Donald:
Professional work carries legal responsibility in any country and the quality of construction or service carries liabilities and consequences.  How should fee proposals be  backed up by law?

Cynthy:
I receive many requests for proposals, more so than normal because of COVID. How do you avoid wasting time and sending proposals to time wasters? I don’t feel comfortable asking for money for an initial meeting, and about 50% of the time, the client chooses not to move forward due to cost of proposal.

Julia:
1. How do you allocate time for client “changes” in the design fee?
2. Do you include a contingency or do you hold the client to a specific number of hours by phase?
3. Do you have a rule of thumb for % of fee by phase? If so what are they? Does that include Programming?
4. Do you include renderings as a basic service? Or do you charge per rendering?

Swapnil:
What are your views about prospective clients proposing approx. 30% negotiations in fees because I’m a new architectural company? What would be the best approach for this situation?

Elliott:
For additions and renovations, but even new structures, it is often necessary to visit the site and to see actual conditions and get a better idea of ACTUAL project scope.
In many instances this also results in a lengthy discussion with potential clients and, like it or not, discussing options and “potential” designs.
Quite often, it turns out they have been “milking you for ideas” which they may use with or in addition to what they learn from other interviews and then use them without hiring you.
Should you charge for such a visit? How can you avoid this because it was also an opportunity to “sell yourself”?

Dinah: 
My query relates to whether an Architect as lead consultant can add a markup (margin) on Consultant’s fees where design variations are approved. Does this have to be implicitly stated in the contract or is it just acceptable practice (esp on government projects?)

Iain:
Can you ask potential clients if they have the money in the bank to meet the costs you anticipate charging?

Joe:
This Joe from Hull England. How do you deal with clients paying fee very late?

Nikos:
Is a RIBA Chartered Architect in the U.K. (legally) obliged to take any project up to building regulations/construction drawings phase or he/she can decide to undertake a project up to planning approval phase and obviously charge accordingly?

Matt:
is it acceptable to insist that a client pays the stage fees before releasing the end of stage reports / documents?