Fees & Services

How much does an Architect charge to work on your project? Many architects calculate their total fees as a percentage of the final construction cost, but Metroworks prefers to offer a fixed fee for service, based on a budget review prepared by an independent Cost Planner during the Concept Design stage. There are several reasons for this:

Percentage fees have to be based on a budget figure until the construction cost is established, so financial adjustments have to be made during and at the end of the project which can lead to confusion due to the complicated accounting
If the design features recommended by your architect add to the construction cost, the perception may be that they are doing so to increase their percentage-based fees. Although this is not the case, the perception can lead to tension in the relationship between Client and Architect
A fixed fee that is set at the beginning of a project and based on a defined scope of work and independent cost plan allows both Client and Architect to know exactly what is expected of them – if the scope of work remains unchanged, so does the fee

'A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers.' - Plato

Metroworks philosophy is that Architects fees should be related to their level of experience, expertise and to the amount of work they do rather than being entirely based on the cost of the project – why should we get paid more because you choose an expensive bath? However with that approach, it is difficult to fully detail a fee schedule until the complete scope of the project is established.

So we have a different way of getting a project started…

Rather than signing up for full architectural services from day one, Metroworks offers a staged approach. To get your project off the ground, you will be quoted a fixed fee for the first Concept Design stage of your project, with a guide to fee range for the following design and documentation stages. This allows you time to refine your design brief, as well as time to explore different design options and what can and cannot be achieved for your project. It also gives you a chance to get to know Melissa and make sure that she is the right Architect for your project!

Once the Concept Design/s are approved by you, Melissa – along with the help of an independent Cost Planning expert – will be able to provide you with a Budget Review for your project. This will give you a realistic guide to the likely construction cost, before you proceed too far into the design process, where you become more emotionally and financially committed. Fees for the remaining architectural design and documentation stages will then be based on the numbers in that first Budget Review.