Managing Client Expectations is what this post is about.  Your ArCHexComm (Executive Committee) identified as the “next thing to tackle” during this last Wednesday’s global ArCHexComm Skype meeting.

Specifically, your ExComm identified the following disconnects:
Managing Client Expectations for:
1.  Architect’s FEES.
2.  Architect’s TIME.
3.  Client’s CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

Thorny issues for any Architect to handle, particularly with all the variables on every project: Client changes, various Contractors either promising or bidding different prices along with unrealistic Client budget goals, Client review times and your time to complete complex projects.

Well, your ArCHexComm has solved the issue of Managing Client Expectations.  How is this possible?  And how to document that the Client actual understands and agrees to these expectation scenarios?  Sounds difficult to achieve.

Actual it’s not.  What?  How could this become simple?  Doesn’t seem realistic.

Here’s how:  your ExComm has added a new paragraph #285 EXPECTATIONS to the ArCH AOA (Architect-Owner Agreement).  In other words your Client, once they sign this updated AOA form of agreement with you HAS agreed that they DO understand what their expectations for these aspects will be.  It seemed like the most expedient method to handle this Client Expectations issue.  And it does.  How?

This new version of the ArCH AOA (with paragraph 285) specifically is entitled:
285. EXPECTATIONS: Expectation for our fees, time and your construction costs.

Under architectural fees, there is a blank where Architects can insert a link to whatever 3rd party website they might wish to link, indicating typical Architectural fees for homes of various sizes, and for renovations., and for additional services.  Each Architect can reference whatever website they wish.  It is recommend that a 3rd party website be linked as a disinterested 3rd party source of public information.  For time, you may insert whatever you wish, with the basic text declaring it will probably be several months.  For construction cost expectations, once again, any Architect can insert whatever 3rd party website reference they wish to help Clients understand the realities of today’s construction costs for nice houses.  In this manner, neither ArCH nor any individual Architect is declaring what estimated fees might be (especially if you are hourly) or construction costs.  Rather: 3rd party references are taking care of that expectation for you.  Seems simple.  Should have been done long ago.

See the newly updated ArCH AOA here: ArCH AOA.