Hello February | Day in the life RCD
Hello RCD readers,
Hectic but unproductive Monday
Monday began with me fixing my car that didn't want to start Sunday. So my Monday was a simple car washing day and downloading Quick Books.
February began with a remembrance of my Chinese heritage and how much things have changed because of Covid. Quite streets... Closed markets.. Not a peep of a friend, family member of acquaintance saying happy Chinese new year.
And February 1st was just another work day for me. I woke up not early and started to write down the supervisors additions for the building permit. It takes more time but it helps to work more efficiently. Correcting everything took the whole day almost.
I tried using Quick Books and found a booking software for my freelance work. OMG.. This was so annoying I actually downloaded a different app to use. This one is really helpful but hello not free.. so I don't know what's the point.
2 February 2015
My first work day for my first designing job. I worked as a freelance architectural drafter for Tsai Meu Chong. This was freelance because of the re-election and everyone was afraid what would happen so nobody wanted full time employers. This was a mineral institute. It was an hectic time but very informative and I'm so grateful for the experience.
2 February 2018
First time delivering drawings to get building permit. Of course I mean my own client (not a freelance project). The client was my aunt moving to Suriname and building a house designed by her son. The wait was very long to get the building permit. Unnecessary waiting for a lot of month's.
One because it was my first time for myself and
Two because I made a design without knowing the building department process yet.
She found me through my Facebook page. And trusted me enough to give starting architectural designer a chance.
2 February 2022
Just delivered drawing additions for a building permit. Project BW. This project is giving me a headache and my patience is gone..hahah.
1) the waiting to measure the building took a long time.
2) the employer wanted to make drawings from the current house. And played smart by extending and acting like they don't understand that IT'S EXTRA. But I didn't cancel the project and powered through knowing that I actually am being payed less. Plus I didn't want to cancel this company as a freelance employer yet.
3) the employer doesn't listen to my architectural advice. So a lot of correction from the supervisor are things that I told my employer to remove. But I kept on getting as response "let's try it out and see what happens".
4) the building permit process.
- I made a mistake and forget to write the existing house.
- the supervisor had a lot of comments. The corrections took a week.
- delivered the corrected drawings and same day he had more corrections
- worked on it 1 February 2022
- and delivered the corrected drawings 2 February 2022. \
- For the being called the next day because my employer told me the wrong name first.
I felt like an idiot but I stayed calm and didn't take it personally. And took the responsibility and confirmed what the right name should be.
Project Fred| Budget
The rest of last week contained filling in my excel sheet. I actually did a lot of work, but not finished because I'm disturbed with a lot the same employer's projects.
Now let's talk about unfairness and corruption
A freelance employer's has tried a couple of times to play unfair and get me in trouble during their projects. In 3rd world countries corruption and foul behavior is very common. But how do you keep yourself from following in that rabbit hole.
How do you deal with people being unfair and sneaky?
By staying correct and professional. Keeping your standards high and staying ethical. I could've said goodbye I'm done. Or finish the project with following the right rules and regulations. Here are some tips I try to follow:
1) always follow the rules even if other's around me push me into being unfair.
2) if any supervisor insists unnecessary corrections. You have the right to ask explanation
3) never pay for anything to speed up
4) design with all the building rules and regulations. Don't design hoping the supervisors will look the other way
5) don't deliver for building permit until the client has the right documents and if they don't want the hassle make sure to walk away before you get into deep
6) keep your ethics and standards high.
Change in the building permit requirement
The government wants to change the process of requiring a building permit. This is their way of making sure corruption is not possible.
1) The drawings will be delivered online.
2) The asking of the building permit will be online
3) The discussions of corrections will be online
4) The state of the building permit will be online
5) Their will be a registration of architect's ,engineer's and builders who are allowed to request building permits.
Now the question is will the people that are already registered have to do it again?
Will it be fair who is registered or their is where the corruption still continues?
Will this make an impact of people trying to cheat the system?
How will you know if the document went through the right procedures instead of somebody being paid to fix it once the building request has been filed?
How will the cost of the building permit request be paid?
Is every personal capable to use online software to respond to the architectural designers?
Will this actually speed up the receiving of the building permit?
Will this concept work or not?
Change is necessary!! The right change and the right time with the right planning can only be a success.
Check the link below of other how other countries made building permits online:
Comment below what you think of the building permit procedure changes
I think where corruption is, it will stay. Because the people in the system are themselves unethical and corrupt.
ReplyDeleteSadly that's true
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