The verdict in three sentences
In an architecture practice of 10 to 20 people, the average fee overrun reaches 15 to 30 % of hours sold, and it almost always concentrates on two or three stages (often Technical Design and Construction). Practice management SaaS costs 30 to 70 EUR per user per month (about 25 to 60 GBP), while a Kolonell custom tool built around your RIBA appointments costs 3,810 to 6,100 EUR (about 3,300 to 5,300 GBP), delivered in 6 to 10 weeks. The choice depends mainly on your need for progress invoicing that matches your contracts and a readable resource forecast.
Where a London practice's fees go
Between residential schemes in Hackney, school extensions for London boroughs and commercial fit-outs in the City, a London practice runs 15 to 30 projects in parallel. Time is often recorded in a spreadsheet but never reconciled with the fee for each stage.
| RIBA stage | Share of fee | Hours sold (project with 140,000 EUR fee) | Observed overrun (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 and 2 (Brief, Concept) | 12 % | 160 h | 5 to 15 % |
| 3 (Spatial Coordination) | 13 % | 175 h | 10 to 20 % |
| 4 (Technical Design) | 20 % | 270 h | 20 to 40 % |
| Tender support | 7 % | 95 h | 5 to 15 % |
| Contractor design review | 8 % | 105 h | 10 to 25 % |
| 5 (Manufacturing and Construction) | 32 % | 430 h | 25 to 45 % |
| 6 (Handover) | 8 % | 105 h | 15 to 35 % |
These splits are orders of magnitude that vary by appointment. On this typical project with 1,340 hours sold at a loaded hourly cost of 75 EUR, a 20 % overall overrun means 268 hours, or about 20,100 EUR of lost margin.
Practice management SaaS or custom tool
Market practice management tools for architects are complete and proven. They do, however, impose their own logic for stages, roles and invoicing, and their cost grows with every team member.
| Criterion | Practice management SaaS | Kolonell custom tool |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for 12 users | 4,300 to 10,100 EUR per year | 3,810 to 6,100 EUR once |
| Maintenance | Included | About 50 to 180 EUR a month depending on plan |
| 3-year cost | 13,000 to 30,300 EUR | 5,600 to 12,600 EUR |
| Stages and services | Vendor model, configurable | Your appointments, percentages and variations |
| Progress invoicing | Standard | Matches your public and private contracts |
| Time entry | Complete | Simple, 2 minutes a day per person |
| Go-live time | 2 to 4 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
For a practice under 6 people, a SaaS is usually the best choice. From 10 staff and recurring framework or public sector work, a custom tool becomes competitive from year two.
The three screens a practice director needs
| Screen | Content | Decision enabled |
|---|---|---|
| Time per stage | Hours logged vs hours sold, by project, stage and person | Alert at 80 % of a stage budget |
| Progress invoicing | Percentage complete, interim invoices, deposits, variations | Invoice monthly without gaps |
| Resource forecast | Workload for the next 12 weeks vs team capacity | Hire, subcontract or reschedule |
| Project profitability | Fees, internal costs, consultants (engineers, QS) | Adjust pricing for future bids |
The 80 % alert is what changes habits: the project architect sees a stage budget running out and can negotiate a fee variation before it is too late.
Mini case study
Emma, director of a 12-person architecture practice in London, bills 1.3 M EUR (about 1.1 M GBP) in fees a year. Her average overrun is 22 %.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Overrun cost: 22 % of 1.3 M EUR, equivalent to about 286,000 EUR of unbilled time a year.
- Investment: tool at 5,200 EUR, plus Standard maintenance of about 110 EUR a month, or 1,320 EUR a year.
- Cautious assumption: the 80 % alert and fee variations recover 3 points of overrun, or about 39,000 EUR a year.
The tool pays back in under 3 months, and monthly progress invoicing also improves cash flow.
FAQ
How much does custom fee tracking software cost for an architecture practice?
At Kolonell, a tool covering time per stage, progress invoicing and resource forecasting falls into our simple application range, 3,810 to 6,100 EUR (2.5 to 4 M FCFA). A scope with a client portal or multiple integrations may move into the medium range.
Does the tool follow the RIBA Plan of Work and additional services?
Yes. Each project uses your stages (0 to 7), contractual percentages and additional services (principal designer duties, planning applications, surveys), with a full history of variations.
Can it connect to our accounting software?
Yes, an export of invoices and interim applications to your accounting package is included, compatible with Making Tax Digital VAT workflows.
How long does it take to get started?
Plan 6 to 10 weeks, including migration of live projects. Time entry takes about 2 minutes a day per person.
Will our team really log their time?
Adoption depends on simplicity: one entry per project and stage, pre-filled from the schedule, with a Friday reminder. In equipped practices, time capture usually exceeds 90 %.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your practice, your types of appointments and current tools: we price your tool at 3,810 to 6,100 EUR with a 6 to 10 week schedule through our free quote request. 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.
