Introduction
January’s blog post, “Architectural Fees,” discussed the factors typically considered in arriving at an architectural fee. Each of these factors – fee structure, estimated construction cost, and estimated hours required – is entirely dependent on the scope of work. So what happens when the scope changes after the Owner-Architect agreement has been signed?
There is a domino effect: more architectural work necessitates more time, which requires more fee. Because the original contract does not cover this new scope of work, an “add-service” is required. An add-service is an official document that, much like the Owner-Architect agreement, clearly describes the new or modified service request, adjusted schedule, and additional fee required to complete the work.
When & Why are Add-Services Needed?
Owner Decisions
There are many reasons why an add-service may be needed. Two of the most common reasons are “scope-creep” and indecisiveness. Scope-creep is a term used by those in the industry to describe the expansion of requested services. Often times, a client may approach an Architect with one request, but will add onto that request as they get more excited about the transformation of their space. In this case, the additional requests trigger the add-service. Sometimes, however, add-service documents do not reflect additional requests; rather, they reflect additional time needed to satisfy various design changes made by the Owner. The Owner-Architect agreement may specify a number of design iterations and revisions that the Architect will provide. If the Owner requests more iterations or revisions beyond those agreed to in the contract, an add-service is required.
It is important to realize how many phases would be affected for any new or modified request, as this informs how many hours would be needed to complete the work. Scope-creep tends to produce the more costly add-services because additional time is needed in multiple phases: documentation, schematic design, and construction documents, as well as potential hours for permitting, interior design, and construction administration. However, a client that requests more options for schematic design, for example, will not have as high of an add-service cost, because only the schematic design phase would be affected at that point.
Special Services
Additional services can also refer to services offered by the Architect that are outside of a typical scope of work. For example, cabinetry selections, interior design, electrical schematics, and structural schematics are all specialties that are typically offered by outside consultants with their own separate contracts. An Architect may offer these services for an additional fee in the Owner-Architect Agreement, though it is important to note that not all Architects can or will offer these services. If they do, however, opting into these additional services can generally be more time- and cost-effective for the client, because the Architect will not need to coordinate back-and-forth with various consultants to achieve a functional and cohesive design. This saves the client both time and, therefore, fee.
The Bottom Line
Add-services are not a bad thing. The nature of an architectural project is dynamic and fluid; changes to scope, design preferences, product availability, timeline, and other aspects should be anticipated to a degree by both the Architect and the Owner, as is stated in the Owner-Architect agreement. Architectural projects have significant costs and implications for the Owner, so it’s important that the project is designed to the Owner’s liking. Likewise, architectural projects take a wealth of knowledge and a significant amount of time to design and coordinate, so it is important for the Architect to be appropriately compensated. A good architect should be willing to work with the Owner through any and all changes, but additional time will require additional compensation. At the end of the day, both parties endeavor to achieve a fully functional and beautiful design!