ABSTRACT
The legacy of the percentage fee is both a curse and a blessing to the profession. There is a culture within some sectors of the profession of accepting these fluctuations in profit, because otherwise making any claim for extra fees could jeopardise the chances of getting another job from the same client. It may simply not be viable for, say, a large commercial practice to work in the social housing sector. The essence of any fee proposal is the charge out rate. Software packages can reduce the burden of dealing with figures and the financial management of the business. Many practitioners have been schooled in percentage fees, and sometimes fail to consider the true costs to the practice when putting together a fee proposal. Every firm of architects is different, not just in size, but also the sector worked in and the philosophy underpinning the practice. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to either fees or business management.
