For the last 3-4 years I've been taking on very high-end residential structural design and I like the projects for the most part. Decent sized jobs so there's less admin work to do, relatively low-stress structures, and the fees can be good. It probably makes up 15% of my revenue (I'm a 1-person shop and do my own drafting).
But I feel like it's a crapshoot when it comes to fees. Especially recently. Some clients expect you to charge the same per SF as a relatively simple home, and others understand that high complexity increases the cost per SF.
I'm defining very high-end residential as having roughly these qualities:
[ul]
[li]Construction cost >$1M[/li]
[li]Market value when complete >$3M[/li]
[li]Size >5,000 SF[/li]
[li]High-end features like tall ceilings (12 ft+), canopies, roof steps, mix of flat/pitched roofs, large architectural feature walls, high-end finishes, etc.[/li]
[/ul]
I found this thread from last year and most of the comments are in line with what I like to charge. Something like $1.4-$1.5/SF for a moderate level of complexity. I've gone down to close to $1/SF if the complexity is relatively low, and a few times I've been closer to $2/SF for 2-story or a basement or lots of canopies and/or odd features.
Most recently I did a design for a single-story 7000 SF home with a lot of complex architectural features (mix of clay tile and low-slope membrane roofs, 8 different roof heights, ceiling height up to 16 feet, parapet height up to 23 feet, 6 different attached canopies, 3 sliding panel exterior doors that were up to 45 feet long each, 2 exterior semi-freestanding "feature walls", and some site retaining walls). My fee of $13k was accepted and honestly I think it was low after the effort I spent on those canopies. I had 2 full 30x42 sheets dedicated to the plans and details just for the canopies. There was so much steel to design for them and in the feature walls. Not to mention all the hoops I went through to justify the diaphragm steps to the AHJ.
I'm bidding on another job that is of similar design features but 9000 SF and has a walk-out basement due to it being on a very steep hillside. The client wants to work with me but they have a proposal for just under $1/SF! I can't imagine it's profitable at that fee. Maybe someone is trying to buy the job, who knows. I went in at about $1.5/SF and that was only because I learned of the low bid.
Anyway my real question in all this is: what do you currently charge for this kind of work? I'd like a reality check on what I'm charging with the goal of expanding my business in this market.
I've only gotten maybe a quarter of these that I've bid on. Maybe my fees are too high, maybe I work too slow. I don't know.
But I feel like it's a crapshoot when it comes to fees. Especially recently. Some clients expect you to charge the same per SF as a relatively simple home, and others understand that high complexity increases the cost per SF.
I'm defining very high-end residential as having roughly these qualities:
[ul]
[li]Construction cost >$1M[/li]
[li]Market value when complete >$3M[/li]
[li]Size >5,000 SF[/li]
[li]High-end features like tall ceilings (12 ft+), canopies, roof steps, mix of flat/pitched roofs, large architectural feature walls, high-end finishes, etc.[/li]
[/ul]
I found this thread from last year and most of the comments are in line with what I like to charge. Something like $1.4-$1.5/SF for a moderate level of complexity. I've gone down to close to $1/SF if the complexity is relatively low, and a few times I've been closer to $2/SF for 2-story or a basement or lots of canopies and/or odd features.
Most recently I did a design for a single-story 7000 SF home with a lot of complex architectural features (mix of clay tile and low-slope membrane roofs, 8 different roof heights, ceiling height up to 16 feet, parapet height up to 23 feet, 6 different attached canopies, 3 sliding panel exterior doors that were up to 45 feet long each, 2 exterior semi-freestanding "feature walls", and some site retaining walls). My fee of $13k was accepted and honestly I think it was low after the effort I spent on those canopies. I had 2 full 30x42 sheets dedicated to the plans and details just for the canopies. There was so much steel to design for them and in the feature walls. Not to mention all the hoops I went through to justify the diaphragm steps to the AHJ.
I'm bidding on another job that is of similar design features but 9000 SF and has a walk-out basement due to it being on a very steep hillside. The client wants to work with me but they have a proposal for just under $1/SF! I can't imagine it's profitable at that fee. Maybe someone is trying to buy the job, who knows. I went in at about $1.5/SF and that was only because I learned of the low bid.
Anyway my real question in all this is: what do you currently charge for this kind of work? I'd like a reality check on what I'm charging with the goal of expanding my business in this market.
I've only gotten maybe a quarter of these that I've bid on. Maybe my fees are too high, maybe I work too slow. I don't know.