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The debate about fee scales misses the point: how much money does it cost you to provide a service, and how much profit do you want to make. If that can be expressed by a random percentage on a graph, without any reference to the nature of the client and the complexity of the site and planning issues, or the level of design and detailing required, then I wish my architectural colleagues good luck.

Most business sectors seem to survive without fee scales and set their fees to suit their own business model. What needs to change is the profession's culture of being afraid to argue their value to hard nosed clients and developers who often don't appreciate that a relatively small investment in great design early in a project reaps dividends for years to come, be it in a better house, a more profitable shop or more productive office.

We need to be more open and challenging to clients about what services they really want or need, and charging appropriately. By all means some of you will be offering a budget/limited services practice to suit your market, but others will be a premium service with quality design and attention to detail that needs paying for (and the level of staffing this demands). Clients need this variety spelt out to them so they are not just comparing the price, but level of service too. A fee scale graph is too simplistic to deal with this level of diversity within the profession. And for most of us, being an architect is not a hobby (even if we do enjoy it - sometimes), it is our livelihood.

I certainly don't suggest it is easy, but if you are offering the service a client wants, they will eventually see the value in the overall context of a project. Be bold, and raise your fees for 2013 - I have in 2011 and 2012, and intend to in 2013. And ignore any stupid 0% scams! It means I sometimes lose out on the smaller scale domestic work which is often very price sensitive, but if I can't make a profit out of it, why waste my time doing it? It just isn't worth the stress and I might as well spend that time supporting my profession in other ways (such as being as a member of RIBA Council), or playing a role in civic affairs (leading a front-runner Neighbourhood Plan project as an elected town councillor).

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