A good answer to scope that quietly grew
An architect hired for investor floor plans delivered far more, and I had to decide how to answer it.
The architect on 301 Osborn was hired to draw CAD floor plans for investors. What came back was a full schematic design set, his own building code synopsis, and a request to take on the interior design too. None of it was in his contract.
I did not answer by myself. I sent the whole package to my partner so we could read it together, and he named the real issue plainly.
An architect who stretches his own scope and then asks to be trusted and paid for the extra is doing something ordinary and human. That alone is not a warning sign. It still calls for a considered reply, and a quick yes just because the drawings looked good is not one.
My partner answered with real enthusiasm for the design work and left the interiors question open instead of closing it on the spot.
Strong work from someone who stepped outside his contract deserves a real answer, not a reflex. And two partners deciding together beat one person deciding alone.
Story details
| Project | 301 W Osborn |
|---|---|
| Type | Teaching moment |
| Year | 2026 |
| Firm telling | on the Common Ground wiki |