money, money, money…
This will be our final article on architectural professionals (AP’s)! Phew…
We have learnt a tremendous amount through or dealings with different architects and through publishing these articles for you. We hope that they will be beneficial in arming you with the right information to improve your overall building experiences. Remember, if you have any suggestions, check out our Facebook page or leave your comments on our blog.
Here are the previous three articles:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
PROFESSIONAL FEES
Money is always a touchy subject; if you’re paying, it’s too much; if you’re earning, it’s not enough. Human nature is to always want more and the love of money can become an insatiable desire! That’s why it’s good to have some kind of benchmark from which to discern value. In professional, regulated industries, one will generally find that there are guidelines set out for fee structures and the accepted value of a service. The architectural industry is no different and on SACAP’s site one will find links to give more insight into standard charges for professional architectural services. Our consultant, Craig Canter from Parallax, advises that in South Africa, most AP’s charge around 40% of the recommended rate, because it has become such a competitive industry.
We had a look on the SACAP website to check it out. They give a recommendation for the breakdown in project fees. For example, if an AP is working on a project that is valued at R2m, their costing should look a little like this:
Project base fee R 40 000 (this is different for every project, normally based on hours)
7% of project value R 140 000 (most architects will be slightly negotiable on this)
TOTAL FEE R 180 000
WHAT WILL YOU GET?
Having been told this, and seeing it on the site, we have had a different experience. It’s possible that this billing system is specific to residential properties, but our experience is that AP’s charge per square-meter. We have worked with various consultants and their fees have ranged from R55,00 to R325,00 per square. Hence, our advice is to consider the following:
Most architects will, for the quoted fee, supply digital 3D views of the design, detailed window and door schedules, electrical layouts and more. Basically, all the technical design spec that should go into the project should be available through your AP. The software and associated costs to render and supply these types of visuals is extremely expensive. If you want the fancy stuff (which has pretty much become a standard), it’s going to cost you.
Always confirm exactly what you will get and make sure that you communicate clearly what you would like. If you are expecting to receive a mini-model of the design, large charts to hang on the walls of your foyer, or other such promotional material, let your AP know so that they can include it in their quotation. You can thus avoid having to pay extra fees for large profile prints and other such expenses. Also, check your AP's drawings and the level of detail shown, as this will have a direct impact on the building contractor's quote and the finished product.
We really hope that in reading this you will be better equipped to make sound choices in your professional service providers. All of our articles are based on our experience and opinions; we would love to hear yours too. If you would like to keep up with the trends and current news in our industry, or perhaps need help in building your home, send us an email or follow us on Facebook.
This will be our final article on architectural professionals (AP’s)! Phew…
We have learnt a tremendous amount through or dealings with different architects and through publishing these articles for you. We hope that they will be beneficial in arming you with the right information to improve your overall building experiences. Remember, if you have any suggestions, check out our Facebook page or leave your comments on our blog.
Here are the previous three articles:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
 |
| <view source> |
PROFESSIONAL FEES
Money is always a touchy subject; if you’re paying, it’s too much; if you’re earning, it’s not enough. Human nature is to always want more and the love of money can become an insatiable desire! That’s why it’s good to have some kind of benchmark from which to discern value. In professional, regulated industries, one will generally find that there are guidelines set out for fee structures and the accepted value of a service. The architectural industry is no different and on SACAP’s site one will find links to give more insight into standard charges for professional architectural services. Our consultant, Craig Canter from Parallax, advises that in South Africa, most AP’s charge around 40% of the recommended rate, because it has become such a competitive industry.
We had a look on the SACAP website to check it out. They give a recommendation for the breakdown in project fees. For example, if an AP is working on a project that is valued at R2m, their costing should look a little like this:
Project base fee R 40 000 (this is different for every project, normally based on hours)
7% of project value R 140 000 (most architects will be slightly negotiable on this)
TOTAL FEE R 180 000
WHAT WILL YOU GET?
Having been told this, and seeing it on the site, we have had a different experience. It’s possible that this billing system is specific to residential properties, but our experience is that AP’s charge per square-meter. We have worked with various consultants and their fees have ranged from R55,00 to R325,00 per square. Hence, our advice is to consider the following:
Most architects will, for the quoted fee, supply digital 3D views of the design, detailed window and door schedules, electrical layouts and more. Basically, all the technical design spec that should go into the project should be available through your AP. The software and associated costs to render and supply these types of visuals is extremely expensive. If you want the fancy stuff (which has pretty much become a standard), it’s going to cost you.
Always confirm exactly what you will get and make sure that you communicate clearly what you would like. If you are expecting to receive a mini-model of the design, large charts to hang on the walls of your foyer, or other such promotional material, let your AP know so that they can include it in their quotation. You can thus avoid having to pay extra fees for large profile prints and other such expenses. Also, check your AP's drawings and the level of detail shown, as this will have a direct impact on the building contractor's quote and the finished product.
We really hope that in reading this you will be better equipped to make sound choices in your professional service providers. All of our articles are based on our experience and opinions; we would love to hear yours too. If you would like to keep up with the trends and current news in our industry, or perhaps need help in building your home, send us an email or follow us on Facebook.
