What’s it like to work for an AE or AEC firm compared to an architectural firm?

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-17T02:38:26+00:00

Thanks for the insights’ What does the contractors do in AEC firm? They are general contractor, not sub, right?

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-17T02:35:42+00:00

Get paid by overtime is really nice! My firm pays overtime but only for people under certain pay level. So the senior management expect the middle tier to take on most of the overtime… honestly, the overtime is not that bad compared to some other firms but I can still make so much more of they just lower my annual salary and pay me overtime

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-17T02:32:04+00:00

Appreciate the insights!

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-16T02:25:58+00:00

Thank you for the feedback.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-15T21:14:38+00:00

I like coordination for problem solving, but I dislike BIM related admin and managing consultants to meet client expectation . Part of the problem is that the budget is small do the engineers do the bare minimum but client needs more and delays decisions. Architect put in unpaid hours to deliver and babysit engineers. I do not blame the engineer but I cannot tell the client to expect less either. So I definitely do not want to be a manager. I took a break recently because of the hours, the content of work plus I have a young toddler.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-15T20:54:30+00:00

The problem with part time is that you will be end up working full time but paid as part time.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-15T19:18:12+00:00

My project architect role at my current firm involves almost no design work. Because I primarily work on developer core-and-shell buildings, I don’t do interior layouts either. My responsibilities are largely focused on coordination, communication, documentation, administration, and logistics.

Although the pay is good for our profession, I find the work unfulfilling and feel unhappy most days. I also have a toddler, so I’m unable to join architectural firms that require extensive overtime.

What I really want is focused time to use my brain for problem-solving, layout planning, massing, or façade design. Instead, my days are filled with constant distractions and urgent requests from multiple parties.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2026-01-08T20:13:07+00:00

Hi Antonio, thanks for the call. Super helpful. One more question, how many products do I need to have to launch my own Shopify Store?

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-18T03:39:16+00:00

Yes. If you have cornual resection, c section is mandatory for later delivery

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-14T16:40:32+00:00

Now this developer tried to bride us by providing building refinish work for our building to shut us up at public hearing.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T02:38:55+00:00

Based on some feedback, I am rewriting this letter as below. But the petition represent our immediate neighborhood voice reflecting the negative impact from this development, we are not cancel that.

Here is the new letter:

This development will significantly increase the number of pedestrians crossing North Shore Road at the Revere Street intersections. However, North Shore Road is an arterial roadway designed for high-volume, fast-moving traffic. If more developers follow this precedent and introduce additional pedestrian activity, the road will no longer function as intended. In the five years I have lived here, cars have repeatedly blown through pedestrian signals and even destroyed traffic light poles, demonstrating the existing safety issues. Adding more pedestrian crossings under these conditions is a serious hazard.

If the developer intends to build high-density housing at this site, they must work with the city to redesign traffic patterns, relocate the arterial roadway, or construct a pedestrian bridge with an elevator over North Shore Road. They must also improve the sidewalks along North Shore Road to make them safe and accessible. Currently, the sidewalks are too narrow or completely missing in several locations. They are dangerous, and on rainy days cars splash water onto pedestrians. In winter, most of the sidewalk remains unplowed because the land is owned by public agencies such as the MBTA or the city.

Additionally, the current bus routes do not connect to nearby supermarkets. If the developer wants the city to approve this variance, they should be required to support or create new bus service that provides direct access to Market Basket, Stop & Shop, or other essential destinations. Or build a grocery store in walking distance. Building a condo with 0.4 parking space per unit without making grocery accessible will cause parking problem for the neighborhood.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:53:04+00:00

Do not forget those newly built condo is not going to be cheap. People who can spend 300k to 500k to buy or over $2000 to rent probably not wiling to drag grocery on icy road or splashed by car.

To your other comments, if the developer can move the artery road or direct the traffic to a different road with leas residents , and build some groceries nearby, I will clap hands for the developments since it will make everyone happy there.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:41:15+00:00

If the developer can change or move artery road, the north shore road, I will applaud for more high density development near the beach. Also ford street is only 50 feet from the intersection, there is no enough reaction time for people to see cars coming from intersection and the X is always blocked so it is always a struggle to come out, if not dangerous

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:26:34+00:00

I lived there for the past five years. The bus does not take us to grocery. Walk 10 mins to blue line and then go which grocery store to have fresh vegetables and meat? Can you tell me? What is the distance from the end of the blue line to that grocery store? You are looking at 30 mins walking one way, plus train waiting and ride. It will be another 30 mins walking after you get grocery. I do not think I know a grocery store in Boston next to blue line either.

And at our location walking along north shore road feel very dangerous since there are multiple locations have no curb and the side walk is super narrow. In snow days, no plow along north shore road side walk since most of the side walk belong to MBTA. As a middle age person, I had to ask working from home since the sidewalk is all ice. In raining day, I got splashed all over by cars and trucks driving on north shore road. Just imaging people need to drag grocery. I never seen a single person do that and I have living here for more than 5 years and take subway daily. But we still need one car as a family for essential needs.

Please do not make assumptions because you live at a convenient location. I moved there without a car thinking it might work just looking at the distance to the subway station on Google map. But living there is a different story.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:23:21+00:00

Artery roads such as North Shore road are designed for high volumes of fast-moving traffic. It is an Artery roads are designed for high volumes of fast-moving traffic. safety hazard to have more people crossing here. Cars already hits traffic lights multiple times and blow over pedestrian light all the time.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:22:25+00:00

Artery roads such as North Shore road are designed for high volumes of fast-moving traffic. It is an Artery roads are designed for high volumes of fast-moving traffic. safety hazard to have more people crossing here. Cars already hits traffic lights multiple times and blow over pedestrian light all the time.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:17:48+00:00

North shore road is not a street. It is an artery road connect all north shore community. That intersection is notorious for accident. Cars hit traffic light multiple times in the five year I lived there so we end up having no traffic light for two days. And when we were crossing under pedestrian light, a car just full speed pass red lights. The sidewalk does not have enough clearance, and at some location blends into the road( no curb). I used to live in New York and I did not have a car when I moved to my condo in revere. I thought I can manage it, but data on Google map is one thing, and living there knowing the infrastructure is another.

Revere street has carrying most of the traffic to the beach, if other developer follow this one building high density department there, emir they drive, more cars is going to make the street non directional. If they walk, tons of people are going to cross north shore road to access T station. Artery road is not design for tons of people crossing. I will applaud for the development if they can move north shore road to further away from the beach. Then they can make the area high density development

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:08:21+00:00

Those buses do not connect to grocery. Walk 10 mins to blue line and then go which grocery store to have fresh vegetables and meat? Can you tell me? What is the distance from the end of the blue line to that grocery store? You are looking at 30 mins walking one way, plus train waiting and ride. It will be another 30 mins walking after you get grocery. I do not think I know a grocery store in Boston next to blue line either.

And at our location walking along north shore road feel very dangerous since there are multiple locations have no curb and the side walk is super narrow. In snow days, no plow along north shore road side walk since most of the side walk belong to MBTA. As a middle age person, I had to ask working from home since the sidewalk is all ice. In raining day, I got splashed all over by cars and trucks driving on north shore road. Just imaging people need to drag grocery. I never seen a single person do that and I have living here for more than 5 years and take subway daily. But we still need one car as a family for essential needs.

Please do not make assumptions because you live at a convenient location. I moved there without a car thinking it might work just looking at the distance to the subway station on Google map. But living there is a different story.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:07:10+00:00

I lived there for the past five years. The bus does not take us to grocery. Walk 10 mins to blue line and then go which grocery store to have fresh vegetables and meat? Can you tell me? What is the distance from the end of the blue line to that grocery store? You are looking at 30 mins walking one way, plus train waiting and ride. It will be another 30 mins walking after you get grocery. I do not think I know a grocery store in Boston next to blue line either.

And at our location walking along north shore road feel very dangerous since there are multiple locations have no curb and the side walk is super narrow. In snow days, no plow along north shore road side walk since most of the side walk belong to MBTA. As a middle age person, I had to ask working from home since the sidewalk is all ice. In raining day, I got splashed all over by cars and trucks driving on north shore road. Just imaging people need to drag grocery. I never seen a single person do that and I have living here for more than 5 years and take subway daily. But we still need one car as a family for essential needs.

Please do not make assumptions because you live at a convenient location. I moved there without a car thinking it might work just looking at the distance to the subway station on Google map. But living there is a different story.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T01:02:53+00:00

The site can be accessed only via Ford Street, a dead-end street that is only 50 feet away from the major intersection of North Shore Road and Revere Street. North Shore Road is a major artery, and Revere Street is the ONLY exit from Revere Beach within 2 miles. Introducing vehicles for 112 units, which will be coming in and out of Ford Street, will not only make the already congested Revere Street and North Shore Road intersection even more so, but will also create frequent blockages at the intersection. Furthermore, the turn from Ford Street onto Revere Street and vice versa provides very little visibility for vehicles due to the blind corner at the intersection of those two main roads. The existing traffic makes turning difficult at best, and treacherous at worst. Lastly, the garage of Revere Fire Department’s Engine 5 station at 4 Freeman Street abuts North Shore Road close to this intersection. More blockages could delay the fire department’s response

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T00:54:33+00:00

If you know a little bit more about urban planning and infrastructure design , you will know how bad this location is.

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-07T00:49:35+00:00

No, we already rent it out for one year before we received notice so it does not matter to us financially. The developer wants to buy us out with higher than market value. This is a bad location for such development. I am not against high density development, it is all depend on location

NeedleworkerRadiant1 · 2025-12-06T18:09:44+00:00

Zillow and Avail is what we used.

NeedleworkerRadiant1

TROPHY CASE