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Our fees are based on the service you need,

not on the cost of construction

Most designers charge a percentage based fee. We don't.

What we do is look at your project brief and then provide you with a fee and services proposal that responds to the depth of service you require and the size and complexity of your project.

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If you don't have a brief, then we can help you build one for a small, fixed fee.

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Each of the services for the design stage is charged at a square metre rate and multiplied by the built area of your project.

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The design work is then broken down into stages. You are only committed to one stage at a time and if the project brief changes, the fees will be adjusted for the following stages. We will never charge you additional fees for work that has already been completed. 

 

If you would like to know more then arrange a free consultation. But for an indication of how our fee system works, see the example below:

  • A client wishes to obtain planning permission for a new house to suit a family of 4 on a sloping site in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the South African countryside.

  • They have a general idea of what they need but have not developed a precise brief, although they have already purchased the land.

  • To better understand the client's requirements, a BRIEF development exercise is carried out for a fixed fee of R10,000 / £600 / 650€ (Fees are charged in the local currency of the project site, unless otherwise agreed).

  • The BRIEF sets out all of the requirements to be met from the number of rooms, their preferred sizes, the priorities of sunlight and privacy, as well as a need to be "off-grid". It also establishes a requirement for a large outdoor deck and pool area.

  • The BRIEF also sets the required quality of finish which, in turn, suggests a typical "guide" construction cost of  for that part of the country.

  • All these factors combine to suggest a feasible size for the project.

  • During the BRIEF development stage, any special requirements such as Environmental Impact Assessments, which will be required are identified.

  • In this example, the BRIEF sets the house at 250 square metres under roof with 100 square metres of external areas to include decks and a pool.

  • There are also special requirements that the house be designed to be "off-grid" and that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be required.

BRIEF DEVELOPMENT STAGE

CONCEPT DESIGN STAGE

  • Based on the completed BRIEF, the RVRA+D fees for the CONCEPT DESIGN stage are worked out as:

  1. Base rate for CONCEPT DESIGN for new build house (100-300 sq.m.) = R450 / square metre

  2. Base rate for CONCEPT DESIGN for external areas = R100 / square metre

  3. Multiplication factor for complex planning requirements = 1.2

  4. Multiplication factor for "off-grid" requirements = 1.1

  5. Total RVRA+D fee = 1+2+3+4 = [(R450x250) + (R100 x 100)] x 1.2 x 1.1 = R161 700

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  • In addition, the following fees would be required to be paid directly to external consultants:

  1. Measured survey of the site = R15,000

  2. External consultant fee to provide advice with respect to EIA = R7,500

  3. Structural Engineer's fees for preliminary assessment of concept design = R12,500

  4. Quantity Surveyor's preliminary cost analysis = R20,000

  5. Total external consultants fees = R55,000

PLANNING SUBMISSION STAGE

  • If, during the CONCEPT design stage, the client wishes to alter the brief in such a way that substantial re-designs are required, then these changes are charged at a rate matching the original CONCEPT design rate.

  • In this example, the client amends the BRIEF to reduce the size of the house to 200 sq.m.

  • The RVRA+D fees for the PLANNING STAGE are calculated as follows:

  1. Base rate for re-design owing to BRIEF modification = R450 / square metre

  2. Base rate for PLANNING SUBMISSION for new build house (revised to 200 sq.m.): R250 / square metre

  3. Base rate for PLANNING SUBMISSION for external areas: R75 / square metre

  4. Multiplication factor for complex planning requirements = 1.2

  5. Multiplication factor for "off-grid" requirements = 1.1

  6. Total RVRA+D fee = 1+2+3+4+5 = [(R450x50) + (R250x200) + (R100 x 100)] x 1.2 x 1.1 = R108 900

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  • In addition, the following fees would be required to be paid directly to external consultants:

  1. External consultant fee to produce EIA report for planning submission = R17,500

  2. Structural Engineer's fees = R12,500

  3. Quantity Surveyor's fees for pre-submission cost plan = R45,000

  4. Total external consultants fees = R75,000

TECHNICAL DESIGN STAGE

  • Should RVRA+D be required to prepare detailed designs and specifications for tender, then these will also be charged for on the basis of metre rates

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