Michael Smith Architect

On today's podcast episode we have a very special guest, Enoch Sears.  Enoch Sears takes us through his journey of Architecture and how that evolved into his current area of expertise where he guides Architects into building a sustainable 'self-managed' firm.  

Enoch talks about his entrepreneurial path that he took to make himself a highly sought after architectural business expert and author of two books, "Social Media for Architects" and "The Architect's Marketing Field Guide."

On today's podcast episode I am providing an updates on the podcast, my vision, and the current state of architecture during these times.  

I am so excited to announce that we are making a rebrand of the podcast. The rebrand of the podcast comes from my vision to help other architects, home owners, and consumers make the best decisions when building a new home or completing a home remodeling project. The podcast moving forward will be called "How to Avoid Home Remodeling Hell."  I look forward to sharing with you my new book that will be coming out soon as well as tips along the way to truly Avoid Home Remodeling Hell. 

On today's podcast we have special guest Bob Crizer, the founder of Crizer Construction. Crizer Construction has been on the forefront of the construction industry for over three decades here on the Central Coast. They have experience in alternative and green building techniques, installing renewable energy systems, creating full sets of construction plans, permitting, and most importantly facilitating a finished product that meets the needs of the client, whatever that may be.

On this week's episode we sit down with Erich Schaefer. Erich is a second-generation builder and has been building in the San Luis Obispo for the past 30 years. Schaefer Custom Homes was born from a vision to provide the most seamless custom home experience possible. Unrivaled quality, luxurious design and a new benchmark for customer service are what make Schaefer Custom Homes the Central Coast's premier custom home builder.

On this episode Erich discusses how he was able to pivot his business during this time of uncertainty to ensure that his clients were cared for while still staying on target to get his projects finished. Erich goes in to depth of how building relationships with other builders, architects, and city officials has allowed him to build a successful business. 

Come find out more about how Erich's experience and values in the building community and clients has developed the customer centered culture at Schaefer Customer Homes.

On today's podcast episode we are speaking with Josh Gillow from MasterPlan Outdoor Living

Joshua Gillow has always had incredible respect for Mother Nature and an intensity to help those around him.  These two propensities lead him to receive a degree in Architectural Design and Engineering and start his own design/manage firm, MasterPLAN Outdoor Living.  Being able to help homeowners by creating bold outdoor living spaces all over eastern Pennsylvania has been Joshua’s passion for over 20 years.  This same drive has also lead Joshua to establish the Yes Express, a carefully crafted, tested and proven sales system to help fellow landscape design/build business owners improve their client connection and closing rates, ultimately helping more people beyond his reach!  With this full-circle approach to his craft, Joshua has made it his mission to take the landscape design/build industry to a higher level!

Today we talk about outdoor living and the planning that goes into the design, the disconnect between architects and landscape designers and how planning can save the homeowner thousands of dollars. Josh walks us through how to set up a comprehensive plan that takes all aspects of the house into the planning.

Ask the Architect: Question: How long will my project take? Design, working drawings, permit approval, & construction.

Josh Gillow Contact Info

On this week’s podcast episode we have special guest and marketing extraordinaire, Kim Walsh Phillips. We dive into real marketing techniques that you can implement into your business today to scale and grow your audience.

Kim is a multi-seven figure business entrepreneur with no business degree and a tendency to say “crazy pants” more than is socially acceptable.

Today I am going to cover what it looks like for me to take my architecture business online. Currently with the crisis that is spreading across the world I have had to make some changes to the way that I run my business. There were many projects that have had to be put on hold.

What this has allowed me to do though is prioritize the projects that I have and complete the steps that are able to be completed virtually. This will in the long run, same time on those projects when I move forward.

Currently I am using more online tools with my clients. One of the tools that I am using to conduct meetings with my clients is Zoom. I have found that using online tools has allowed me to be more interactive with my clients. I can share my screen with my clients during these calls so that they can see my CAD program. During these calls we can manipulate the views and make real time changes to their design. These real time changes allow the client to see them immediately while the change is still fresh on their mind.

Having this online workflow has allowed me to take steps out of the  process. While this was something that I thought about for some time, it wasn’t until recently that I implemented this process.

While there are still some things that keep me bottle necked at this time, I make sure that I stay on top of the market so that when I am able to move forward I am ready.

Please know this doesn’t last forever. We will survive and we will recover from this. It will be a different world that we are faced with, but we can move forward.

Client Questions:

On today's podcast I have the privilage of interviewing Bobby Tone, owner of Studio B Elements, who has dual degrees in interior design and architecture and founded her design business almost 15 years ago. She now focuses most of her work on residential renovations for clients.

When she meets a new client, "First, I give them a little bit of an education on the design process and how I work and I want to get into their heads. Like what do they want, waht are their desires, what are their needs, what kind of style are they going with, what is their budget? I just really need to get to know them because the sooner I can get into their heads and understand what they're wanting at the end, then I can design that environment for them so they can walk in to the house every day and they're happy."

I was thrilled to hear that Bobby loves to work with Architects because they're such a strong "support system." She enjoys developing the conceptual design and palsnand the honing in on the details from there. Bobby appreciates that architects can tackle the technical drawings, particularly on larger projects when structural changes and engineering are involved. She enjoys working on everything from lighting schemes to wall texture, from window to fireplaces, to determining what kind of water heaters a client will use. THanks to her backgroun in architecture, she can go deeper and share her understanding of structural issues, flooring, grout,  and more with clients.

As far as trends, she appreciates the simplicity of open floor lans for communication and overall flow. These allow for easier upkeep and better usage of square footage while keeping families connected. Bobby concluded that " I love to take apart a house that really needs some tender loving care and create a wonderful, custom environment for my clients."

Client Question: What does remodeling cost per square foot?

I hear this question a lot and people generally think I will give than a specific dollar amount that they can then multiply based on their potential project and think “Oh, there’s my budget.” However, that is only one piece of the remodeling puzzle.

Typically, with an addition, you are blending the old and the new, which often involves blending and remodeling the old to go with the new. When I provide a number estimate, I am talking about the addition, but you need to add more on for the remodel. When it comes to new construction, projects generally run between $250-350 per square foot, depending on the complexity of the site. What you’re adding on will influence the price as well – bathrooms, for example, entail plumbing and electrical, so the price will be higher than that of an updated great room.

Revisit Interview with the Contractor

Redress show questions I got on Episode #4 - Design Build - I wanted to redress some comments during the last podcast [Episode #4 Interview with Mark Marshall]. I got a couple of questions from architects and others about how the discussion went. Some thought I was just abdicating my responsibility to the contractor for the project. I was not. I am open to completing a project so my client has an excellent experience and achieves their dream. That doesn’t have to mean that I am driving the bus. My ego is ok with letting the contractor be in control. Are there other ways to complete a project yes. But if it is the contractor controlling the project - I want to make sure that I have contact with the homeowner and we are having discussions about their home.

I have been in projects where the contractor used me as drafting services and tried to slash my fee to get costs down. That doesn’t work. That is not what I was signing on with the contractor

Manufactured Drama - What’s Wrong with DIY Shows?

WARNING!!! Rant ahead!

We will be talking about DIY shows and they can hurt your project

Latest on San Luis Obispo County ADU Ordinance

We will also review what is happening with San Luis Obispo County ADU ordinance.  What the City of San Luis Obispo and other cities

San Luis Obispo County ADU ordinance

Hi and welcome to MSA Podcast Episode #4.

We have a great show Today. I love when I can have guest on the show. I want to share not only my knowledge and experience but other consultants and professionals. And that is what we have today. One important partner in a home remodeling or construction process are contractors. I will be talking to several general contractors over the next several months.  Today we have Mark Marshall from JM Construction. I am going to let Mark tell us a little more about him and his company in a moment.

We will also review what is happening with San Luis Obispo County ADU ordinance.

We will review what is happening on a current project we are working on - Duplex Remodel

Client’s Questions

Interview with a contractor

Interview with Mark Marshall - JM Construction

Current Events in Design & Building

San Luis Obispo County ADU ordinance

Hi and welcome to MSA Podcast Episode #3. Today we are going to looking at the changes that have been made to California’s ADU Law and how that is impacting San Luis Obispo County or any county in California.

We will review a current project I am working on and the lessons learned

Client’s Questions

Current Events in Design & Building

ADUs in California

ADUs in SLO County

ADU Live Event