What they cover
Design proper, from sketch to production information.
Administrative procedures, notably assembling the permit application, whose requirements belong to municipal planning.
Tendering, preparing the tender documents and analysing the offers.
Site supervision, whose intensity varies greatly with the appointment agreed.
These four parts are not indivisible. An appointment may stop at the permit, or cover the whole, which changes the amount entirely.
| Fee basis | Calculation base | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Value of the works | Full appointments |
| Lump sum | Scope defined in the contract | Defined appointments |
| Time charge | Hourly rate | One-off appointments |
Methods of calculation
Three coexist, and their logic differs.
A percentage of the works amount, the commonest method, generally degressive with project size.
A lump sum, suited where the scope is well defined and stable.
Time charge, used rather for partial appointments or one-off input.
The percentage method has a rarely discussed consequence: it links remuneration to the works amount, which means the client should check that the choices proposed serve their budget.
Published professional scales serve as indicative reference and do not impose a tariff.
What makes them vary
Four factors, worth knowing before comparing two proposals. They concern the extent of the appointment and the complexity of the project.
The extent of the appointment, by far the first factor. A full appointment and one limited to the permit share no order of magnitude.
Project complexity. A constrained site, an atypical brief or a delicate urban setting increase design work.
Project size. Percentage methods are generally degressive, which reduces the relative share on larger projects.
The number of participants. Depending on the project, specialist appointments are added, structure, services or coordination, each with its own remuneration.
The regulatory role
A specifically Luxembourg point that conditions access to the permit. Appointing an authorised architect is compulsory.
A building permit application requires the involvement of an architect registered with the competent professional body.
This requirement is not a formality: it conditions the admissibility of the application, and it belongs to the guide on working in Luxembourg, where the status and obligations of the participants are covered.
Budget consequence: this item is not optional for a project requiring a permit, which distinguishes it from other ancillary costs.
Comparing two proposals usefully
Four checks, in this order.
List the stages covered by each proposal, from appraisal to handover.
Check the base of the percentage where that method is used, estimated or actual works amount.
Identify the missing services, which will have to be appointed elsewhere and budgeted separately.
Check what is provided for if the project changes, modifications during design being frequent.
A cheaper proposal covering fewer stages is not cheaper, it moves an expense.
What this means for a professional
Four rules.
Describe the appointment by stage in any proposal, which makes comparison possible.
State the base and method of calculation, and how modifications are handled.
Flag explicitly what is not covered, rather than leaving the client to discover it.
Recall the mandatory nature of certain involvement, which is not a budget choice.
This article reflects practice at the date of checking and serves professional orientation. It does not replace a fee proposal or consultation of the applicable texts.