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renos

Help or advice regarding Architect charges

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Hi, just wondering if it is industry practice for architects to charge for initial consultation, without being formerly engaged for a project?

Bought an old terrace house. Consulted an architect due to leakage issues & considering renovating. He looked through our building plans, directed us to enquire with PUB and BCA (which we did ourselves), but later when we did so and got back to him, he declined to advise further without being formally engaged, saying his fees were 10-15% of construction costs.

Thus we did not ask him any further, nor engage him formally. However, a few months later, received an invoice for consultation fees from him (which was at 1K/hr for several hours), which to me seems rather excessive (considering that he really didn't do much for the project aside from giving us some initial pointers to call PUB & BCA). 

Not sure if he is being fair to charge this way? Any advice or help would be much appreciated!

Edited by renos
summarising
 

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it would be better if you just contact Board of Architects to clarify on this.

if you've not signed anything with him and you feel you are being "exploited", can always lodge a formal complaint against him

 

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Thanks a lot! We do want to be fair to him for his time and services as a professional. But somehow feel quite mistreated overall as unaware he would be charging & at such a high rate.

Yes am emailing to clarify with them. Unfortunately their response time is rather slow due to covid measures too.. 

 

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according to the law on Architect's Professional Conduct and Ethics, they seem to be able to charge a fee based on my layman interpretation of the legal wordings as below. As mentioned earlier, BOA is the best party to clarify on this matter.

 

Fees payable for registered architect’s services, etc.
6.—(1)  Where a registered architect, licensed corporation or licensed partnership (referred to in this rule as a claimant) performs partial services for any reason, including the abandonment, deferment, substitution or omission of any work or part thereof, or if the claimant’s services are terminated for any reason, the claimant shall be entitled to such fees for such partial services rendered, or services performed up to the date of termination of his services as may be agreed between the parties or, in the absence of any specific agreement to that effect, the following fees:
(a) fees for taking client’s instructions and preparing preliminary sketch designs to illustrate the possibilities of a site or cost of a scheme on a quantum merit basis;
(b) fees for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs sufficient to indicate the claimant’s interpretation of the client’s instructions, and preparing preliminary drawings and particulars sufficient to enable applications for permission under the Planning Act (Cap. 232) to be made, based on 20% of the total agreed fees;
(c) fees for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs sufficient to indicate the claimant’s interpretation of the client’s instructions, preparing preliminary drawings and particulars sufficient to enable applications for permission under the Planning Act (Cap. 232) to be made, and for obtaining such permission, based on 25% of the total agreed fees;
(d) fees for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, making approximate estimates of cost of works by cubic measurement or otherwise, and preparing sufficient drawings for applications for approval of building plans to be made, based on 45% of the total agreed fees;
(e) fees for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, making approximate estimates of cost of works by cubic measurement or otherwise, preparing sufficient drawings to enable applications for approval of building plans to be made, and for obtaining such approval, based on 50% of the total agreed fees;
(f) fees for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, obtaining planning permission and approval of building plans, and preparing working drawings, specifications or such other particulars as may be necessary for —
(i) the preparation of bills of quantities by an independent quantity surveyor; or
(ii) for the purpose of obtaining tenders, based on 65% of the total agreed fees, and includes such proportion of the remaining 35% of the total agreed fees as the value of the completed building works bears to the total value of the building works.
 

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Thanks for the link Snoozee! Tried to call BOA but their hotline is not operating due to covid, and they haven't responded yet to my email.

Seems (from my layman's reading) too:  that fees are payable if drawings are involved, which were not done in my case. Had 1 site visit, 2 phone conversations, and he went through our building plans. 

He even went as far as to suggest he would go to the Small Claims Tribunal if we refuse to pay his fee. 

Guess for now will probably try to reach BOA to understand whether his charges are reasonable or not... :(

 

Edited by renos
 

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Hi Renos,

Simple basic verbal consultation where drawings or any design was not provided would not be chargeable. 

1k/hr for what you described for that "consultation" is definitely not the norm. ? 


And secondly 10-15% of construction fees is day light robbery hahaha.

 

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4 hours ago, IceEyez said:

Hi Renos,

Simple basic verbal consultation where drawings or any design was not provided would not be chargeable. 

1k/hr for what you described for that "consultation" is definitely not the norm. ? 


And secondly 10-15% of construction fees is day light robbery hahaha.

It’s not daylight robbery if one is a famous architect and clients are willing to pay. My friend’s architect fees for her rebuild was about 13% of overall construction cost 

 

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Thanks IceEyez and Snoozee for the advice! Felt his charge was quite high - though the said person is claiming that 'senior architects with over 30 years of experience are able to charge up to 2k/hr' even. Not sure how real that is.

BOA replied that the issue is a contractual one and thus not under their purview, unless we want to file a complaint against him.

 

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31 minutes ago, renos said:

Thanks IceEyez and Snoozee for the advice! Felt his charge was quite high - though the said person is claiming that 'senior architects with over 30 years of experience are able to charge up to 2k/hr' even. Not sure how real that is.

BOA replied that the issue is a contractual one and thus not under their purview, unless we want to file a complaint against him.

well, for famous and award winning architects, the cost would be high. years of experience don't really make a difference in the pricing since the senior guys will just get the junior ones to do the work. if you are famous, you can charge high. just like how we pay more for a piece of branded clothing compared to a no brand one when the materials are similar.

it's up to you whether to lodge a complaint with BOA or not. if there's no verbal, digital or physical contracts signed and you feel the architect is not being professional in this matter, just lodge a complaint against him.

 

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18 hours ago, snoozee said:

It’s not daylight robbery if one is a famous architect and clients are willing to pay. My friend’s architect fees for her rebuild was about 13% of overall construction cost 

Under the Singapore Institute of Architect's recommended fees for services, even the most complex classification of projects (of which landed houses fall under), the recommended fees range between 5% (projects worth 50m+) to 10% (projects worth 500k+) only. Typically it is much lower then that TBH. 

I've worked in branded award winning architect firms before and they don't charge anywhere close to 10%, even for complex GCBs. 

13% is an outlier, even if your friend is willing to pay for it.

 

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7 hours ago, renos said:

Thanks IceEyez and Snoozee for the advice! Felt his charge was quite high - though the said person is claiming that 'senior architects with over 30 years of experience are able to charge up to 2k/hr' even. Not sure how real that is.

BOA replied that the issue is a contractual one and thus not under their purview, unless we want to file a complaint against him.

I would just ignore the guy. He doesn't sound like he has any basis for any claims, since i suppose you did not sign anything with him?

 

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10 minutes ago, IceEyez said:

Under the Singapore Institute of Architect's recommended fees for services, even the most complex classification of projects (of which landed houses fall under), the recommended fees range between 5% (projects worth 50m+) to 10% (projects worth 500k+) only. Typically it is much lower then that TBH. 

I've worked in branded award winning architect firms before and they don't charge anywhere close to 10%, even for complex GCBs. 

13% is an outlier, even if your friend is willing to pay for it.

well, it's a free society with willing seller and willing buyer. I've heard of fees even lower than 5% for multi-million dollars projects as well.

 

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13 minutes ago, snoozee said:

well, it's a free society with willing seller and willing buyer. I've heard of fees even lower than 5% for multi-million dollars projects as well.

Of course its willing buyer/seller, but basically its fair to point out whats higher than the norm/market rates or when people are out to "chop carrot heads".

Anyway, got large mega malls etc, fees are actually typically in the 0.5-2% ranges. 

 

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I ain't taking sides on this issue. But as a building contractor, these are my previous years of observations on the practices:

Architect charging 10% or higher, may in this case act as Consulting Team Leader. This means Professional Engineer, M&E Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, Landscape Architect, etc are engage & paid by the Leader. This is usual for big project (ie: GCB, Off-Shore Sentosa Residential, etc). I'm not sure on whether this is still practice now.

As for lower cost jobs (Common landed Semi-D, Terrace, etc), the Architect may charge between 5~9% of the construction cost, which in this case does not factor in other consultant's fees as afore-mentioned. "Branded", Famed, Renowned Architect firm may cost 10~12.5%.

Any other jobs with lower projected cost,  the Architect's fee could be a lump sum.

On a side note (Still not taking sides), think about this.

When one goes to the doctor, does the doctor charge for consultation?? I say this as recently my wife had few visit to Gynaecologist. Sometimes, even without medication, consultation fees is charged.

Edited by 3Cube
missing words
 

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