Case Study: In-House Architect from Colombia at $1,500/Month
The Savings
Compared to hiring a U.S. architect in-house:
- Average salary for a staff residential architect in the U.S.: $70K–$90K/year ($5,800–$7,500/month).
- With payroll taxes, benefits, and overhead: $85K–$110K/year ($7,100–$9,200/month).
- Savings with Colombian architect: ~$65K–$95K per year.
Compared to relying solely on the architecture firm:
- Firms typically charge $75–$150/hour for drafting, revisions, and renderings.
- Even 20 hours/month = $1,500–$3,000/month, and turnaround is slower.
- Annual cost for U.S. architect: $85K–$110K.
- Annual cost for Colombian architect: $18K.
- Savings: $67K–$92K per year — plus dramatically faster turnaround.
This gave Southern Crown:
- Speed to client: Pricing custom homes quickly instead of waiting weeks.
- Flexibility: Ability to make changes in-house without being stuck in the firm’s backlog.
- Higher client experience: Prospective buyers see 3D renders and receive budgets faster, helping Southern Crown win more business
So, the impact here is not just cost savings (~80–85% less), but also a competitive edge in the custom home market because they can respond faster and more professionally than competitors.