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Council of Architecture Fee Compliance Check
Check whether the fee you are about to quote sits below the statutory minimum.
Why this exists. Fee undercutting is the defining problem in Indian practice and no free tool tells an architect where the legal floor actually sits.
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- Your fee at 5.00%
- ₹2,50,000 (2.5 lakh)
- Statutory minimum at 7.50%
- ₹3,75,000 (3.75 lakh)
- Differencebelow the minimum
- ₹1,25,000 (1.25 lakh)
- Documentation and communication (10%)
- ₹25,000
- GST at 18%
- ₹49,500
- Retainer on appointment₹20,000 or 5 per cent of fee, whichever is higher, adjusted at the final stage
- ₹20,000
| Stage | Cumulative | This payment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Concept design and rough estimate | 10% | ₹25,000 |
| 2. Preliminary scheme and estimate | 20% | ₹25,000 |
| 3a. Drawings for client and statutory approval | 30% | ₹25,000 |
| 3b. On approval to commence | 35% | ₹12,500 |
| 4. Working drawings and tender documents | 45% | ₹25,000 |
| 5. Tender analysis and contractor appointed | 55% | ₹25,000 |
| 6a. Working drawings issued for site | 65% | ₹25,000 |
| 6b. 20 per cent of work complete | 70% | ₹12,500 |
| 6b. 40 per cent complete | 75% | ₹12,500 |
| 6b. 60 per cent complete | 80% | ₹12,500 |
| 6b. 80 per cent complete | 85% | ₹12,500 |
| 6b. Virtual completion | 90% | ₹12,500 |
| 7. Completion report and as-built drawings | 100% | ₹25,000 |
Your quote is ₹1,25,000 below the Council of Architecture minimum of 7.50%. Under the Architects (Professional Conduct) Regulations 1989 that is a matter of professional conduct, not just commercial preference.
A fee quoted near the minimum usually covers design and approval drawings only. The minimum and full service are different products, so comparing headline percentages is rarely like for like.
How this is calculated
- Percentages are the Council of Architecture Scale of Charges, verified against the Council's own published schedule.
- The retainer floor is ₹20,000. The schedule expresses it as 'Rs. 20M', where the Council's explanatory note states that the current value of M is 1000.
- The fee base changes by stage: rough estimate at the start, preliminary estimate through design, accepted tender cost through tendering and construction, and actual cost of works on completion.
- GST at 18 per cent applies to architectural services under SAC 998321. Confirm your own registration before invoicing.
- Whether the minimum is enforced in practice is a separate question. Market rates commonly sit below it, and senior practitioners have publicly argued the scale has been rendered ineffective.
Sources
This is a planning estimate, not professional advice. Read the full disclaimer.
Undercutting is a symptom, not a strategy.
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