Jiminy Crickets. Just got the proposal from my architects. The hourly rates seem pretty standard, but the Per Diem for traveling is pretty daunting. They're looking at $2400 for the initial trip (to do the study of the place) and then I imagine they'll be one or more trips during construction to sign off on the work before I pay the contractors. Criminy. Do I have this kind of money? I need to spend some more time with my Excel workbooks. I definitely have to put the brakes on spending in other areas. I mean, I'll need some money to furnish the joint. I'm thinking of it as my Le Courbusier Dungeon .