Architect Exam Podcast

The architect standard of care is the legal benchmark for measuring your professional performance, and it does not mean perfection.

Standard of care defines the level of skill and diligence that a reasonably competent architect would exercise under similar circumstances. It shows up in every AIA contract, gets referenced in every negligence claim, and shapes how you approach your work every single day.

In this episode, we break down the AIA B101 definition of standard of care, explain the four elements required to prove architect negligence, and walk through real scenarios showing how contract language protects you or creates liability. We also cover the dangerous red flag phrases that elevate your standard beyond what your errors and omissions insurance will cover.

📝 Key topics covered:

• AIA B101 Section 2.2: the standard of care definition

• Four elements of architect negligence: duty, breach, causation, damages

• Red flag contract language that voids your insurance

• Elevated standard of care and how to avoid it

• Construction contingency funds and why they exist

• Documentation strategies that prove you met the standard

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Standard of Care Defined

(1:02) AIA B101 Definition Unpacked

(2:08) Beede vs Coombs: 1896 Ruling

(2:28) Chefs Standard of Care

(3:26) Perfection Is Not the Standard

(3:57) Architecture Is a Service Not a Product

(4:47) Leaking Wall: Process Over Outcome

(5:16) Why Contingency Funds Exist

(7:04) AIA Contracts and Standard of Care

(7:36) AIA Contract Family: B101 A201 C401

(8:19) How Standard of Care Protects You

(9:09) Red Flag Contract Language

(10:31) Marketing Promises Gone Wrong

(11:14) How to Fix Elevated Contract Language

(12:13) Daily Practice: Code, Coordination, CA

(12:48) Documentation Is Your Best Defense

(13:35) Beam vs Duct: Couples Therapy

(14:38) Standard of Care in Four Sentences

(15:16) ARE Boot Camp and Course Resources

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE Standard of Care study notes

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE Courses:

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• AIA Contracts 101

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• Building Systems 101

📚 CSI Certification Courses:

• CDT 101

• CCCA 101

Substantial completion is the most important milestone in construction, and it triggers everything that happens during project closeout. This episode breaks down what substantial completion actually means, how it differs from final completion, and walks through the full closeout process.

We cover the AIA G704 certificate, building commissioning, closeout documents, record drawings, the punch list process, and how to evaluate building performance after the owner moves in. If you're studying for the CE exam, project closeout is the smallest section but it completes the entire CE picture.

📝 Key topics covered:

• Substantial completion vs final completion

• AIA G704 Certificate of Substantial Completion

• Closeout documents and record drawings

• Final payment and retainage release

• The punch list process

• Building commissioning and seasonal testing

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction

(2:21) How the CE Exam Is Organized

(5:13) What Is Project Closeout?

(9:30) Substantial Completion and Closeout

(14:56) Commissioning and POE

(22:35) Project Closeout Study Mistakes

(26:33) How to Study Project Closeout

(33:12) Conclusion

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE 2-page CE study guide

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE Exam Courses:

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• AIA Contracts 101

• CCCA 101 (Construction Contract Administration)

• CDT 101 (Construction Documents Technologist)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

Business entity types for architects explained. This episode breaks down sole proprietorships, LLCs, LLPs, S-Corps, and C-Corps so you know which structure protects your practice and your personal assets.

We start with a real story about two architects who partnered on a project without forming a business entity. They accidentally created a general partnership by default, and that mistake cost one of them $45,000. From there, we walk through each entity type covering liability protection, tax implications, and management structure.

Then we put it all into practice with real scenarios for solo firms, small partnerships, and growth-stage companies. This is essential PcM exam content that most architecture schools never teach.

📝 Key topics covered:

• Sole proprietorship: easy to form but zero liability protection

• LLC for architects: the most popular structure for small firms

• LLP and PLLP: designed for professional partnerships with separate projects

• S-Corp vs C-Corp: pass-through taxation vs double taxation

• How to choose the right entity for different scenarios

• Where business entity questions show up on the PcM exam

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Partnership Gone Wrong: $45K Lesson

(3:55) Business Entity Types for Architects

(4:09) Sole Proprietorship: Zero Protection

(6:06) LLC for Architects

(7:53) LLP: Protecting Partners

(9:26) S-Corp vs C-Corp

(11:34) Choosing Your Business Structure

(14:10) Business Entities on the ARE

(16:01) Starting Your Architecture Firm

(17:09) Recap and Next Steps

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE 2-page Business Entities study notes

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE Exam Courses:

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• AIA Contracts 101

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

Join our free CDT webinar to master Fall 2025 registration deadlines, study strategies, and insider secrets that help ARE candidates efficiently add this valuable certification to their licensing journey.

After Episode 26 about CDT certification for ARE candidates, we got flooded with requests for actionable information. People want to know how to actually get CDT certified.

Emily and I are hosting a free CDT webinar to help you master the Fall 2025 testing cycle. We're both CDT certified and have helped hundreds of people succeed.

The biggest thing about CDT? You're on their schedule, not yours. Unlike the ARE where you schedule whenever you want, CDT has only two opportunities per year with fixed deadlines.

🔗 Links & Resources:

- Register for Free CDT Webinar: https://youngarchitect.com/CDTWebinar

- Episode 26 - Why ARE Candidates Get CDT Certified: https://academy2.youngarchitect.com/are-candidates-cdt-certification/

- Young Architect Academy: https://academy2.youngarchitect.com/

- CDT 101: https://youngarchitect.com/CDT101

YoungWant to learn more about CDT certification for ARE candidates?

Check out our comprehensive analysis of why this certification makes strategic sense for your licensing journey: https://academy2.youngarchitect.com/are-candidates-cdt-certification/

Don't let the CDT schedule dictate your timeline. Get the information you need to make an informed choice about the Fall 2025 testing cycle.

#CDTWebinar #ARECandidates #ArchitectExamPodcast

Confused about the difference between vent stack vs stack vent and worried it might cost you points on the ARE? Layla breaks down these commonly confused plumbing concepts that trip up almost every ARE candidate - but once you understand the simple distinction, you'll never mix them up again.

In this focused episode, you'll master the key differences between vent stacks and stack vents, understand when each is required in building design, learn practical analogies that make these concepts stick, and discover why this knowledge is crucial for solving complex plumbing scenarios on the ARE exam.

Read the full blogpost for this podcast: https://academy2.youngarchitect.com/vent-stack-vs-stack-vent/

Want to master vent stack vs stack vent and other challenging technical concepts for your ARE preparation?

Join our ARE Bootcamp where candidates discuss and master these topics together: https://youngarchitect.com/bootcamp

As Layla mentions, understanding technical concepts like the difference between vent stacks and stack vents becomes much clearer when you can discuss them with other candidates and get expert guidance.

👍 Like this episode? Subscribe for weekly architecture and ARE exam prep content and never miss an upload!

How to build an ARE study schedule that actually works starts with understanding what the exam really requires, and it's not what most ARE exam prep companies tell you.

After helping hundreds of candidates since 2013, I've learned that building a realistic ARE study schedule looks nothing like what NCARB or other prep programs describe. Passing all six exams is a 700 to 1,500 hour project. Most people take about three years. Nobody tells you that upfront, and that gap between expectation and reality is where most study schedules fall apart.

In this episode I walk through a step-by-step approach to creating a study schedule that fits your real life: how to show up consistently, how to use NCARB's own guidelines to study smarter, and the mindset shift that makes all the difference.

📝 Key topics covered:

• How many hours it actually takes to pass the ARE (700 to 1,500)

• Why failing a few exams is normal and doesn't set you back

• How to use the ARE Guidelines as your real study guide

• The difference between hard work and easy work studying

• Why studying for all 6 exams at once almost never works

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction

(1:22) ARE Study Schedule Reality Check

(8:30) Step 1: Show Up Every Day and Build a Study Routine

(10:51) Step 2: Study NCARB Objectives First

(13:33) Step 3: Balanced Learning Approach

(16:21) Step 4: How to Pick Your Exam Date

(17:38) Step 5: The Final Week Before Your Exam

(19:09) ARE Study Schedule Misconceptions

(23:21) The Mindset That Changes Everything

📖 Read the full blog post

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE Exam Courses:

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• AIA Contracts 101

CDT certification is one of the smartest moves an ARE candidate can make during their licensing journey. Offered by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), the Construction Documents Technologist credential covers the complete lifecycle of a construction project from programming through demolition, including project delivery methods, roles and responsibilities of every party, and how buildings come together from concept to completion.

If you've already been studying for the ARE, you likely know 70-80% of the CDT content before you ever open a study guide. That's not a coincidence. PcM, PjM, and CE all build heavily on the same AIA contract foundation that the CDT tests, which means most of the work is already done.

In this episode, Michael and Emily share their own CDT experiences, explain why the testing format is more straightforward than the ARE, and make the case for why this credential is worth pursuing while you're still in the middle of your licensing journey.

📚 Key topics covered:

• What CDT certification actually covers (it's not just specs)

• How CDT overlaps with PcM, PjM, and CE content

• Why the Project Delivery Practice Guide is the core CDT study resource

• The CDT exam schedule and what makes it different from the ARE

• When to fit the CDT into your ARE journey

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) What Is CDT Certification?

(6:27) CDT Certification Benefits

(8:08) The Young Architect CDT 101 Course

(12:57) The CDT Schedule

(14:48) Advice for ARE Candidates

(17:48) Learn More About the CDT

📖 Read the full blog post

🎯 Watch the free CDT webinar or register for the next session

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE and CSI Certification Courses:

• CDT 101 (Construction Documents Technologist)

• CCCA 101 (Construction Contract Administration)

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• AIA Contracts 101

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

Building area measurements explained using the GRUN framework: gross, rentable, usable, and net areas.

If you've ever been confused about the difference between rentable and usable square footage, this episode breaks it all down. Layla walks through the GRUN hierarchy using the Russian nesting doll analogy so the relationship between all four measurement types finally makes sense.

From there we get into how load factors work, what SF/YR actually means on a commercial lease, and how to calculate building efficiency for different project types. Whether you're studying for the ARE or working with a client on a lease negotiation, these are the distinctions that prevent expensive misunderstandings.

📝 Key topics covered:

• Gross, rentable, usable, and net area definitions and how they nest

• Load factor in real estate and how to calculate it

• What SF/YR means in a commercial lease

• Building efficiency ranges by building type (offices, hospitals, residential)

• Common ARE exam mistakes on area calculations

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:28) Introduction

(3:41) The GRUN Framework: Gross, Rentable, Usable, Net

(14:02) Why Building Area Measurements Matter

(17:38) Building Efficiency by Building Type

(21:21) ARE Exam Prep for Area Calculations

(25:06) BOMA Standards and Industry Rules

(27:01) Conclusion

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE Building Area Measurements study notes

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE Exam Courses:

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• Building Codes 101

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• AIA Contracts 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

Architectural specification writing is one of the most important skills in practice, and one of the least taught. In this episode, Emily shares the 10 most common specification writing errors architects make throughout their careers, along with practical solutions for each one.

Every mistake on this list has real consequences: RFIs, change orders, field failures, and liability exposure. Whether you're a working architect or studying for the ARE, understanding how to write and coordinate specs correctly is a skill that pays off on every project.

📝 Key topics covered:

• Why specs are legal contract documents, not boilerplate paperwork

• The coordination gap between drawings and specifications

• How vague language like "high quality" and "as required" creates disputes

• Why copy-pasting manufacturer specs without editing is a liability

• How to write execution sections that actually prevent field failures

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Why Architectural Specification Writing Matters

(2:42) Mistake #1: Poor Coordination Between Drawings and Specs

(7:46) Mistake #2: Vague and Ambiguous Specification Language

(10:10) Mistake #3: Copy-Pasting Manufacturer Specs Without Editing

(12:54) Mistake #4: Ignoring Site-Specific Conditions

(15:01) Mistake #5: Using Outdated Master Specifications

(17:39) Mistake #6: Poor Coordination With Other Design Disciplines

(19:29) Mistake #7: Weak Execution Sections (Installation Details)

(22:18) Mistake #8: Unclear Substitution and Alternate Criteria

(25:03) Mistake #9: Communication Breakdowns Between Office and Field

(27:24) Mistake #10: Mis-Specifying Sustainable Materials and Systems

(30:03) How to Build Better Specification Writing Skills

📖 Read the full blog post

📝 Download the FREE Specification Writing Errors study notes

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

🎯 Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp

📚 Individual ARE and CSI Certification Courses:

• CDT 101 (Construction Documents Technologist)

• CCCA 101 (Construction Contract Administration)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• Building Codes 101

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• AIA Contracts 101

• Mechanical Systems 101

What is a change order in construction? A change order is a formal amendment to the construction contract that adjusts cost, time, or both when the scope changes after the contract is signed.

In this episode, we break down the complete change order process from identification through implementation, walk through the AIA G701 form, and compare change orders to construction change directives, ASIs, and addenda so you know exactly which document to use and when.

You will learn how change orders work step by step, why changes after contract signing always cost more, how A201 and B101 define responsibilities, and how to tell a change order apart from a CCD, ASI, or addendum on the ARE and CDT exams.

📝 Key topics covered:

• What is a change order in construction and when they occur

• The 8-step change order process from trigger to schedule of values update

• AIA G701 change order form and three-party agreement

• Construction change directive vs change order vs ASI vs addendum

• Change order clauses in AIA A201 and B101 contracts

⏱️ Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction

(1:45) What is a Change Order?

(4:30) When Change Orders Occur

(7:15) Types of Change Orders

(9:30) The Change Order Process

(17:20) AIA Contract Context

(21:45) Comparing Modification Types

(28:10) Key Takeaways

📖 Read the full blog post and grab free study notes: Change Orders: Your Complete Guide

📝 Download the FREE 2-page change order study guide: youngarchitect.com/changeorder

🎯 Get access to all ARE study materials with the ARE 101 Membership

Join our 10-week ARE Boot Camp coaching program

📚 Individual ARE and CSI Exam Courses:

• CE 101 (Construction and Evaluation)

• PjM 101 (Project Management)

• AIA Contracts 101

• PcM 101 (Practice Management)

• PDD 101 (Construction Documents and Specs)

• CDT 101 (Construction Documents Technologist)

• CCCA 101 (Construction Contract Administration)

• PPD 101 (Project Planning and Design)

• PA 101 (Programming and Analysis)

• Building Codes 101

• Mechanical Systems 101