Services & Fees
JPA can provide a wide range of architectural services; developing your brief; designing the building; specifying materials, selecting fixtures and fittings; defining workmanship standards; choosing tenderers and obtaining prices; inspecting the Works on site and certifying their value. The RIBA identify these different stages as:

1. Appraisal of Client's wishes
2. Conducting a measured survey, preparing 'as existing' drawings and agreeing the brief
3. Preparing outline design proposals
4. Developing the detailed design proposal (leading to a Planning Application where required)
5. Finalising the design proposal and developing the specification
6. Preparing working drawings and specification (including a Building Regulations application where required)
7. Preparing the tender packages
8. Obtaining tenders
9. Planning the building work and mobilising resources
10. Inspecting construction work on site
11. Preparing final record information and making final inspection

We can provide only those services you need or, if you prefer, a 'cradle to grave' service for your project. For private Clients with little or no previous experience of construction, we strongly recommend this latter approach.

To ensure adequate resources can be allocated to your project our fees are generally calculated in one of two ways:

1. where the project value is below £20,000 (excluding VAT) hourly rates are usually more cost effective for you.
2. where the project value is above £20,000 (excluding VAT), fees are usually calculated as a percentage of the net construction cost.

As a general rule of thumb, the bigger and simpler a project, the smaller the percentage fee.

Prior to commencing outline design (Stage C), we usually need to conduct a measured survey of your site or existing property sufficient to prepare adequate 'as existing' drawings; time expended on that work is charged at hourly rates in addition to any agreed percentage. If you already have accurate drawings of your property then we may be able to avoid this, but we would still need to undertake sufficient checks to ensure your drawings are correct. 'As existing' drawings are an essential first step before any design work can be undertaken. They are also used for any Planning or Building Regulations Applications and will form part of the tender documents.

Fees are normally charged in arrears by Stages relating to the amount of work we have done:

Outline design		20% of the total fee
Detail design		20% of the total fee
Working drawings and specification		30% of the total fee
Tender action		7% of the total fee
Site inspection		23% of the total fee

The majority of the Architect’s input occurs before obtaining tenders and the fees reflect that.

For example, an application for planning permission would be made at the end of Stage D. So the fee up to that point would be:

Agreed percentage fee x the cost estimate or contract sum for your scheme x 40%.

Professional fees are subject to VAT at the standard rate.

In addition to professional fees, there may be disbursements to the local authority for Planning Application and Building Regulations Application fees.

tel 01661 853345 | Unit 2 | Bewick House | Horsley Business Centre | Horsley | Northumberland | NE15 0NY | architects@johnpotterarchitect.com

©2011 John Potter Architect Limited