The verdict in three sentences
For a Berlin architecture practice with 6 to 40 staff, fee and project management software costs 30 to 90 EUR per user per month off the shelf, or 30,000 to 70,000 EUR (net of VAT) as custom software delivered in 10 to 14 weeks. It links time spent per HOAI service phase, from LPH 1 to LPH 9, to contractual fees and progress invoicing. Practices that adopt it typically identify around 8 margin points lost on underestimated phases, especially LPH 8 site supervision and unbilled change orders.
What to track, phase by phase
An HOAI contract is split into service phases (Leistungsphasen) whose weight in the fee is set upfront. The problem arises when actual time drifts, especially in LPH 3, 5 and 8, with nobody noticing until the project ends.
| HOAI phase | Typical fee share (buildings) | Common time overrun | Useful warning signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPH 1 and 2 | 2 % and 7 % | +10 to 20 % | More than 3 client iterations |
| LPH 3 | 15 % | +15 to 30 % | Brief changes |
| LPH 4 and 5 | 3 % and 25 % | +10 to 25 % | Late engineer coordination |
| LPH 6 and 7 | 10 % and 4 % | +5 to 15 % | Failed tenders |
| LPH 8 | 32 % | +20 to 40 % | Construction delays |
| LPH 9 | 2 % | +20 to 50 % | Open defects |
Budget by option
| Option | Initial cost | Annual cost for 15 users | Timeline | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel and timesheets | 0 EUR | Data entry and consolidation time | Immediate | Profitability known too late |
| Off-the-shelf practice software | 1,000 to 3,000 EUR setup | 5,400 to 16,200 EUR | 4 to 8 weeks | Limited phase and report customisation |
| Custom software | 30,000 to 70,000 EUR | Maintenance 15 %, i.e. 4,500 to 10,500 EUR | 10 to 14 weeks | Upfront investment |
| Custom, connected to accounting (DATEV) | 40,000 to 70,000 EUR | Maintenance 15 % | 12 to 14 weeks | Depends on accounting setup |
| Phase 1: time and profitability | 30,000 EUR | Maintenance 15 % | 10 weeks | Invoicing added later |
Custom software makes sense from 15 to 20 staff, or when the practice mixes public contracts, private developers and partial commissions with very different fee splits. Below 10 people, well-configured off-the-shelf software is often enough.
Modules of a custom system
| Module | Key functions | Indicative budget |
|---|---|---|
| Time entry | By project, phase and task, on mobile, weekly reminder | 5,000 to 9,000 EUR |
| Fee budget | Split by HOAI phase, hourly rates by role, partner firms | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Live profitability | Remaining work, forecast margin, alerts at 80 % | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Progress invoicing | Interim invoices, change orders, reminders, DATEV export | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Resource planning | Availability, hiring needs, 6-month forecast | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Partner dashboards | Margin by client, project type and project lead | 3,000 to 9,000 EUR |
Mini case study
Lena, partner at an 18-person practice in Berlin, bills 2.1 million EUR in fees a year with a 9 % operating margin. The custom software, invoiced at 48,000 EUR, shows that LPH 8 on three housing projects ran 35 % over budgeted time and that 65,000 EUR of change orders were never invoiced. By invoicing those change orders and renegotiating the LPH 8 terms of future contracts, the margin gains 4 points in year one, about 84,000 EUR, out of an identified potential of 8 points. The project pays back in under seven months.
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FAQ
How much does architecture practice software cost?
Off-the-shelf tools cost 30 to 90 EUR per user per month. A custom system costs 30,000 to 70,000 EUR, plus 15 % annual maintenance.
Will staff actually log their time?
Adoption depends on simplicity: under 2 minutes a day on mobile, with automatic reminders, reaches 90 % completion within a few weeks. Entries are pre-filled with each person's active projects.
Does it handle partial commissions and joint ventures?
Yes, each contract has its own fee split and the share of each partner firm or engineer. Interim invoices follow that split.
Can public and private projects live in the same tool?
Yes, HOAI phases and private fee agreements coexist with different templates. Dashboards compare margin by client type.
How long until we are up and running?
Between 10 and 14 weeks, including 2 weeks to migrate ongoing projects. The first month of time entries is already enough to spot drifting phases.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, commission types and accounting tool: we will price a scope between 30,000 and 70,000 EUR with delivery in 10 to 14 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
