should.  Since people are not intrinsically mean, they probably have no idea how much work is actually involved in crafting a building. They do not know how complicated it is, how many people need to be involved and how long it takes.  We have a lot of trouble explaining this to our clients.

 Part of the answer is also that since we are paid on a fee for service basis, in order to get hired, we are willing to undercut our peers and seduce our clients by front ending some of the work. 

 And part of the answer lies in the perception that what we do isn’t necessary.  Even though we are as educated as rigorously as other professions, when people see a doctor they are sick, when they see a lawyer they have a problem, and when they see an architect they have a dream. 

 So, in order to get paid more, we need a paradigm change.  That is a tall order to effect.  But it is not impossible.  We need to explain who we are and what we do and why it is vital in a way that resonates.