Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Architectural Masters - Peter Ratcliffe
21 Plays2 months ago
In this episode Matt sits down with renowned Baltimore architect, Peter Radcliffe. We delve into Peter's illustrious career, the legacy of architectural excellence passed down from his father, and the intricate process of designing both luxurious and practical living spaces. Discover the most significant trends in modern architecture, the challenges faced when renovating historical homes, and the invaluable insights from a career spanning over nearly 25 years.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction of Peter Radcliffe
00:00:10
Speaker
All right. Well, welcome everyone to the next episode of All Roads Lead to Real Estate. i'm your host, Matt Rine. And and but I guess I could say I'm i'm here with a ah local celebrity here in the Baltimore area.
00:00:22
Speaker
And your name is patter er Peter Radcliffe, correct? Yes, sir. And so, Peter, I've heard about you quite a bit over the years. And to be honest, today was the first time I've ever had the opportunity to meet you.
00:00:33
Speaker
so I'm glad to finally meet you. Nice to meet Nice to meet So, Peter, for those of you who live under a shell or aren't in our business, um he's one of the ah most esteemed local architects that we have in the Baltimore region. And it's not
Influence of Peter's Father
00:00:47
Speaker
just you. We mentioned a little earlier on the drive here, ah your father was in ah in the business for many, many years. Yes, sir. He was. I'm the youngest of six kids, and I'm the only one that followed in his footsteps. Yeah. Carried the tradition. He was considerably more famous than myself, I'd say. ah he He had quite a career.
00:01:06
Speaker
Yeah. Well, I'm interested to dive into that a little bit because I think many of us who sell homes for a living in the area have sold some of your previous projects. And many that are looking for, I'm talking a true luxury home, something special,
00:01:22
Speaker
Your name carries a little cachet. You'll see it in the listing descriptions. So if you've ever wondered who that is or what that meant, ah now you know. This is ah Radcliffe right here. right And so you personally been doing it close to 25 years now, right? Yes. yeah I've had my own firm for 24 years. 24 years. yeah and previously your father 25 this year my work my father for five years he he practiced for 50 some years 60 years got it you've carried the the you know continue the the path forward yeah yeah that's been uh yeah ah started being exposed to it as a young kid and
00:01:58
Speaker
Kind of knew I wanted to do it for a long time and sort of encouraged elsewhere by him, ah probably strategically. And it sort of worked its opposite magic. his Him probably doing it intentionally, me not knowing the better.
00:02:11
Speaker
ah Eventually, I came back to it. Excellent. Well,
Career Highlights in Architecture
00:02:14
Speaker
um it was just, it's very interesting. And we just had the opportunity just at a community you designed down the street. So I'm selling the villas at Woodbrook. It's a luxury home community, starts around 1.15 million in Towson.
00:02:27
Speaker
and And you had the privilege i you know to actually design the community and the seven models that we offer there. And so I must say, it was really fascinating to hear you describe ah The thought that goes into this and many of us that that sell it for a living, we kind of steal snippets of what you might think and say and just really interesting to hear how your mind works.
00:02:49
Speaker
And one of the things that we're going to get into in a moment is just how you think about the space and and the furniture that might go into the space. These are things many of us never consider, I would think. and Yeah, well, it's like I mean, I think it's a collaborative process. I mean, I do pretty much only private commercial, private residential work.
00:03:07
Speaker
um And so i collaborate with people. It's one of the main reasons I got into the industry. Just feel comfortable working with people and enjoy the process of meeting and talking to people. So it transcends itself. I think I'm a good listener and I design living spaces. And so the collaboration part with the Kilties is that they you know the the site...
00:03:27
Speaker
their thinking about the marketplace, my thinking about the marketplace, is the collaboration, as it would be just for a remodel the home or building a new home. um So the process of designing just kind of comes starts with what are your mission, what are your what are your goals, and what are the spaces you want to create? And then it's a collaboration of how to do it. and
Transition from Banking to Architecture
00:03:46
Speaker
think, ah you know, obviously I think I bring a lot to the table, but ah ah mostly as a result of the experience that I've been through and probably the way I think, ah of course. you know Well, i want I want to start first because I have a a million questions about the present. But one of the things that I haven't spoken to you about myself is it's kind of about your path and how you got there. Because I know your father obviously was very successful and i imagine you're quite proud of what he was able to achieve. Yeah.
00:04:11
Speaker
And so can you describe for those that might not be familiar kind of what his his path was and in his journey and his successes? Sure. i the quick and I'll try to be quick about it. mean, he he got into it after um University Pennsylvania and the war and just sort of fell into it. Actually said once that he chose architecture because he thought it'd be an easy major.
00:04:32
Speaker
ah you know um major I don't know anyone that said that. I know. I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me either. ah But that's what he said. ah Told a lot of funny stories. he He's a great storyteller. But um had a great career. just at Was from Baltimore. And and my my mom was from Baltimore. And ah four kids, six kids, and I was the youngest. And so we all got to see him be a very successful architect. And, um you know, he just was a great, very social person, did a lot of custom residential, but was ah much more focused on commercial, ah multifamily, and just grew up with a lot of developers.
00:05:12
Speaker
he he His career was all through the major growth periods of Baltimore. So he did a ton of developments all through the Knot families and I don't know if I should mention families, but the Kilties and just was very successful and very prolific.
00:05:26
Speaker
My experiences with him were more on a personal level probably. I went to a lot of people's houses in the evenings with him after dinner, before dinner and played with their kids or their dog or just kind of was around it and it was a social thing. And just sort of enjoyed it. I kind of drew and I was fidgety and inquisitive as a kid and just sort of sort of a natural fit probably.
00:05:46
Speaker
um Then thinking about architecture, I probably wasn't thinking much during high school and later years playing sports and going to college, not studying economics and worked in a bank for a couple of years in new York. And then it kind of came to me that I should have done it. I should have gone into it. He never really encouraged me, kind of pushed against it. And I think it worked. Oh, that's interesting. he pushed against it.
00:06:06
Speaker
Yeah. just thought that if i the reverse thinking from my perspective is, was that he was saying, if if you don't want to fight for it, If I encourage you and you go into it because it's my idea, that's this is me thinking today um that if if if I encourage you and you go into it because it's my idea, then that's not the right method. So I think his thinking was push against it.
00:06:29
Speaker
And I didn't push back in economics, banking. And then next to Neil, in New York City hating banking. And I'm like, yeah I should have done it. And then I you know came to learn that it was probably the best thing I could have ever done. um
Building His Own Practice
00:06:41
Speaker
That practical experience in banking,
00:06:45
Speaker
I think lends a lot of who I am to who I am today and a practical thinker. um It also put me in a position where I had to really drive to get it. think I was a little more mature than a lot of my peers in the architectural programs.
00:06:57
Speaker
And I knew where I was going and I wanted to get there fast. So ah get back in the real world quick ah to compete with my peers, so to speak, and get in the real world. So that's that's the quick and dirty of it. that ah you know what And then I was right. I've loved it.
00:07:11
Speaker
It's been a great path for me. So when you were in New York City, right, doing economics, working for a bank, did you decide at that point to go directly to go back to school? Or did you work your dad right away? Good question. No, I was in New York City working for a bank and I was struggling with the decision.
00:07:27
Speaker
Didn't know what to do. I found a program at the Career Discovery Program in Boston at Harvard, actually, but there was a couple other programs. Wasn't merit-based to get into Harvard for the summer for for a you know six weeks or five. i think it was three and a half, four weeks.
00:07:39
Speaker
I decided to quit my job, do that program. They sold the program that they would analyze your skill sets, they would analyze your drive, analyze all these things, and they'd give you a report coming out and a recommendation if they felt it was necessary. So I'm like, I'll do it. If I'm not successful, if I don't get a good report,
00:07:56
Speaker
I'll go into real estate. I'll go into something else, something related. But I was done with banking. Anyway, i went there. ah turned my life around. it just I was the happiest, most driven person after that. I just absolutely fell in love with it.
00:08:09
Speaker
So I came out of that driven. It took me a year to get through the applications process, taking classes in architectural programs and stuff like that, and then ended up at Catholic University wanting to be in the area. Got it. And so then that program, you graduate, and then do you immediately work for your dad trying to take over the company? Well, again, he he wasn't really encouraging me.
00:08:29
Speaker
Oh, really? Even at that point? I actually got a local job and um with an architectural firm, and I was very psyched. I was about to start. drive coming home to actually to go tell my parents that i was starting and i see him on the the road and he leans down his wonder what are he doing and i'm like picked up but job i'm gonna go work for this firm i'm really excited and he's like that's that's a big mistake you ought to come work for me and um in his funny ways he so i was like that you you're absolutely out of your mind like why would i do that but anyway the next morning i woke up like i should do it
00:09:00
Speaker
I always knew he was incredibly successful, one of the most successful architects that I certainly ever knew. And I was like, I want to learn from him. he's i want to be my own person. I want to be my own company. So what better way to do it?
00:09:12
Speaker
So within four years, we were very much at odds. ah We always sort of challenged each other quite a bit. He wasn't interested in my... participation and decisions.
00:09:23
Speaker
So I went out on my own and we ended up sharing the office space as a result of just, he wanted to, you know, maybe split the rent, so to speak. his career So I started a parallel practice next to him.
00:09:37
Speaker
I was going to name it Radcliffe Architects, and he wouldn't even let me do that. Oh, really? Because he said it was riding his coattail, so to speak. Anyway, it was a good, funny story, but yeah in his odd way, he was a great great leader for me, even though it wasn't direct.
00:09:51
Speaker
It wasn't direct, easy comp you know encouragement. It was just like... Doesn't sound like a whole lot of nepotism there. It's kind of like... No, just get it done. It was... So very practical minded person, very hard driving, very smart.
00:10:04
Speaker
um So yeah, survive your own on your own, you know, get it done yourself. And so you're a young man. my My thinking, you know, you have the degree now, right? So how do you build a practice? Because at least the homes... You you have very successful people that you can now... Pictures, you have a track record. But when you're young, how do you start well you're getting out there? Friendships, relationships.
00:10:25
Speaker
um ah Look, I had a leg up having a legacy. You know, my father's name probably lent some sense of confidence that he might know what he's doing. And if he doesn't, maybe his dad will help him. Who knows? Like,
Residential and Commercial Projects
00:10:39
Speaker
I'm just assuming that. But I think it's a matter of confidence. I knew what I was doing. I'd been around it.
00:10:43
Speaker
um Little additions. just little teeny things started and I was already doing it nights and weekends while I worked for him to make some money to survive because he paid me nothing and wasn't interested in giving me a raise so I was working nights and weekends full-time and starting to have kids and everything else already so it was a big drive to make some money so I was hitting the streets pretty hard ah doing a little bit of, um you know, just residential work nights and then turned into mostly residential beginning. And then one of my big clients is Real Farms. And I'd been working, doing work for them early. And that transcended and then me picking up that account and doing their work. And I still do work for them today. So,
00:11:20
Speaker
but The combination of things. And then it's just, don't market, it just people hear about you, that you're doing a job, you give a good value. um You know, give a good value has a lot to do with it Sure. You know, people will try if you give them a good value and you work hard.
00:11:35
Speaker
Right. And so I guess, so you've started that now, you already mentioned one your big clients is Royal Farms. And so you've done quite a few of those. Is just in Maryland or do you do... They're multi-states, but yeah it's not a you know it's kind of a quiet... I'm proud of the work I do for them, but I don't like to talk too much about it. that They're very private company in terms of who they are and what they do, and I respect that. and ah you know They're an incredibly successful, wonderful company, and I'm very fortunate to work for them.
00:12:04
Speaker
right And so the the homes I typically see with your name associated with it are these beautiful homes. And so is that kind of maybe 50% of your business are the luxury homes? Like what percentage would you say are these beautiful luxury homes typically?
00:12:18
Speaker
Well, I look at a nice addition is to be equally challenging or just even modest. I do very modest stuff. for It's all about relationships. If someone asks me to come look at their house, I come look at their house.
00:12:29
Speaker
95% of the time, it's someone they know or I know, and I don't even do proposals a lot of times. that just It's a lot of trust, a lot of faith. I'm very fortunate, I think, in that regard.
00:12:40
Speaker
They trust me, I trust them, and I've enjoyed that that process. I've been tempted to pursue country club work and other things that might be more regional national.
00:12:51
Speaker
I've done some pretty significant homes on the eastern shore and different places, um and I've done country club work. and i could have expanded and probably gone into a more regional practice i just don't enjoy that travel i don't enjoy that some my instincts were to just stay local stay modest in terms of size and um and uh yeah i've enjoyed i mean we still have 16 people in our company but um it's just been pretty organic yeah And so kind of switching gears slightly from kind of who you are to what you do in a sense that when I have clients that are considering, i guess, not just a building, building new home from scratch, but even just adding an addition because the housing stock we have in Baltimore, you've mentioned it to me previously, that it's just we have a lot of older homes and that yeah that some of the goals that these magnificent
00:13:41
Speaker
homes in these locations that are very desirable. yeah And so you're really needed to be that that special that that special force to make a magnificent living space in a desirable location.
00:13:54
Speaker
Well, I wish that we could just constantly focus on design and make everything beautiful. And that's, of course, our goal is going into almost every project, but I'm a much more grounded, realis i've mean, the process by which you get to an end product is long and complicated. I mean, we start with just evaluating what could it be? What's the budget? I mean, budget's a part of every project for the most part, not, you know, for the most part. um And so ah you mentioned- Are you suggesting that there's a few clients that don't really talk about budget so much? Well, maybe. Not a lot. Yeah. ah there's Everybody has, everybody has ah money has an influence in everything, I'd say. So you know I kind of start with making sure that I'm very grounded in that regard. Yes, I could pursue clients and projects that are purely on the highest levels, and I'm sure I could have probably focused on that
00:14:48
Speaker
I really just enjoy serving this community. i enjoy friendships that I make. I did mention it before. One of the things I think threw me into it most was the relationships might that I my father made just lived and breathed that relationship based sort of profession. So it's scary for a lot of people. It just comes naturally and I enjoy it.
00:15:09
Speaker
um You know, a lot of people would say, gosh, it's so weird to potentially work with a friend or I'm not going to hire that builder because it's a friend or and I feel like they never so I don't feel like people are saying that about me as much because maybe I'm just a good value. Maybe I'm pretty easy to work with. I don't know, but
Balancing Client Vision and Design
00:15:25
Speaker
it seems to work pretty good, whereas a lot of people resist it. But we Designing a home from scratch, a big, beautiful new home or an addition, it's still all the same rationale. um It's all about creating living spaces.
00:15:38
Speaker
It's about combining your budgets and your visions and putting it all together and then moving forward with with you know a collection of parameters that you have to kind of pay attention to. And then there's a process to get there. I mean, so it's pointless to just be this person who has this vision and just wants to push a vision and your own vision. I'm trying to make everybody's sort of the collection of goals into a package that makes it successful and enjoyable, as opposed to just a grind, which it can be, you know.
00:16:09
Speaker
Well, I've listened to some architects and I've met occasionally an architect during the design process. And what would you say characteristically? Are there some egos in the business, do you think? yeah um Are there some folks that put maybe design over function?
00:16:24
Speaker
Well, it's funny, don't think we collaborate a lot. The architecture the architects in this town, I know a lot of them, if not most of them, um not as much of the up-and-coming ones as as the ones that are established, and there are certainly several that are far more ah You know, reputation from a high level, high end design have sort of more of a grand potential reputation than myself, even though, yes, I am in there. I'm in the mix. Yeah. Um, so, you know, I fit in, I have a certain place that I fit in and, but I probably have a greater range than a lot of them. Um,
00:16:57
Speaker
you know but the what a ego i try not to eat i tried really hard not to let an ego impact my process i people have said before maybe i have something going on with my ego but it's not a common it's not a common reputational thing i think having some ego is necessary yeah well confidence is yeah ego yeah sure but I do think I'm confident, but I'm not, ah ah you know, I'm still humble. I'm, you know, I'm listening. i care about their needs and I'm thinking about it. I'm not trying to, I'm not trying to win awards other than maybe through reputation and people appreciating what we did. I I don't market. I don't,
00:17:35
Speaker
Chase Awards, um youre literally ah just working hard and trying to have an enjoyable, you know successful life with family and balance and all that kind of stuff. so And how would you describe a professional architect? Why would someone, because i've dealt I have some clients, right a variety of clients, but some that say, well, I'm pretty, I'm not an architect, but I know what I'm doing. I can figure it out.
00:17:57
Speaker
And they feel very confident to take on a pretty big project, hundreds of thousands of dollars in terms of an improvement and renovation. And the auditor's do it, and they're gonna do it themselves. Is that something that you've had it's seen in your in your time? Like, well how would you caution them, or would you say, go for it and wing it? Or would or you know what's your experience with someone who just does it on their own?
00:18:18
Speaker
It kind of all depends on how it's being presented to me. I mean, if they are they asking me, or or you know are they looking for something? I'll tell you, I'll just take it from me. how How do I answer that question? Because oftentimes they say, Matt, I'm gonna do it. I'm not spending the money. I'm just gonna, you know I can figure it out.
00:18:33
Speaker
Architecture is a luxury. I accept that as my where I am. in my And I want to be a luxury. I don't want to be an architect that's just a maybe I need and maybe I use them. I want to be, ah you know, I try to, I'd like most of my professional relationships to be such that they are looking forward to hearing my thoughts and paying for my time and my thoughts. and ah you know I try really hard to be very efficient with my time and I i want to provide great service and great value.
00:19:00
Speaker
um but So I don't really encourage people. i encourage people to be creative. i mean, we accept our own sort of outcome of what we choose to do. I try to offer thoughts and recommendations.
00:19:13
Speaker
But I'm not trying to push. I find pushing people gets both of us nowhere. Right. You know, you've got to respectfully offer your versions of what how you might see it to work.
00:19:26
Speaker
I have a tremendous respect for the builders. interior designers and owners. Honestly, my best projects are mostly driven by the quality of their thinking and their their dreams, abilities and their abilities to afford it, their abilities to see it, their abilities to listen and be a part of it, build a team.
00:19:47
Speaker
um Some give me
Trends in Architecture
00:19:48
Speaker
a huge amount of leeway and some just I do everything from the selection of hardware to you know the final little elements of the finishes, the design, or I just do the exterior shell and the the flow. So I'm very versatile in that regard.
00:20:03
Speaker
I'm just looking to fit in to bring a good value. I really am and I think that I do. um and I'm ready to step up and do it all or or just sometimes I just go in and give some inspiration and they and their builder just take it from there and that was a quick visit and i see that as a ah leader to them appreciating the thoughts I gave them and someone talks about me and says he was really cool and yeah it was really thoughtful and the next project's a little more interesting or bigger you know And so ah a question I'm sure you get at every dinner party you probably go to. What do people like? What do you see that are the trends? Like we're in 2025 now.
00:20:39
Speaker
What do you see that that you would want to incorporate in a design? Are there any is there anything that you think people that are maybe out that used to be in um you know, as a designers? i mean.
00:20:50
Speaker
Just anything. like what What do you think? Well, I mean, the whole modern farmhouse thing has finally come to an end. That was an abrupt start, and I'm thinking it's going to be a fairly abrupt finish, but yeah I don't know, maybe not.
00:21:02
Speaker
um There's some qualities about that that's kind of cool. It's the contemporary, but yet rural. you know I think it's fun. I'm not a huge fan. I like it, but um I like it when we introduce a collection of different materials to to maintain its interest when they're really stark and and just blonde, all white. just it just sort of It's not my taste necessarily.
00:21:24
Speaker
um But anyway, the trends, mostly it's just about how we live. um More and more people since COVID have just want to spend time living outdoors, probably undercover, outdoor fireplaces, outdoor living.
00:21:38
Speaker
um Integrating indoor with outdoor. um Probably the biggest trend over my career has just been sort driving away from traditional service oriented traditional old houses towards or open family living, but yet not an open, necessarily all open concept.
00:21:56
Speaker
still a couple venues in the house so family members have some privacy but the kitchen family living breakfast dining eating and adjacency to an outdoors the engine of a home right where we socialize so i think that's becoming more evident to more and more people and it's something i sell i think is really valuable um so that to me is kind of a dominant trend about functionality Aesthetic-wise, Baltimore's pretty traditional place. I happen to be fairly traditionally-based designer. i like
00:22:26
Speaker
But i I'm proud of the way that we execute it. know so A traditional home is a traditional home, but when I drive by some traditional home, it's like that's so poorly executed. so you know i I think I noticed it, but other people, I think just the mind's eye appreciates good quality design from scale, form, color, balance.
00:22:45
Speaker
So those are the skills that I think that... Why architects are not just a luxury but and a necessity, but it's a combination of things. Yeah, and I was going to say, what we just we had just filmed something actually in the model home for the community you designed, and that open concept that flows to an outdoor space, you have an enclosed, it's really a large space, it's an enclosed a porch. that you can screen in, you can put living, you know, arrangements so you can have furniture and you can have a TV up out there and a ceiling fan. Like, you it's a big room. it's Absolutely. it's ah It's like, and you have big sliders that go to it. So it's really an extension of the kitchen and then that living space out into the open. And I i don't see that very often, at least in new construction. And, um man, it's it's it's the number one requested item that we have in that community. It's the number one requested item I do on houses, probably. Yep.
00:23:39
Speaker
So it's also our climate influence is how we do it. So the covered nature of it, ah we don't spend a lot of time outdoors without cover in this region because it's just hot or cold right or buggy or something. i don't see as much bug as we used to, but the point is that cover is nice. That's starting point, right? Outdoor living undercover.
00:24:00
Speaker
makes a huge difference. Your furniture's not dirty, it's not direct sun, it's comfortable. Putting a TV, having sound, having a fireplace, all of a sudden you're out there living. And that's awesome. And you're hearing the birds, you're seeing the sun, you're seeing nature, movement of nature, sound, smell of nature.
00:24:17
Speaker
People don't really get it, but that's what's happening. They love being outdoors because of all that. I do. Personally, those are things I recognize. Even a big, beautiful glass room on a modern house. It's like, why is this so great? Those is features.
00:24:30
Speaker
So what what's happening also with all that, you do that and you spend all this money for this great space and you have this, but you only get to use it for a few months. So we're adding heaters, right automatic drop-down screens, automatic drop-down plastics, right ways to temper the space year-round. It's a beautiful, cool, fun space. Why shouldn't i use it year-round?
00:24:49
Speaker
So you get a fire going, as a snowstorm. What's better than being at a big outdoor porch with the fireplace going and music or watching a Ravens game or something like It's fantastic. I have one at my house and I do it, you know.
00:25:00
Speaker
Maybe this will inspire someone so they could call you and you could help design those elements around an existing home. Right, but I don't help pay for it. You don't? well it's ah Well, you might get the equity out of it. Maybe I'll help them pay for it one day when they sell it. Good point.
00:25:15
Speaker
We all have piece. I think you're definitely adding, of of the things we you could do to our own, that's one of the things that definitely adds value. yeah Kitchens, baths, all that kind stuff. Well, i I was going to add that. So the kitchens, the baths, a lot of the the high ticket items that offer actual return on investment when you choose to do it.
00:25:30
Speaker
But it's not something I often hear about. It's that living space that's that kind of complements the outside and the inside. i think that's something that many people don't think about. And I will be honest,
Managing Client Expectations
00:25:40
Speaker
a lot of people don't realize how often they will use a space like that.
00:25:43
Speaker
And so they have it. Agreed. Or visit a friend. They're like, wow, I could actually I'd actually eat a dinner out here or I, you know, had I'd spend time out here. Yeah. Yeah, it's entertainment spaces that are what we often add. i mean, of course we add the master suite, of course we add unnecessary bedroom occasionally, we add garages a lot, we add these things, but it's those fun entertainment spaces that make our lives more interesting and more fun and it's a quality of life investment. and Yeah, you could say maybe I will get money out of it, maybe I won't, but it's an investment in the quality of life, right? I'm here, it's like rent, you know, to enjoy your life at your house. It's not cheap, it's expensive as hell to build anything today.
00:26:21
Speaker
Yeah. so you know, and again, that goes back to my view on process. You got to not run too quick. You got to dip your toes in the water, understand where you're headed. You know, you want this porch, but you want this garage, but do you know how much it costs to build a two car garage today? It's like, no, I actually didn't know that. Well, I'm glad I'm telling you on the day first visit, not, you know, when I've already spent a dozen hours giving you some schematics, you know. Well, and you mentioned something earlier about you have some clients that are very, very cost focused, very aware of every penny. And you have others that are going to potentially overspend for the area, of the neighborhood, because how did you describe that? You just said it's either investment in the quality of life, right? And it's I have that conversation but few times a week, if not almost daily. It's like.
00:27:06
Speaker
You do realize this is you you should look at it this way. Don't do it if you don't, because you might not get your money out. like ah But you know what? You're getting something out of it. I mean, why are you doing this? It's an investment in the quality of life. You might not get it elsewhere.
00:27:18
Speaker
um you know What do you do to get it in your life? I mean, youre it's not you know buying an existing home and adding things. Today seems more practical. It's very hard to build from scratch. I call it building equity. It's very hard to construct equity. sure In other words, you build something, you're paying more for it at the moment than you could actually return it into the marketplace.
00:27:39
Speaker
I mean, there's fewer of those situations. Back in 07, 06, people were flipping their houses left and right, adding stuff and flipping. i mean, there's all kinds of money made, and then we had the lost decade, but and we still haven't even gotten back there.
00:27:53
Speaker
Well, there's just not a lot of inventory. I have people call me that say, listen, I have a nice budget, but there's nowhere to build. I don't know where to build. And so they have to find an existing home in a neighborhood that makes sense because that the location, if the location isn't right, it doesn't matter for a lot of people. Most, yeah, generally. Everybody's got a different set of wants and needs and desires. and right I live in an existing home that I've renovated four or five times in multiple things. Right.
00:28:16
Speaker
I got an incredible home and an incredible property for a value that I could never possibly create from scratch. It's just impossible. So ah it's also, you know, limited means, right? I mean, you've got to live within your means.
00:28:29
Speaker
Yeah. Well, not everyone does it, but yeah, for those that do, I think you should. Yeah. For those that do. Um, and so talking about like the financial aspects, sometimes people might not even know if they've never used an architect, like how, what can they expect in terms of ah payment? Like, so do you, do, do most architects charge by the hour? Is it per project or it could it be negotiated either way?
00:28:50
Speaker
It varies a lot. Um, I'm always about, all I'm trying to do is predict how much time it takes and you do it in phases. So I predict how much time it takes to accomplish step one, step two, step three, and there's usually a few phases. So it's really about every project's different.
00:29:06
Speaker
That's, it's the least fun part about our, our, what I do. It's, it
Baltimore's Architectural Appeal
00:29:10
Speaker
is work. Work is work. Four letter word. Um, you know, you just, you project what it would take to get where you're trying to go and you try to help them give them good value but quality service so think I'm a really good value quality oriented person quality quality value oriented professional I'm still a luxury you know I'm not the cheapest but I'm not the most you know what I mean so um the process is just if you meet me we talk about it and and we figure it out and we decide if you want to go forward and it's usually steps. Right.
00:29:41
Speaker
So that you then you measure the first step and find out are we still heading this path? ah you know Are you sure you're managing me managing my expectations and my emotions? Are we going to end up someplace that going to be okay with?
00:29:54
Speaker
um It's not easy to do it. it's ah i try It's like my greatest accomplishments are to keep people Happy and on path and well you had mentioned that it's kind of you you kind of help people guide them essentially what their budget will be or how much the total project will be you said that some architects charge a percentage of the total value maybe two or three percent or yeah I have zero interest in gauging my fees based on value I've never done it I know lot architects do um based on the cost of the project. I'm jealous of those that do it, honestly. I mean, in some ways, I mean, how great would that be? It's not related to your work. It's a matter of just getting a huge, big fee based on the cost. And the more you spend, the more it goes up, the more I get paid. It's counterintuitive to me. Like, who would sign up for that? I don't get that. So I just don't even offer it. It's just silly to me. It doesn't make sense to me. Why would it make sense to a client? But I hear stories all the time. I mean, crazy, crazy fees for architecture.
00:30:53
Speaker
it's just It's just that Baltimore probably doesn't have the same sort of ah patience and tolerance for some of that too. There is some of it though, it happens. So the bottom line is you can reverse engineer your fees and say, oh, I charged this percentage or you're, I mean, you're about this percentage.
00:31:09
Speaker
Yeah, that's fair. But that's not how I arrived at it. Got it. You know, it's the complexity of the project, the pace, the type of people you are, emotions, here designers, types of builders, complexity of project, complexity of permitting, complexity of, right you know, everything.
00:31:24
Speaker
Well, as an architect, because I have and we have actually an influx, you know you might be aware of it, but not everyone is that Maryland actually has quite a few people coming here. Sometimes I hear people are fleeing all the taxes are high or or it's expensive to live here. Well, relative to a lot of places on the East Coast and and the West Coast, we're actually not, you know, relative to the central part of the country. Sure.
00:31:44
Speaker
But not necessarily along the East Coast. We're not. and And so we're getting a fair amount of people coming here. And if they're not familiar with the Baltimore areas, the neighborhoods, If they're really into architecture, I mean, we have, as you've described it before, of really older subset of homes. We have some historically relevant homes, not just, you were saying, not just regionally, you know, relevant, but actually nationally and even internationally. yeah Frederick Law Olmsted designed, you know, Guilford.
00:32:12
Speaker
And, ah you know, the Roland... Morgan Millard was part of the master plan of Guilford and Homeland and Roland Park. um So it's in the housing stock there, those houses were part of a pretty high level architectural you know base. Just very thoughtful design. If you drive through those communities, i I drive through there all the time still to this day for inspiration. More when I was younger, yeah i needed to keep seeing quality design to understand quality design.
00:32:45
Speaker
to me now it's in my brain i see it without having to drive but i still i mean i'm always looking at that and if i'm on the church i'm always looking around looking at the architecture seeing yeah if i'm driving down the street i'm looking at the architecture it's just i'm just intrigued by it so let's let's say those names a couple just one more time just for the folks that might not be familiar with them so which which are the the main neighborhoods they might want to look up just to check out to get some inspiration for themselves well In this on the city line on Charles Street, see the north side, most of our best housing stocks north side, but there's the excellent other neighborhoods around the perimeter, but let's just stay the north side, the North Vane.
00:33:21
Speaker
You get up to Johns Hopkins University, in and around that area, it starts to become a sort of a higher higher level, and there's some private and private schools in the Tuscany area, and that Cold Spring area is beautiful. Tuscany's beautiful, right. That's kind of the beginning of...
00:33:35
Speaker
Kind of in and around at both sides of that is the Guilford Roland Park beginnings. And then you slide further north and you have more Roland Park and you have more of your yeah um homeland. And then you have Roland Avenue, but Boys Latin School area, the Lake Falls area, which is special. And then it continues to wrap north to the Giddings to the...
00:33:56
Speaker
the elkridge club area and then you wrap around lake roland and you get into the ruxton area and you stay north to to the hospitals you have to the right you know um rogers forge and and the towson areas which have beautiful housing stock and a more modest sizing but you stay left of that the eclectic old ruxton which i've never figured out it's just an old you know basically they're old uh cottages that There were summer homes for the people living to the city around Lake Roland. Those some of my favorite. Ruxton offers like some magical homes on larger lots that don't, that shouldn't, you don't think they'd be there. Yeah.
00:34:32
Speaker
Crazy. out ah Beautiful homes, but most of them have been turned from cottages into beautiful homes. i mean, The most beautiful, there are some old estate homes, I'd name a few, but I won't, roads around Lake Roland that are pretty significant. They're the most significant homes.
00:34:46
Speaker
Woodbrook Lane and Brightside Road, all those areas are pretty dramatically and insane, like beautiful properties. But that's not the only place, but just that's the vein around Usually when people come to visit, i I kind of offer similar suggestions. And when they call me after they've taken their own little tour, they're shocked.
00:35:02
Speaker
They're just they didn't know any of these neighborhoods existed. They if they're not from this area, they all they think of is the wire when they think of Baltimore. let's that but That's true. You know, they have no idea these magnificent homes. I mean, the first you know major subdivision.
00:35:16
Speaker
ah So they say in the United States is here in Rolla Park. Yeah. Well, it's not just that, though. Baltimore also has some of the most beautiful countryside in the country. The equestrian industry, the equestrian past, the rolling countryside, and it's also been preserved by Baltimore's Valley Planning Commission as one of the most influential preservations, but Baltimore's pretty sensitive conservation-wise.
00:35:39
Speaker
particularly because of them but we have monk in our veins to the country and our proximity to country exceptional nationally in my view you can live downtown work in you can be right downtown and be on a farm 20 minutes away 25 and not you know not even that far you can go a little further and it gets even more beautiful but there's a i think that Baltimore's part of the old classic early harbor cities.
00:36:07
Speaker
You know, they're one of the major ports, the major cities. So that wealth was driven up the vein that the, the um you know, the Jones Falls Expressway, the Jones Falls River and before cars and all that stuff. So it's a beautifully naturally positioned design. are You know, it's just the natural. What's the words for it? The natural positive pieces of Baltimore's are rare geography. and It has a slope and it reaches beautiful rolling hills. But anyway, I meant to just say that the countryside here is exceptionally convenient, accessible, and exceptional and all in all regards. and And the housing out there is quite beautiful too as well. yeah
00:36:47
Speaker
Well, and what do you think about the city? We haven't really talked about the city so much. And if you live here, you're from here. yet We all have our own feelings about the city. yeah So I'm interested from an architectural family's perspective. What do your dad think? What do you think of ah Baltimore City? Yeah, so don't spend a lot of time in the city. I mean, I love the city. It's got as good a buns. I think it should be one of the greatest cities in the United States and certainly should but should still be standing equal to Philly and New York and it just didn't it I mean we could get into a litany of reasons why we might think it did but it you know it still has great bones it's still got great aspirations it's still got incredible infrastructure with the schools and the hospitals and the colleges and yeah mean it has everything to be successful I'd rather not get into you know personal views on what what it takes but I think it's obvious we just need you know
00:37:42
Speaker
make good decisions and encourage growth, encourage business. But yeah, well, we have our challenges in Baltimore, but I will say for those that aren't familiar, there are parts of the city that are really, I think architecturally significant that, that are stunning. We have some churches like it's architecture was sure. um Yeah. Yeah. I don't, I like, just probably don't do a lot of work in the city um other than just the, the outskirts. I don't do a lot of, um you know, infill commercial work. Right.
00:38:12
Speaker
just It just seems growth was in the suburbs. is Growth is where there's space to grow, and architects are needed for growth. sure ah So I didn't grow up. I wasn't practicing in a period when the city was growing.
00:38:26
Speaker
The architects don't
Planning and Collaboration in Home Building
00:38:27
Speaker
get involved a lot. Rehab, of course, but just not a lot of room for a lot of us. you know So it's like, you know Right. Well, I got it. Well, I think i learned ah I learned quite a bit. Like, I'm trying to think, is there anything else I need to ask while you're sitting here next to me? I feel like I have a general gist. I think i think your profession is one that people think of um not necessarily first. Like, I have a lot of people that build new homes.
00:38:52
Speaker
that want to go out and they just want to just start talking to the builder directly or it's like backwards do they want to look at lots first yeah and they're out looking at lots and i'm like well you have any idea of a design do you have have you talked like and they don't think about it is that common that you see that sure look a lot of my client base is based on builders recommending me sure um i recommend builders too i'm a great source of work for builders and ah you know I feel like I'm doing something right if lot of builders call me. you know So if they're wanting to recommend me, I must give them what they're looking for in a good manner, and I must give it a value that they think it's worth it.
00:39:30
Speaker
So that's a measure of success to me is that builders like me, generally. the ones you know i know i don't know them all, and I don't all like me. well But whatever, you know what i mean? like you know It's important. I'm proud that a lot of builders call me. And do you think if you're considering buying and or trying to build your dream home, do you try to talk to an architect like yourself first? Or do you go try to find a lot first or talk to a builder first?
00:39:52
Speaker
Well, I think you probably do both. i mean I mean, I think you can just have a conversation with myself and get a pretty good picture of the environment out there. But ah no process is successful without a builder. And I'm not talking about just to build. I'm talking about early on a builder needs to be involved.
00:40:11
Speaker
to bring second professional mind to the confirmation of what it takes to build stuff and what can you get. there's a lot of things that go into construction. I mean, it's not just what it looks like and how much square footage.
00:40:24
Speaker
ah There's a huge variable in what it takes to build based on the choices you make infrastructurally. um And builders have a much, much closer connection to that daily and current trend of cost. They understand it. They understand. They can generalize better about dollars, about infrastructural systems and, you know, costs. So they need, they you know, their value is inmeasurable.
00:40:49
Speaker
They need to be a big part of the early part. Yeah. Well, that's, that's good advice. And it's challenging. Cause Ethan, you, it was like challenging. I was listening to that answer very closely and I'm just, it's kind of like you, you're encouraging people to talk to both simultaneously. Almost. It's not like you can just talk to one in completely and solely independently of the other.
00:41:06
Speaker
I just think it's more efficient. If you're going to spend time and use professionals, um, You know, you should use a little bit of a bunch of them sure before you get in totally get immersed with anyone.
00:41:18
Speaker
ah So I just I think developing a perspective from different opinions and professional minds gives you confidence to choose the one that you most might choose to trust for a certain path. And then we dip ourselves back into asking another professional occasionally, hey, let's do a check here.
00:41:34
Speaker
Are we still on path here? Do you still agree? Or let's get a new builder's viewpoint. you know So I just think it's about confidence. You don't want to go so far down the road and all of a sudden you're like, why did I listen to this person the whole time? Well, and and the last thing, and I want to wrap it up just due to time, but the the last concept you had given me previously was just like, sometimes you're fighting kind of like the the clock, so to speak. We all do. Like we all have these dreams of maybe building, either renovating this big space we currently live in or building a dream home. And you you were it was a concept that I didn't necessarily think of before.
00:42:06
Speaker
Can you articulate that, how you were describing that? It's kind of like you're rushing to try to get this home accomplished while you can afford it but you're young enough to enjoy it. Well that the biggest mistake ever people make is going too fast and I you know it's just learn so much by each step that's why I really promote process.
00:42:26
Speaker
Do a little bit of work and then see if are you still on a is this still where you're headed like is this really practical is this really possible is this realistic is is what we're you know some don't have that I still think it's relevant to every job whether some people move faster than the others, but The better you prepare for a construction project, the better experience you'll have.
00:42:49
Speaker
It takes time to build
Designing for Changing Family Dynamics
00:42:50
Speaker
preparation. the The less you're prepared, even though you think you're ready, the more unknowns will occur. And the worse experience, the more surprises from a cost standpoint, from a design standpoint, the more you keep unraveling it, the best you can in advance, the more likely you're going to be successful on all levels.
00:43:10
Speaker
Yeah. And how does that relate to just the age, that that notion of doing it while you still can enjoy it? like that i I wish I could remember the exact phrase that you had used. It just, I want to steal it is what I want to do. I want to get it recorded on a podcast so I can use it in the future. That's been in the quality of life or something. I don't remember.
00:43:27
Speaker
don't even remember. was just like you deal with people that you're fighting before the kids get out of the house, so to that's true. You want to get a space that they can enjoy because you don't want this monstrosity of the house and then you're alone again. It all depends, like, when you arrive at a moment where you could actually, remember I said architecture is luxury, so I'm meeting people that can afford the luxury of an architect, I mean, generally speaking. I don't mean that any other than the reality of it.
00:43:51
Speaker
Sure. You know, most people don't need an architect. I mean, you know, ah you you know what i mean? It's expensive. It's not that I'm expensive. It's just the process of building something from scratch it's expensive. It's a luxury.
00:44:02
Speaker
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that it's just that, um,
00:44:08
Speaker
more people get in a position to do that as their kids begin to age. It's it's it's not very frequent. We're doing a lot of big work for people that have very young children. it's you know As the older we, more my clients, you know the projects, the more mature, the bigger projects are usually related to people that are a little bit further and advanced in their careers. right So there's that balance between them my by the time I'm done,
00:44:31
Speaker
designing and preparing in a building, my kids are going two years older, you know, or or more or less or something. You know what mean? Like what now, you know I mean? And then only have five years with them. Or, you know whatt I mean? So door that's a factor.
00:44:44
Speaker
Yeah. yeah But as far as I'm concerned, everything in that regard, that's changing. ah youre I think most people would agree that kids are, it's harder for one than for them to establish their own living. I suspect one of the trends we don't see yet, but it's actually happening is we'll see more of our children coming back.
00:45:01
Speaker
Yeah. Or at least, yeah, kind of hanging around the hoop, so to speak a little bit more and just maybe transitional periods between careers, transitional periods. I've seen it as a realtor. I see that, but I also see a lot of people want to age in place. They want to have a first level living option. So they're not forced out of their homes absolutely before they want to be out of their homes.
00:45:20
Speaker
Absolutely. i mean, there's so whole variety of things and maybe just people more receptive to the idea. I mean, it, historically, people lived took care of their parents. Yeah. So the last 50 years they didn't. That doesn't mean it's not coming back.
00:45:33
Speaker
Yeah, it might. You know what i mean? And it also
Conclusion and Appreciation
00:45:36
Speaker
kind of makes sense financially. and Families live together for a reason. Right. You know it made sense. A lot of reasons. Well, culturally, I see it. Not as not as many folks that are born and raised here that seem to do it, but first-generation families from other countries have a tendency, it seems like... America's unique. Yeah, we're we're a little backwards in that way. But it's probably... Economics is forcing it.
00:45:57
Speaker
Right. Especially in different locations. culture. And and COVID. And lot of stuff. But actually I actually embrace it. I think it's great. Yeah. you Well, I could sit here and talk to you all day. I want to once again say thank you for joining me. And hopefully people learn something here. And and I'll have all your information. So if anyone wants to talk to Peter.
00:46:14
Speaker
about their project or their dreams or their aspirations he's the man he's gonna make it into reality um and so it's just a privilege to finally get to meet you and uh hopefully i'll see you back out there in the in the thick of things absolutely good all right good to do it all right thank you peter all take care