Scale of Charges.

Progress, Volume XVI, Issue 10, 1 June 1921, Page 228

Scale of Charges.

The Council at its last meeting on May 4th endorsed a recommendation by the Special Committee on the “Scale of Charges” that tne new' draft scale be circulated to all Councillors and Branch Secretaries for consideration, and that one month from the date of issue should be granted for a study of the proposals submitted. The documents were all posted, simultaneously, from the office of the Institute on Thursday, May 19th, at 5.30 p.m., and so that the most outlying Branch might have the full month in which to study the proposals, the “ date of issue ” was fixed as Monday, May 23rd, thereby making all reports returnable at the Secretary’s otfice by the close of business (5 p.m.) on June 23rd, 1921.

The re-arrangement of this scale, consequent upon the decisions of the last annual general meeting and the annual meeting of Council, has entailed very great labour upon the Special Committee. The method followed was to first set out the known requirements and directions of Council and members, and discuss them in all their bearings. As a result of this discussion (which occupied the whole of an afternoon and until 6.30 p.m.) the Chairman and Secretary prepared a preliminary draft, and in doing so the old scale, the lately revised R.1.8.A. scale, and that of the American Institute of Architects, were carefully perused for guidance. While the Sub-Committee endeavoured as far as possible to preserve such benefits as might accrue by conformity to “ usage ” or “ established custom ” they desired, as far as possible, to utilise to the full the experience of all English-speaking countries. Where the arrangement or working of clauses in other scales appeared to be an improvement on our own 1 they were adopted, and when any portion of our own scale seemed better suited to our needs it was retained.

■ On the completion of the first draft several meetings took place, all very prolonged, at which the draft was considered most carefully word by word, and as a final precaution the penultimate revise was submitted to the Institute’s solicitor for perusal and to correct any errors or ambiguities of expression that he might consider existed.

The mam idea in recasting the scale was, apart from the elimination of the i| per cent, from builders as ordered by the annual general meeting, to do away with the old form of “ setting out ” by which it might appear that the scale was a sort of “ tariff ” from which the client might select such items as he wished and reject the remainder. Many practitioners must have experiened this, and will readily understand what is meant. The Committee

therefore varied the “ setting out ” by first (in Clause 1 of the “ Scale ”) setting forth the full services and the charges therefor, while in Clause 2 [items of (a) and (b)] shows the charges for partial services. It will be seen that (a) provides for preliminary studies (formerly and—it is submitted—erroneously termed “ sketches ”) to be charged for at per cent., and (b) up to but exclusive of “ supervision/’ 4 per cent. This charge is but a fair and reasonable remuneration for the

work detailed, and includes the per cent, for copies and details formerly charged to the builder. This leaves 2\ per cent, for supervision as before, but by not mentioning it separately the client is not “ invited ” (so to speak) to do away with it. Thus Clause 2 stops at a stage where the otherwise complete service would—in normal cases—become

complete, i.e., by the supervision of the work. In Clause 10 of the old scale an increased fee

was allowable for works costing less than £3OO. This, for a long time past, has been recognised as far too low a figure. The new R.1.8.A. scale for this class of work is a sliding one, varying from 10 per cent, on less than £IOO to 6 per cent, on £ 2,000. The Committee has very carefully considered this method, and, while believing the principle to be thoroughly sound, has varied the maximum and minimum to and £3OO respectively, thinking these limits to be more suitable to conditions in this country. On the figures as now suggested the “ slidewill operate in this way:

And £I,OOO and over ... ... 6|% Very careful consideration was given to the “Housing,” “Quantities,” and “Valuations” section of the R.1.8.A. Scale in view of possible developments here. It must be noted, however, that though a scale is published by the R.1.8.A. there is a footnote in their Kalendar stating that this section is still under revision, dhe Committee therefore thought it wise merely to state that “ this Institute adopts, in general terms, the scale laid down by the R.1.8.A., allowing “ for such variations as are necessary to meet “ local conditions.”

This leaves us the right to adopt the R.1.8.A. Scale as and when it may be finally settled, without the necessity for calling our own members together to confirm every revision of the R.1.8.A. Scale, for it must be remembered that any further alterations made to this draft scale of ours, once it is approved, can only be made by a general meeting of all members, specially convened for the purpose, as laid down by the Regulations. It is hoped that these notes will reach members in time for the special meetings to be called to consider the draft, and that they will prove helpful in coming to a decision.

Not exceeding £300 10 % yy y) yy £400 ... £400 ... 9i% 92% y y yy yy £500 ... £500 ... 9 % 9 % y y > y y y ... £600 ... 8i% 8i% y y yy y y £ 700 ... £700 ... ... 8 % 8 % y y yj yy £800 ... 7\% 7\% yy yy y y £900 ... £goo ... 7 % 7 %