Excerpt from Building Construction and Superintendence, Vol. 2
The successful practice of Architecture requires not only ability to draw and design, but also a thorough knowledge of building construction in all its branches, at least so far as to know how the work should be done, and conscientious and painstaking supervision of the work.
Without a knowledge of the best methods of performing building operations, and of the materials that should be used, it is impossible for the architect to prepare his specifications intelligently, and so as to secure the kind of work he wishes done; and upon the thoroughness with which the specifications are prepared depends in a great measure the satisfactory execution of the work.
The position occupied by the architect as a judge or referee between the owner and contractor also makes it necessary that he should be able to show such thorough familiarity with common practice as will command the respect of both. Workmen soon discover whether the superintendent is familiar with the difference between good and bad work, and if they find him wanting they are quite sure to take advantage of his lack of knowledge.
After the plans and specifications have been prepared with the utmost care, accidents, failures and bad work are quite sure to occur unless the building operations are carefully and intelligently supervised. In fact, probably more failures in buildings occur from the use of poor materials and bad workmanship than from faults in the plans.
While it is impossible for one to acquire a thorough knowledge of building construction from books alone, it is necessary, for the young architect, especially, to depend upon technical books to a large extent for his knowledge of how work should be done, and of what materials are best suited for certain purposes, and how they should be used. As a substitute for his lack of knowledge, he must rely largely upon knowledge gained through the experience of others, oftentimes at great cost.
In these books the author has endeavored to describe all the ordinary building operations in such a way that they may be easily understood, and to point out the defects often met with in building materials and construction, and to indicate in a measure how they may be avoided.
To get along well with contractors and workmen the architect must feel sure that his opinions and decisions are correct, and stick to them. Of course one can often learn much from practical builders, but unless he is already somewhat informed upon the subject he is often likely to be imposed upon.
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