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WILLIAM POWELL ARCHITECT |
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Our Fee Architects
typically charge for their services in one four ways: a fixed fee; a percentage
of the cost of construction; a cost per hour, or; a per-square-foot
fee. WPA generally favors a percentage based fee, for the
complete four phases of services including through the construction period.
This last phase is the least expensive generally, and the middle design phase
the most, so we recommend against ending our working relationship at the
beginning of construction - for many reasons, which can be discussed further.
We
begin after receipt of an appropriate retainer and bill monthly for the
services completed to date. At the beginning, the fee is based on the
approximate cost of construction. When the cost is finally determined with
the contractor, the fee is reexamined. Most often it averages out to about
10% overall, in the end. Obviously,
a small to medium sized firm's overhead costs must factor significantly into
this equation, also. As a single
person firm, our overhead is lower. The
four methods of establishing a fee: A fixed
fee is difficult to establish and is best suited to repetitive
work - such as additional, duplicate phases of a large development. It can
however, be limited to a single initial phase of the services. A
percentage of the cost of construction is
just that - and varies with the complexity and quality level of the project. Typically, architects charge in the range
of 5 to over 20%. A cost per
hour fee is simple but open ended if it has no limits. A
per-square-foot fee is only is
realistic with very straight forward standard designs, or "specialized"
work. For instance where a firm only
designs chain motels or repetitive store designs. |
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WILLIAM POWELL ARCHITECT
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Contact Us: wpowellaia@aol.com |