Frequently Asked Questions of ArCH

Note: see Press-PR for a 3rd person ArCH Summary suitable for publishing as an article about ArCH.

 

1.  Question: How many members does ArCH have?

Answer: 

–       ArCH projects having 100 members during the next year or so. 

–       ArCH currently has members from California through North Carolina and from Chicago down through Fort Lauderdale.  Most of the regions in the USA are presently represented, with more being added every day.

–      ArCH only recently decided to begin building membership internationally. 

–       ArCH ultimately foresees tens of thousands of members across the USA & world, as membership grows (possibly hundreds of thousands).  More licensed Architects design homes than any other type of architectural practice.  Eventually, those professionals will become aware of ArCH’s presence and the fact that ArCH is the only professional organization consisting solely of Licensed Architects (no other member types) representing their interests and issues.  There are over a million licensed Architects globally.  If only a tenth of those become ArCHmembers, that would be over 100,000.  However, nothing could prevent there from being several times that number.

2.  Question:  What’s the difference between ArCH and CRAN or CORA? Why would I want to join ArCH rather than those?

Answer:

Many of ArCH’s members are AIA members or were AIA members.  ArCH is not intended as an either/or type of organization.  We all join organizations for different reasons.  Our suggestion is that you join what feeds you the most, both in terms of food on your table as well as professionally and intellectually.  Members are welcome to be part of whatever organization they feel comfortable joining.

That being said, we believe that ArCH has some distinct advantages:

 –       ArCH is ONLY composed of Licensed Architects who focus on residential architecture.  Some other organizations have unlicensed members in them (who compete with Licensed Architects), hundreds of paid staff/ employees, and they have agendas that vary from that of Licensed Architects.  We believe that it is better to focus on the issues of Licensed Architects only, which are unique. 

–       VALUE: ArCH dues is less than one-fourth of some of those other organizations:see the membership page for the current membership fee.  And we believe you get more for your money. 

 –       For instance, THE USE OF DUES: 100% of ArCH dues are spent on improving residential architecture and helping residential Architects.  To ArCH’s knowledge ArCH is the only professional organization whose dues are spent totally on the issues of licensed residential Architects, not on commercial architecture, large administrative staffs, lobbying or other activities.  And ArCH does have income sources, such as dues, ArCHstore, advertising, donations and other sources.  Not all other organizations are sustainable, if they do not have an income source, or if a parent organization does not fund them.

 –       RESOURCES: ArCH members are more like professional brothers & sisters to each other.  When anyone has a problem or question, other ArCH members provide answers.

      DISCOUNTS: When you become an ArCHmember, you receive valuable discounts for ArCHstore products, such as ArCHspec(the only residential specification system), ArCHforms (agreeement forms), and more.

     ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND SHARED INTERESTS: When most ArCH members are asked what major differences they see between ArCH and some other organizations, many answer:
“ArCHmembers are nearly all the owners of their own architectural businesses.  This spirit and knowledge of business know-how differentiates ArCH from most other architectural associations.  That, and the fact that ArCHmembers share their knowledge with each other.  This comradery between specialized business owners marks it as unique “

       If you would like to see the complete range of the Advantages of Being an ArCH Member: (see link): Advantages of ArCH Membership

 

3.  Question:  Where is the ArCH organization based?  Where do its members come from?

Answer:

ArCH members come from all across the United States of America, and now: the world.  ArCH is an American-based international professional architectural society that is global in scope.

At the present time, ArCH was founded as an LLC in the State of North Carolina, however, someday this may be moved to Washington, D.C. or other location that best suits its needs.  This will be determined by future members in the organization.

 

4.  Question: I like what ArCH is doing.  I would like to donate some fund to ArCH.  How do I do that?

Answer:

Click here: Donate to ArCH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links:
Whitehouse Committee on Housing