The verdict in three sentences
In an 18-person practice, fees are agreed per RIAI work stage but time is logged without reference to those stages, so nobody knows which projects are profitable. A specialist SaaS at 35 to 70 EUR per user per month is often enough up to 20 staff. A custom tool, at 40,000 to 90,000 EUR on the Dublin market in 2026, makes sense when the practice has its own processes (competitions, design and build, frequent fee variations) and needs a reliable cash flow forecast, with delivery in 4 to 5 months.
Specialist SaaS or custom build: the numbers
The figures below are 2026 market ranges for an 18-user practice in Ireland, excluding VAT.
| Criterion | Specialist practice SaaS | Custom tool |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0 to 4,000 EUR setup | 40,000 to 90,000 EUR |
| Annual cost (18 users) | 7,560 to 15,120 EUR | 6,000 to 13,000 EUR support and hosting |
| 5-year cost | 38,000 to 79,600 EUR | 70,000 to 155,000 EUR |
| RIAI work stages | Standard, little flexibility | Practice-specific stages and sub-stages |
| Fee variations and extra services | Basic | Full workflow with client approval |
| Integrations | Common accounting packages | Accounting, Revit/Archicad, document control, bank |
| Time to go live | 2 to 6 weeks | 4 to 5 months |
SaaS wins on cost for a conventional practice. Custom pays off when the tool becomes a management advantage, for example for a practice entering 15 to 25 competitions a year.
What the software must measure, stage by stage
Project profitability comes from comparing, for each stage, the fee share with the time actually spent. Example: a residential scheme with 6,000,000 EUR of construction cost and an 8 % fee, or 480,000 EUR.
| Stage | Fee share | Amount (EUR) | Budgeted hours at 95 EUR/h | Common overrun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concept design | 12 % | 57,600 | 606 | +20 to +40 % (client iterations) |
| Developed design | 13 % | 62,400 | 657 | +10 to +25 % |
| Planning application | 10 % | 48,000 | 505 | +15 to +40 % (further information requests) |
| Technical design | 20 % | 96,000 | 1,011 | +10 to +20 % |
| Tender | 8 % | 38,400 | 404 | +5 to +15 % |
| Construction stage | 32 % | 153,600 | 1,617 | +15 to +35 % (programme slips) |
| Handover and close-out | 5 % | 24,000 | 253 | +20 to +50 % (snagging) |
Without this view in real time, a 30 % overrun at construction stage only shows up at close-out, too late to negotiate a fee variation. The software alerts as soon as 70 % of a stage's hours are used.
Modules of a custom tool
| Module | Function | Indicative budget share |
|---|---|---|
| Projects and stages | RIAI stages, sub-stages, teams | 15 % |
| Timesheets | Weekly sheet, mobile, automatic reminders | 15 % |
| Fees and variations | Appointments, sub-consultants, approved variations | 20 % |
| Invoicing | Stage invoices, retainers, accounting export | 15 % |
| Cash flow forecast | Expected receipts over 12 months, costs, scenarios | 20 % |
| Dashboards | Margin per project, utilisation, profitability per client | 15 % |
Mini case study
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Niamh, managing director of an 18-person practice in Dublin (illustrative example), earns 2,100,000 EUR in fees a year. A post-mortem shows 4 of 22 projects overran their hours budget by 35 %, about 3,000 unbilled hours at 95 EUR, or 285,000 EUR of lost margin. If the tool recovers a third of that through timely fee variations, roughly 95,000 EUR a year, a 70,000 EUR custom build pays back in about 9 months.
FAQ
At what size does a practice need a dedicated tool?
From 6 to 8 people, spreadsheets stop working for time per stage. Custom usually makes sense above 15 staff or 1,500,000 EUR in annual fees.
Will architects actually log their time?
Adoption depends on simplicity: under 5 minutes a week, on mobile, with a Friday reminder. Practices that get this right usually reach 90 to 95 % of time logged.
Can it handle sub-consultants?
Yes, splitting fees between lead consultant, engineers and other sub-consultants is a standard module, about 5 to 8 % of the budget.
How reliable is the cash flow forecast?
It uses stage progress and clients' real payment times, often 30 to 60 days. Accuracy typically reaches 85 to 90 % at 3 months.
How long does migrating history take?
Importing 2 to 3 years of projects takes 2 to 4 weeks. Going further back adds little value.
Let's scope your project. Share your user count, stages and current tools and we will tell you whether SaaS is enough or a custom build is justified, with budget and timeline. 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.
