Two proposals can describe the same house and cover very different work. Before comparing fees, check what each team will deliver, who will coordinate the disciplines and what support continues during construction.

The most useful comparison is a written scope table. Put the proposals side by side and ask each consultant to clarify missing items.

Start with the same brief

Give each team the same information: location, available site documents, approximate accommodation needs, budget priorities and the decisions you have already made. Mention whether the project is a new house, an extension or a renovation.

If one team is pricing a concept design and another is pricing a coordinated design through construction, the totals are not directly comparable.

Ask what drawings and documents are included

Use these questions during the appointment discussion:

  • Does the scope include concept options and agreed revision rounds?
  • What is included for the approval submission, and who coordinates it?
  • Are structural design and drawings included?
  • Who plans electrical, plumbing and other building services?
  • Are interiors and landscape included, optional or outside the appointment?
  • Will the team prepare construction details, schedules or tender information?
  • Who answers contractor queries when work starts?

Ask for a list of deliverables and the stage at which each will be issued. An attractive presentation is useful, but it should be clear which documents the contractor will use to build.

Clarify coordination

An appointment may include several disciplines without explaining who checks their interfaces. Ask who coordinates openings, structural elements, ceiling spaces and service routes before drawings are issued.

Record the lead contact and the approval process for changes. If you request a room-layout change, which drawings will be reviewed and who confirms its effect on the programme and budget?

Understand site support

A site visit, periodic supervision and full-time site management are different arrangements. Ask how often attendance is included, what the consultant records after a visit, and who remains responsible for day-to-day work on site.

Avoid assuming that a broad phrase such as “complete service” answers these questions.

Compare exclusions before the final fee

Check whether surveys, investigations, specialist consultants, statutory charges, travel and additional revisions are included or separate. Ask how extra services are agreed and charged. Obtain clarification in writing before making your appointment.

Your comparison sheet

For each proposal, record: included disciplines, deliverables, revision allowance, site support, lead contact, exclusions, fee stages and extra-service arrangements. Leave an explicit “not confirmed” against unanswered questions.

A useful proposal lets you understand the work you are buying and the decisions you will still need to make.

Further reading

The RIBA Plan of Work separates briefing, design, construction and use into distinct stages. It is a useful process reference, not a statement of Kerala approval requirements or a substitute for your appointment terms. Explore the RIBA Plan of Work.

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