Mark Stephens Architects

Well how much does an architect cost ?

I guess this is the 6 million dollar question at the moment considering the never-ending depression we’re currently battling against. In this age of anti-monopoly/price fixing and considering the range of architects that are currently available (from the Starchitects that have seen their practices either go under or had a huge drop in staff numbers to the hungry one-man practices (of which I proudly count myself); you might as well ask yourself how long is a piece of string.

What I can do however is outline the three key ways an architect normally works, this system is included in the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Standard Agreement between Client and Architect and the RIBA and AIA (and all the other professional architect bodies) will have something similar. I’ve taken the details below for domestic housing but other agreements and percentages are available for other building types.

Method 1: As a percentage of the Total construction cos

The RIAI can no longer provide architects with recommended fee scales but each year they do produce a graph showing statistics for the previous year of Projected Building Cost against the Percentage charged for different Building Types.

The graphs show scattered graphs with median lines for one-off housing projects, Renovations and House Extensions up to €5M. The percentages then spread from 4-16% dependent on the project/cost.

Therefore for a project costing (excluding VAT): €100,000 the total fee for RIAI Work Stages 1-4 (Initial Design, Developed Design, Detail Design and Construction to completion) for a fee percentage of 10% is €10,000.

I would highly recommend this method of working where the architect is retained for the entire project; his/her code of contact requires them to work to your budget and not to deliberately recommend the most expensive option ! This method of work also allows to include other services that wouldn’t be included in the services below such as wall and tiling designs and layouts, advice on sustainable and lifetime design.

Method 2: On a lump sum basis

This is where a fixed lump sum is agreed between client and architect for some or all of the above stages.
This method may be suitable for a part architectural service; for a few sketch designs, the planning application only for example but it should be emphasised that you may not be utilising your architect in the best way; architects will be more committed to the project when their skills are utilised throughout the ENTIRE course of the design, detailing and construction.

The benefit of working this way is that the client knows exactly how much the architectural fees are going to cost in advance of construction. The disadvantage is that the lump sum fee for an equivalent stage may be higher than the equivalent construction percentage basis.

Method 3: On a time charge basis

This is where the work is charged on a per hour basis; the RIAI agreement allows for a ‘principal’ and ‘technical staff’ rate. Using this method may be ideal for short, easily defined projects where the total architectural fee is reasonably low.

The advantage to the architect is that he/she is getting paid exactly for the amount of work undertaken; the disadvantage to the client is that the hours can quickly mount up and costs can quickly spiral out of control.

The hourly rate price may also be a higher rate than either the equivalent percentage fee basis or the lump sum fee.

Feel free to comment; would love to hear from other architects and related professionals on alternative pricing methods…

As you may have seen in previous posts, the transition from working in the UK to Ireland can be described as ‘interesting’ at best; one of the recurring questions I have been asked over the years is to explain the difference between an architect and an engineer. I am not sure whether this a curiously Irish (or even a West of Ireland) problem but here I hope to give guidance on when you need an architect.

The problem arises (now that we’re in the deepest depths of recession) with any job very scarce to find that all professions are liable to grab at any project that comes available; if if they’re not qualified (or more importantly insured) to do it. So here goes, what is the difference ?

The clues really are in the names:

ENGINEER : ENGINE : The root of engineer comes from the Latin ingenium, meaning ENGINE which referred to one’s ability to create things, one’s native genius and it is also the source of ingenious and ingenuity. Its first meaning in English, from about the fourteenth century, was very much this one of mother wit or genius, a skill in devising things. Such devises that would be ‘engineered’ would originally be the stocks, then latterly beer and fire engines !

Obviously the world has moved on since then and the profession of engineers is split into may different areas such as civil engineering, structural engineering etc…

Original text from http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/engine.htm

ARCHITECT : Comes from the Greek ἀρχιτέκτων – arkhitekton, from ἀρχι- “chief” and τέκτων “builder, carpenter”).

Therefore, the root of ‘arch’ therefore is ruler, chief or creator (as in ARCH-Bishop) and the architect therefore is:

ARCHITECT = The creator of a design or plan for a building

So therefore, if you want someone to help you plan your house, or to design the plans of your building then you should employ an architect. And if you want an architect in Ireland then you should contact me !

Next blog post will be on why architects and engineers should work together…

Following my Tweet ‘I refuse to participate in any recession’ I thought I’d give a few tips that may help other architects and designery types claw their way out of the ‘black hole of doom’:

Doing the best you possibly can do and forget about the money

The first thing you need to do is to provide the best service you possibly can – if you don’t your client will go elsewhere.

Bend over backwards to help your client – if you don’t somebody else will.

Don’t constantly think about money. It’s a bit like girlfriends (and boyfriends); you’ll never get one when you’re desperate, relax, don’t think about the money and the jobs will come in – nobody wants someone desperate and constantly looking for money.

Now think about the money !

Batten down the hatches

Work is going to be harder to get – but it is out there! The trick is not spending thousands on trying to get the smaller number of projects that are available. The three expenditures that will cripple your business are:

a. Staff

Pare down and don’t be afraid of letting staff go. I realise that it’s very difficult emotionally to let people go but the alternative is for the business to fail and nobody has got a job. Always remember that you can always rehire when things have picked up.

b. Overheads

The biggest fixed overhead will be your premises. See if you can rent somewhere cheaper or try to renegotiate your rent, or do as I did (even before the recession kicked in) work from home. I bet you’d be surprised how many businesses could effectively work from a home office; you could even set up a showroom in one of the rooms !

You also need to cut back your expenditure on the nice items you once bought pre-recession; do you really need that new laptop (or iPad Mark!), what about that new camera you promised yourself ? Or how about that new car you used to get every year. Things are tough and cut backs will need to be made.; think first about whether the expense is essential, make do with what you have and wait a little longer ?

c. Marketing

In a recession, everybody wants a bit of your money with the promise that it’s essential for your business if you want to survive. FALSE – you need to think very smart about how you spend the money you have. There are a million different ways of spending money on marketing and PR and an equal number of ways of throwing that money away. I’m not saying that you should hide your head in the sand; just be smart about how you spend your money; the days of throwing it away are over.

A bit more on marketing:

You now need to think like a Guerilla when it comes to marketing your business. Think about the money you have and the imaginative, clever and cost-effective ways of getting your name out there without a big-spend. There are million ways of doing this, you just need to think smart and put your marketing hat on.

I’m sorry if all of this financial stuff is getting a bit boring but nows the time to apply your creativity in finding the work that’s out there.

Another boring bit:

In order to survive therefore you need to have a good track on finances. I am lucky to be married to an accountant and each week we have financial meetings to discuss where the business is going, new and old clients, how much money is being spent, where is the money going etc.. (who says romance is dead !). But in order to survive you need to know EXACTLY what you are spending and where it’s going.

This is another topic I’ll be adding to but I welcome all comments on possible ways to survive.

Blatant plug coming up:

If you are looking for an Architect in Ireland (in any county) for any size project (nothing too small or too big) then please CONTACT ME I regularly provide architectural services to UK clients on Ireland projects