max(€5,000, 3% of the agreed construction estimate)
4–8 weeks after required inputs are received
30% / 40% / 30%, tied to milestones
The contract confirms the exact scope, assumptions and schedule for the specific site. Percentages are fee references, not a construction-cost guarantee.
Project diagnosis
You share the plot, family brief, current materials, timeline and budget reference. I identify the questions that need attention and recommend the appropriate scope. The initial diagnosis does not replace a site survey, engineering review or formal due diligence.
Brief, contract, first tranche
A detailed brief covering plot, family heights, lifestyle, style preferences. A written contract with scope, deliverables, schedule. First tranche (30%) initiates the work.
Site analysis & sazhen calibration
Plot orientation by true north, insolation by season, shadow analysis, wind. Sazhen scale calibrated to your family's heights. Vastu zoning of the future home.
Concept master plan & mid-tranche
Master plan of the home with floor plans, sections, elevations and a documented Vastu review of the rooms. After the mid-stage discussion and approval, the second tranche (40%) is due.
Facade, materials, finalisation
Facade designed in Φ ratios. Material specification by local sourcing. Cost reference for budgeting. The full concept album takes its final form.
Delivery of the concept album
A structured concept album with drawings, tables and explanations. The final tranche (30%) is due on delivery. The album is the agreed design basis for commissioning working drawings with us or with a qualified local team; it is not a permit or construction-document package.
Working drawings, coordination & construction support
Any continuation after the concept is a separate commission. Depending on location and team, this may include working drawings, reviews of local consultants' documents or agreed construction-stage visits. Scope, responsibility, fee and schedule are fixed in a new proposal before work starts.
About working drawings →What I do — and what you decide.
| Stage | Architect | Client | Decision / deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Reviews the site, brief, constraints and appropriate scope. | Shares the current materials, priorities and budget reference. | Go / no-go and recommended service. |
| Brief and contract | Records scope, exclusions, schedule and inputs. | Confirms the brief, signs the contract and pays 30%. | Approved project boundary. |
| Site analysis | Checks true north, sun, wind, terrain, views, noise and restrictions. | Provides survey, planning data and local requirements. | Site and constraint map. |
| Concept | Develops siting, plans, proportions, volume and architectural character. | Joins review meetings, gives consolidated feedback and approves the direction. | Approved concept; second payment of 40%. |
| Handover | Issues the concept album and briefs the local architect or working-drawing team. | Accepts the album and pays the final 30%. | Documented basis for the next stage. |
Enough to approve the concept — clear about what comes next.
Concept album
- site analysis and siting logic;
- floor plans, key sections and elevations;
- proportion, daylight, privacy and material principles;
- decisions and inputs for working drawings.
Separate scope
- local approvals and permit submissions;
- structural and MEP engineering;
- detailed working drawings;
- construction and on-site supervision.
The exact list is stated in the contract. If a local architect develops the next stage, I can hold a handover meeting and provide separately agreed coordination.
Optional stages are commissioned separately.
Working drawings
A coordinated construction-document package. Reference fee: max(€10,000, 6–9% of the agreed construction estimate), 2–4 months, 30 / 40 / 30.
Concept coordination
Review of the local team's drawings against the approved concept. Scope, duration and fee are defined in a separate proposal.
Principles I work by
Transparency on price
No «let's negotiate». Fees use a percentage-of-construction reference with a fixed minimum; the exact scope, stages and payment schedule are fixed in the contract. Full pricing →
Tranches tied to milestones
30% on signing, 40% on master-plan approval, 30% on album delivery. Each tranche is tied to a deliverable. You always know what you're paying for.
Mostly remote, occasionally on site
Calls + writing for most of the project. On-site visits for site analysis and key construction stages when needed.
If we don't fit, I say so
I take 6–8 projects a year. If our values don't align, I'll close the first diagnosis honestly. No false starts.