Structural fees for renovations? 3

[bsh117]

I've been asked to provide fees for a renovation of a single story clubhouse. The client would like to provide very large openings in existing load bearing walls at some locations, new door/window penetrations in others. He would also like to remove a portion of the exterior wall to provide a 400 sf expansion to the building.

My question is, how do you typically gauge fees on this type of work. Is it a certain dollar amount per area of work, such as the openings? A dollar per sf cost doesn't quite work here.

Thanks!

 

[SLTA]

I just charge an hourly fee. Renovations can provide surprises that lump sums don't always cover. Plus, hourly can help counter scope creep. I usually give a ballpark but refuse to get trapped into a max.

Please remember: we're not all guys!

 

[Ron]

SLTA is correct. Don't do lump sum on remediation....you never know what you might run into!

 

[bsh117]

Thanks guys! Unfortunately, the client wants a "reasonable" not to exceed.

 

[msquared48]

Make a reasonable guess and triple it with no guarantees. That's reasonable for remodels. And get at least 50% of your estimated fee up front. That will test to see if he has the money.

If he balks, walk.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[MikeHalloran]

Reasonable should include enough time to analyze the whole damn building, once as is, and once as they screw it up without your input, and once to remediate that.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Lomarandil]

LPSs for Mike & Mike.

 

[MrHershey]

Ours is usually based on an hourly but most clients want a lump sum, not even a NTE. In that case we'll usually come up with what we think it would take if there are absolutely zero surprises and everything we 'know' going in turns out to be true, and then increase substantially from there (like triple, like Mike said). Really hard to price that way, but most clients won't have it any other way. Even if the fee is enormous most in my area would rather have a solid number than perhaps save money if everything goes swimmingly.

Just have to be very careful with scope and very careful with terms and conditions. Be very explicit what you're looking at and perhaps more importantly what you're not looking at. Make sure you have clauses in there for unforeseen conditions and that you're not doing a survey or inspection to determine everything going on with the existing building. Make sure you're clear what information your proposal is based off of and that information (including existing conditions) not available or not provided may necessitate inclusion or further consideration beyond the scope of your base proposal. And you'll have to fight for those adds, every time. That's a big reason why you have the multiplier, it allows you to lose or even choose not to fight some of those fights so you're not nickel and diming your client every time something unexpected comes up. They get to win some battles, you don't lose your hat.