Scope of services for architects: what to include and why it matters
In short
- Your scope of services is the part of your client agreement that says what you will deliver, at which stage, and what you will not do.
- Registration boards require it in writing. In NSW, clause 7 of the Architects Code of Professional Conduct says a written client agreement must set out the scope, nature and specific requirements of the services. In Victoria, clause 6 of the Code says you cannot provide services, including concept designs, sketches or reports, until a signed written agreement is in place.
- A clear scope covers stages and deliverables, inclusions and exclusions, consultant roles, site visits and how variations are agreed and priced.
- Your role in coordinating consultants and administering the building contract is set by your agreement. Generally it is not responsibility for the consultants’ work or supervision of the builder, but check your contract.
- Record every change to scope in writing, following the variation process in the agreement, before the extra work starts.
Correct as at September 2026.
Many fee disputes are really scope disputes. The client thought something was included. You thought it was extra. Often nobody acted in bad faith. There was simply no document that said clearly what was in and what was out.
A well written scope of services fixes that before it starts. It is also now a clear regulatory expectation, so it is worth getting right.
What your registration board requires
Architects are regulated state by state, and each board has its own code of conduct. The two largest are explicit about written client agreements.
NSW. Clause 7 of the NSW Architects Code of Professional Conduct requires a written agreement with the client. Where you prepare it, it must include, among other things, the scope, nature and specific requirements of the services, how fees are calculated and paid, how you will tell the client when a change affects fees, and how variations are made. You must enter into it before you start work, unless that is not reasonable or the work is urgent. The NSW Architects Registration Board says a significant number of complaints against architects involve a missing or inadequate written agreement, and it publishes a free Short Form Architect Client Contract to help.
Victoria. Clause 6 of the Victorian Architects Code of Professional Conduct, in the Architects Regulations 2026, goes further. You must not collect a fee or provide services, including concept designs, sketches or reports, until a written and signed agreement is in place. You must give the client the proposed agreement at least 7 business days before asking them to sign, and it cannot apply retrospectively. The ARBV guideline says the scope must be specific enough to avoid uncertainty about what is covered.
Map your scope to the project stages
Most Australian architectural agreements follow a staged model. Stage names vary between contracts, but the logic is the same: each stage has its own deliverables, timing and share of the fee.
| Stage | Typical deliverables to name |
|---|---|
| Pre-design and brief | Brief, site analysis, feasibility, planning controls review |
| Schematic or concept design | Concept drawings, options, preliminary cost advice if included |
| Design development | Resolved design ready for documentation, consultant input, planning application if included |
| Contract documentation | Drawings, specification and schedules for tender and construction |
| Tender or procurement | Tender documents, responses to queries, tender assessment |
| Contract administration | Site visits, instructions, progress claims, practical completion |
| Post-completion | Defects liability period inspections, final certificate |
What to include explicitly
- Deliverables at each stage. Drawing types and scales, level of detail, specification, schedules, reports, presentations and the number of meetings.
- Consultant arrangements. Who appoints each consultant, who pays them, who coordinates them and who holds the contract.
- Site visits and your role in construction. How often you attend, who attends, what you report and what authority you have.
- Timeframes. Realistic durations, with assumptions stated where details are not yet known.
- Variations. How extra services are requested, approved and priced, including the hourly rates that apply.
What to exclude explicitly
Exclusions often matter more than inclusions, because clients tend to assume more is included than you agreed. Common exclusions include authority approvals beyond a set scope, specialist consultant fees, interior fitout beyond the base building, post-completion services, expert witness work, and marketing images or renders.
Where an exclusion is unusual or significant, add a sentence explaining why. Clients accept exclusions more readily when they understand the reason.
Consultant coordination boundaries
Projects often involve structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and landscape consultants. Your agreement should say what “coordination” means: integrating their information into your documents, running meetings, tracking their programme.
Coordinating a consultant is generally not the same as taking responsibility for their technical content, particularly where the client engages them directly. But that position depends on your contract. If you engage consultants as your sub-consultants, you may carry more responsibility for their work. Check your agreement and talk to your PI insurer about how it treats sub-consultants.
Site visits and your role during construction
Contract administration usually includes site visits, so name the frequency and purpose. Weekly visits with written reports are a very different service from monthly visits by a director.
Under most standard agreements, the architect administers the building contract for the client and does not supervise the builder. The builder remains responsible for construction quality and methods. That distinction helps protect you from claims about workmanship, but only if your agreement and your conduct on site match it. Check your contract, and avoid giving instructions on construction methods unless your agreement says you will.
Scope and professional indemnity
Professional indemnity insurance responds to claims arising from your professional services. The scope of services is the record of what those services were. A claim about work you never agreed to do is easier to defend when the scope is clear. A vague or missing scope leaves room for the client to argue they were getting more. Victoria’s Code now also requires the agreement to include details of your current PI cover.
Document variations before the work starts
Agree the scope at the start and have both parties sign it. When the scope changes, follow the variation process in your agreement and record it in writing before you start the extra work. In NSW, the Code requires the agreement to explain how you will tell the client when a change affects fees. In Victoria, you must keep records showing the client accepted the agreement and any variations in writing.
A variation agreed in a site conversation and never written down is a variation you will probably argue about later, usually when the work is already done and you have the least leverage.
Common omissions
- No clear answer on who engages and pays consultants
- Site visit frequency left open
- No variation procedure or hourly rates
- Specialist consultant fees not excluded
- Authority approval work left unlimited
- No timeframes or stated assumptions
Each gap becomes a negotiation later in the project, at the point where you are least able to negotiate from strength.
Where CPD On Demand fits
CPD On Demand courses are recognised CPD for architects and building designers. Each course runs one hour, and your certificate is issued the moment you finish. These live courses cover contracts, project set-up and fees:
- Contracts & Risk Management for Architects and Designers
- From Brief to Concept: De-Risking Project Initiation and Conceptual Design
- Presenting Design Value So You Stop Competing on Price
Know what your board expects, then plan your CPD. Our CPD requirements guide sets out the rules for every profession, and the CPD deadlines calendar shows the dates coming up. Browse all courses for architects.
Frequently asked questions
What is a scope of services for an architect?
It is the part of the client agreement that defines what the architect will deliver at each project stage, what is excluded, how consultants and site visits are handled, and how variations are agreed and priced.
Do architects need a written client agreement?
Yes, in NSW and Victoria the codes of professional conduct require one. In Victoria it must be written and signed before any services are provided or fees collected, including concept designs, sketches or reports. Other boards have their own rules, so check your code.
What must a client agreement include in NSW?
Clause 7 of the NSW Architects Code of Professional Conduct lists the content, including the parties, the responsible architect, the scope and nature of the services, how fees are calculated and paid, how variations are made, how the agreement can be terminated, and notice of the Code and dispute resolution.
Is an architect responsible for the consultants’ work?
Generally, coordinating consultants is not the same as being responsible for their technical content, especially when the client engages them directly. It depends on your contract, so check your agreement and your PI policy.
Does contract administration mean supervising the builder?
Under most standard agreements, no. The architect administers the building contract for the client and the builder stays responsible for construction quality. Check the wording of your own agreement.
How should scope changes be handled?
Follow the variation process in your client agreement and record the change, including its effect on fees, in writing before the extra work starts.
Sources
- NSW Architects Registration Board, NSW Architects Code of Professional Conduct 2017 (clause 7, client agreements)
- NSW Architects Registration Board, Client architect agreement (Short Form Architect Client Contract)
- Architects Registration Board of Victoria, Victorian Architects Code of Professional Conduct and Architects Regulations 2026, Schedule 1 (clause 6)
- Architects Registration Board of Victoria, Guideline: Client Agreements, Clause 6 (April 2026)
- Australian Institute of Architects, Client Architect Agreement (CAA2024)