What was it like to build a house with FLW?

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The common lore is that he was impossibly difficult to work with, with an almost facist imposition of his will on clients.

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The truth appears different.

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The average FLW client was an upper middle class, well educated person. Clients reported that he would meet with them personally and was a good listener.   (Wright did less than 10  commissions with people who were truly rich.)

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Wright's fees were standard: 10% of the cost of the project, including furniture.  For a $12,000 Usonian home, his fee would be $1.200.  Adjusted for inflation, FLW's fee for Sturges wold come to $21,000 today.

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A researcher decided to separate fact from fiction by extensively interviewing and surveying 33 FLW residential clients-- and the results were surprising.  

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In summary the homeowners said:

Positives

--  Wright was charming and agreeable in consultation

--  Wright did not arrogantly dictate terms (although he was persuasive)

--  Wright would attempt to value engineer costs lower when construction bids came back high (and they often did)

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Negatives

--  Wright took way longer than promised to return plans

--  Wright's kitchens were much too small

--  Some of Wright's furniture was unlivable and  homeowners would find reasons to remove it

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