Design Without Guesswork:
Bluebell Cottage, Picture Garden
Design Without Guesswork: Why We Don’t Charge Percentage Fees
In the UK, most architecture practices still follow a long-established billing model: charging a percentage of the total construction cost. On paper, it’s simple. As the build cost increases, so does the architect’s fee. But in reality, this model can create uncertainty, blurred incentives — and rising costs for clients.
At REAFE STUDIO, we take a different approach.
A Fixed-Fee Model Designed for Clarity
Instead of billing a percentage, we carefully estimate the time, expertise and resources required to deliver the project — and agree a fixed fee upfront.
As long as the brief remains the same, that fee does not change.
No percentage uplift.
No hidden extras.
No surprises.
A simple promise: you know the cost before we begin.
Why We Don’t Believe in Percentage Billing
1. Rising Costs = Rising Fees
Under percentage models, if construction costs rise — due to inflation, material prices or contractor changes — the architect’s fee rises too, even if the work hasn’t changed. We don’t believe that’s fair.
2. Misaligned Incentives
Bigger budgets shouldn’t mean bigger fees. We believe smart, efficient design should be rewarded — not inflated construction spend.
3. Clients Lose Cost Certainty
Percentage fees move as the project moves. Fixed fees hold steady.
The Value of Experience: Data That Makes Pricing Smarter
Over time, our approach has become even more accurate. With every completed project — heritage home, modern extension, commercial space or masterplan — we gather valuable data:
Typical design hours for each project stage
Common planning variables
Heritage vs modern build complexity
Coordination time with consultants and contractors
Likely risk points and approval timelines
This historic project data allows us to forecast workload with remarkable accuracy, meaning our fees are not guesses — they are grounded in real evidence. The more we learn, the more precise our estimates become.
Clients benefit from:
Fair, evidence-based pricing
No inflated contingency fees
Greater confidence in financial planning
Good design shouldn’t feel vague — it should feel measurable, grounded and trusted.
What Happens if the Brief Changes?
If planning feedback or client ambition changes the scope, we simply:
Review the new requirement
Provide a clear cost before any work begins
Proceed only with approval
No assumptions. No drifting fees. Total transparency.
Design Should Serve People — Not Percentages
Our fixed-fee model keeps the focus exactly where it belongs:
Better decisions
Better design
Better client experience
When costs are clear, conversations become honest — and design becomes collaborative rather than transactional.
Architecture, But More Human
We believe beautiful design and clear business logic should coexist. A predictable process creates calm, trust and confidence — the foundations of any great project.
No guesswork.
No financial grey areas.
Just a clear path from first sketch to final build.
If you’d like to explore a project, we’d love to chat — openly, transparently and creatively.
Design should feel exciting, predictable and possible.
And that’s exactly why we work this way.
