Affordable services or projects are improbable on a commission basis. A commission has to be large to insure a profit after taking into account all the possibilities of unforeseen circumstances, incidentals and overhead. Ironically, on a commission basis, the worst clients get the “best deal” and the best clients get the “worst deal” relative to the amount of time the firm spends on the project. Project quality is a result of the client and architect relationship. Commissions are based on the cost of the project so there is no incentive to find ways to make a project less expensive. By the hour, clients pay only for the services they ask for and need. Our clients are pleased with how fast their projects get finished and the innovative ways we find to cut costs and increase performance.
Another benefit of working by the hour is that without a commission to justify, we do not have to produce and submit weighty, complicated documents that invariably drive up the cost of the project. These documents invariably don’t allow the general contractor or trades to perform their jobs as experience tells them to. I prefer to work with the clients to find people that take pride in offering only quality work, then there is little need to tell them how to do their job, just what we want to accomplish. We often consult with the people that perform the construction services to determine the most cost effective methods and materials. We work with people instead of having an antagonistic relationship. Rather than an expensive and time consuming bidding process we recommend a negotiated agreement with a reputable contractor. Everything we do is towards the purpose of crafting the best possible project for the least possible cost. We take pride in providing fast, affordable services and having a conscience.