Rebuilder Chided for Not Hiring Architect

With mounting disbelief, I made my way through the “horror story” in John McCafferty’s “Home Stretch” article (April 10). The disbelief was occasioned mostly by his apparent naivete regarding the pitfalls one can avoid by consulting professionals before attempting to “do it yourself.”

Obviously, Mr. McCafferty has an aversion to architects, in particular to those who are members of the American Institute of Architects.

Only toward the end of the article did it become clear that Mr. McCafferty had purchased the property with an eye to turning over a large profit. Which makes his actions doubly incomprehensible.

If he was concerned that an architect’s professional services would cut too much into of his profit, he only had to call the local AIA chapter office to receive the names of several experienced residential architects and spend a little time choosing the right one for his project.

He would have found, as have so many before him, that an architect’s fee--for the services received--is the cheapest part of a construction project. (The real estate agent who sells the finished product will probably make more!)

To be sure, he would not have obtained the services of a person--that by virtue of education, training, experience and examination is a licensed professional--who would be willing to sell his/her competence for a mere pittance of its actual worth. But then, as one would have assumed Mr. McCafferty had already found out, you get what you pay for!

JANICE AXON

Los Angeles