Overview
Architecture is sold by the stage, and the planning permission is the line that decides whether the project even starts
Architects design buildings: new builds, extensions, refurbishments, renovations, commercial fit-outs, and the planning-permission-heavy work that turns a homeowner's idea into approved drawings. The work is split into formal stages (RIBA Plan of Work in the UK, AIA equivalent in the US, AIA stages in Australia), each with its own deliverables: feasibility, concept design, planning application, technical design, tender documentation, construction administration. The customer is rarely an expert and often only thinks they're paying for 'drawings'. The fee is typically a percentage of build cost (8 to 15 percent for residential), and the customer gets confused by the percentage relationship when the build cost grows. A flat 'architectural fee, 10 percent' quote without naming the stages and the deliverables misses what the customer actually gets at each phase.
QuoteGenio gives architects a quoting shape that fits the staged work. Feasibility study as the first phase, concept design with sketches and feasibility check, planning application with the drawings and supporting statements, building regulations and technical design, tender documentation, construction administration on a monthly retainer through the build, and post-completion handover. Send via WhatsApp or email to the client with the stage diagram, take a deposit at feasibility, raise stage invoices as each phase completes, and the same record holds the project programme, the planning approval references, and the contractor's queries through construction.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for architectural practices, from solo registered architects to small studios handling residential and commercial projects.
The problem
The pain points of architectural fee proposals
Architectural fees are stage-driven with deliverables and milestones. Without a structured proposal, clients see a percentage and lump sum and try to negotiate the percentage. The stage-by-stage value disappears.
Stages bundled into a percentage
Concept, drawings, council, construction admin — each is a different stage with different value. Lump-sum percentages let clients negotiate the wrong line.
Consultants absorbed
Structural, MEP, energy assessor, town planner — these are pass-throughs or managed sub-fees. Bundle them and your fee absorbs the cost.
Revision creep unbilled
Without revision rounds stated explicitly, design changes drift and your hours go unbilled.
The fix
QuoteGenio handles architectural proposals
A stage-billed workflow for architectural fees. Itemise stages with deliverables, name consultants as pass-throughs, state revision rounds, and bill milestones. Polished PDFs that win bigger work.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for architectural fees
Line items per RIBA / SACAP / AIA stage with deliverables (concept, design dev, council, tender, construction admin) and consultants.
Send to procurement-ready
Branded PDF on every send. Public link for client review. Print-ready format for project files.
Quote in under 15 minutes
Templates per project type (residential reno, new build, commercial fitout, heritage). Save them per practice for repeat work.
Track stages and retentions
See which stages are invoiced, which deposits have landed, and which retentions are due for release.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how architects actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Architects choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Architects build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Architects job pricing
Rough guide to what architects charge. Pricing varies by project value, complexity, and scope (concept-only vs full service). Heritage, commercial, and full-service residential sit at the top of these ranges.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Initial consult and brief | $ 280 - $ 1,200 |
| Concept design (Stage 1-2) | $ 1,800 - $ 8,500 |
| Design development (Stage 3) | $ 2,400 - $ 12,000 |
| Council / consent submission (Stage 4) | $ 1,800 - $ 9,000 |
| Construction docs and tender (Stage 5) | $ 4,500 - $ 28,000 |
| Construction administration (Stage 6) | $ 3,500 - $ 22,000 |
| Site visits during construction (per visit) | $ 280 - $ 850 / visit |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Always state revision rounds explicitly per stage (typically 2 rounds). Anything beyond is quoted as an add-on. Saves the inevitable scope creep.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing per stage with deliverables named. Use hourly only for additional services and variations. Stage-billed milestones keep your cash flow healthy.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Residential renovation (2-bed extension, RIBA Stages 1-5, council submission)
Stage 1: Initial brief and feasibility
Stage 2: Concept design (2 rounds revisions)
Stage 3: Design development
Stage 4: Council submission and approval
Stage 5: Construction documentation
Structural engineer (managed pass-through)
Energy assessor (managed pass-through)
Site visits during construction (5 visits, allowance)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Initial brief and feasibility | 1 | $ 1,800 | $ 1,800 |
| Stage 2: Concept design (2 rounds revisions) | 1 | $ 4,500 | $ 4,500 |
| Stage 3: Design development | 1 | $ 6,500 | $ 6,500 |
| Stage 4: Council submission and approval | 1 | $ 4,800 | $ 4,800 |
| Stage 5: Construction documentation | 1 | $ 8,500 | $ 8,500 |
| Structural engineer (managed pass-through) | 1 | $ 3,800 | $ 3,800 |
| Energy assessor (managed pass-through) | 1 | $ 1,200 | $ 1,200 |
| Site visits during construction (5 visits, allowance) | 5 | $ 480 / visit | $ 2,400 |
| Subtotal | $ 33,500 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 3,350 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 36,850 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Peer snapshot
How Architects actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Architects on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
20
Quotes sent per month
60%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
$ 36,850
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Architect jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of architectural practices. The same stage-billing, consultant, and revision mistakes come up project after project. Fix these and your fee margin per project will lift while clients respect the structure more.
Mistake: Lump-sum percentage quote
Better: Quote stage-by-stage with deliverables. Clients negotiate the percentage; they accept the stage.
Mistake: Consultants absorbed
Better: Name structural, MEP, energy assessor as pass-throughs or managed sub-fees. Don't absorb client costs.
Mistake: No revision rounds stated
Better: Specify rounds per stage (e.g. 2 included). Anything beyond is an add-on. Saves scope creep.
Mistake: Site visits unbilled
Better: Quote site visits per visit or as a banded allowance. Don't absorb the construction admin time.
Mistake: No payment terms on retainers
Better: State 'monthly in advance' or 'net 14'. Without it, clients drift to net-60.
Mistake: Skipping the design fee on bespoke
Better: Bespoke or unusual projects need design hours billed explicitly. State the design fee upfront.
Mistake: No exit clause
Better: State the exit fee or notice period if the project pauses. Protects both sides.
Mistake: Vague drawing-pack scope
Better: List exactly which drawings are included (plans, sections, elevations, details). Otherwise expectations diverge fast.
Step by step
How to quote architectural fees
Quote stage-by-stage with deliverables named. RIBA, SACAP, AIA stages are recognised industry standards. Each stage has its own deliverable set and its own value. Clients comparing architects compare on stage cost, not on overall percentage.
Name consultants explicitly. Structural, MEP, energy assessor, town planner — list them as pass-throughs (you bill at cost) or managed sub-fees (you bill at cost plus management). Don't absorb consultant costs into your fee.
State revision rounds per stage. Two rounds per stage is standard. Anything beyond is quoted as an add-on at hourly rate. Saves the 'just one more change' scope creep.
Bill milestones cleanly. Convert each completed stage into an invoice from the same accepted quote. Cash flow stays healthy through the project life.
FAQ
Common questions from architects
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Add a line item per stage with deliverables noted. Clients accept stage-by-stage more readily than lump-sum percentages.
Yes. Convert each completed stage into an invoice from the same accepted quote. Cash flow stays healthy.
Yes. Structural, MEP, energy assessor — name them. Don't absorb consultant costs into your fee.
Yes. Premium includes recurring invoices, ideal for advisory or ongoing-design retainers.
Yes. Per stage (typically 2 rounds). Anything beyond is an add-on. Saves scope creep.
Yes. The free plan covers 5 quotes and 2 invoices a month. Premium unlocks unlimited quotes plus recurring retainer invoicing.
Yes. Save line items per project type (residential reno, new build, commercial) and reuse in seconds.
Yes. 25 to 50 percent at concept stage. State deposit terms on the proposal.
30 to 90 days. Architectural fee proposals have longer sales cycles. State validity.
Yes. Every quote has a public link. Acceptance is one tap, no signup required.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Reviews
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Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
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Guides
Guides for Architects
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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