The verdict in three sentences
Custom management software for a London architecture practice costs between 28,000 and 60,000 EUR in 2026, depending on the number of modules and the depth of profitability tracking. The real value isn't the calendar: it's percentage-based fee tracking cross-referenced with actual time spent per team member and per job. Expect 4 to 6 months from scoping note to production, with the ROI driven by the jobs you stop under-billing.
What the software covers and the cost per module
A practice of 8 to 20 people runs 15 to 40 active jobs in parallel, each with a fee rate, work stages, staged fee claims and a drawings document store. Custom software pays off when per-job profitability becomes unreadable in a spreadsheet.
| Module | What it does | 2026 range (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Job & stage tracking | Job record, fee rate, progress by stage | 5,000 - 9,000 |
| Time tracking | Entry per team member, split by job/stage | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| Fee claims | Schedule, generation, reminders | 4,000 - 7,000 |
| Per-job profitability | Fees vs loaded cost, live margin | 5,000 - 10,000 |
| Drawings & document store | Versioning, distribution, history | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| Accounting integration | Export to accountant / bookkeeping software | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Client portal & dashboard | Project view for the client | 3,000 - 7,000 |
A Starter core (jobs + time + fee claims) ships around 28,000 - 35,000 EUR. The full version with fine-grained profitability, document store and portal reaches 50,000 - 60,000 EUR.
The real win: stop under-billing your jobs
A practice's margin is decided in tenths of a point. Without reliable time data, a job set at a 10% fee can drift to a 6% real margin without anyone noticing before year-end accounts.
| Indicator | Before (spreadsheet) | After (software) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly data entry | 12 h / partner | 3 h / partner |
| Jobs tracked at real margin | 40% | 100% |
| Avg. fee-claim delay | 35 days | 8 days |
| Missed fees / year | 15,000 - 40,000 EUR | close to 0 |
| Accounts production time | 3 weeks | 3 days |
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Mini case study
Eleanor, managing partner of a 12-person architecture practice in Clerkenwell, London. Turnover 1.4M EUR, 28 active jobs. She invests 42,000 EUR in custom software (jobs, time, fee claims, profitability). First effect: the tracking reveals that 4 jobs had drifted below 5% margin and that 22,000 EUR in fee claims were sitting past 60 days. By recovering those amounts and tightening reminders, the practice frees up 31,000 EUR of cash in year one. The tool pays for itself in 16 months, not counting the data-entry time cut by four.
FAQ
How much is the minimum version? A jobs + time + fee-claims core starts around 28,000 EUR, deliverable in 4 months. That alone is enough to steer the profitability of your 20 heaviest jobs.
Can it connect to our accountant? Yes, via an accounting export module (3,000 - 6,000 EUR) that produces entries and fee invoices in the expected format, cutting accounts production from 3 weeks to 3 days.
Does it handle both percentage and fixed fees? Yes, each job carries its own calculation mode: percentage of construction cost, fixed fee, or a mix. The system recomputes fee claims at every variation.
What's a realistic timeline? Expect 4 to 6 months: 2-3 weeks of scoping, 3-4 months of build, then migration of live jobs and training. A 12-person practice is self-sufficient in half a day.
Is there a maintenance fee? Budget 12 to 20% of project cost per year for hosting, upgrades and support, i.e. roughly 5,000 - 9,000 EUR/year on a 42,000 EUR project.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of active jobs, your priority modules and an indicative budget, and we'll price a core plus its upgrade path. 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.
