I work by the hour so the client sets the scope of work and fees for the most part. They decide, and I advise, when the cost effectiveness or appropriateness of using my services has ended. As a general rule the earlier in the project the better the value relative to project impact. In other words, siting the project is probably the most important factor in most projects, the plan layout next in importance, elevation,/sections next, on down to the finishes and hardware. At some point in the process it is more cost effective to use the best products made than have us find an alternate that is suitable and less expensive. The client decides and I advise when the design cost versus project impact effectiveness is being exceeded. That point is different on every project. Working on an hourly basis means a change in direction or scope of work is not cause for contract renegotiations. There is no imperative need to finish a certain project phase because of a commission fee-structure, other than the very real issue that I always have other matters I can attend to. We will take all the time needed to finish that phase of the project and return to it as necessary.
Why not work on commission? One of the reasons is that with a commission often clients want to see many alternate schemes, beyond the initial proposals, just because they feel there is no reason they shouldn’t. The fee won’t be higher they reason, so why not, even though at least one of the first proposals met their needs. Firstly, it creates bad feelings between architect and client, nobody has all the time they want and doing this wastes everyone’s time. Secondly it takes needed time away from other phases of the project unbeknownst to the client. Thirdly, it muddies the design waters. Clients begin to piece together a project out of many of the schemes, like gluing together pages out of a magazine. This is not synthesis, it is the worst kind of compromise. The resulting scheme lacks coherence and vibrancy. Instead of evolution you get Frankenstein.
Hourly, at least with us, is the least expensive. We have very low overhead and are very conscious of waste. We do as much as possible in electronic formats and when we do print we print at the smallest size possible and enlarge at a commercial printer if necessary (most contractors take the bigger documents and shrink them down for convenience). Large format printers and copiers are very expensive to own and maintain, if we had that cost we would have to pass it on. We keep trips to a minimum, this saves hourly costs and milage. We give the clients the option of coming to the office whenever possible to save them money.
Our hourly rate for architectural services is less per hour than a general contractor, many of their employees, an electrician, plumber, HVAC technician, spa or pool service tech, auto repair man etc. We’re less expensive than the commissions realtors charge for selling a pre-owned house and we cost far less than having the builder design it. We are the licensed, experienced professionals that ad design value to your project. There is not a project we have worked on that we haven’t added more value and saved more money than we charge. Some projects we save the clients money with one decision than our entire fee. It is also in the process of earning our fee that we look out for the client’s best interests by acting as their representative in interactions with the general contractor, the city etc. Working on a hourly basis we don’t have a conflict of interest inherent in many other people involved in the project.
