Client Perceptions of Architect Services Generally Positive
Recent AIA report finds clients generally feel that they are getting good value for their money

by Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA
Chief Economist

Summary: A recently completed survey of U.S. companies that had recently hired an architecture firm for a significant capital project shows that clients generally are pleased with the value they get from working with an architect.

• Clients generally acknowledge the importance of involving architects in all phases of a construction project, with particular emphasis on the predesign, design, and construction phases. Clients’ expression of satisfaction with architect involvement is positive, but somewhat lags their perception of the importance of architect involvement.
• Clients generally are pleased with the role that an architect plays in the design and implementation of projects. However, more work could be done to dispel the image of some of the unfavorable attributes (e.g., architects lack understanding of business needs).
• Clients generally feel that they are getting good value for the money with their architects’ fees. Although architects are acknowledged to have favorable design and vision/conceptualization skills, clients feel that they could improve listening/communication, understanding of client and project needs, and have more accurate cost estimates and budget management skills.

These are some of the key findings from a recently completed survey of U.S. companies that had recently hired an architecture firm for a significant capital project. More than 250 responses were submitted by company officials who were responsible for hiring or managing outside architecture firms for these projects. The purpose was to measure the perceptions of these major business clients with respect to working with an architecture firm on these building projects and their level of satisfaction with the services provided.

Key findings
The importance of hiring an architect, and client satisfaction with architect involvement

• Clients feel that the involvement of architects is important for all the major phases of a construction project, but particularly important in the design, construction, and predesign phases.
• Clients generally are very satisfied with architect involvement in all phases of construction projects, with the highest satisfaction scores recorded for activities during the design and predesign phases.

Client perceptions of architect strengths and weaknesses

• Of the potential positive attributes of architects, most clients agreed that architects are valuable to all phases of a building project, followed by architects having good communications skills, and that they are capable of building on the client’s vision.
• Most clients disagreed with the potential negative attributes of architects. The statement that rated the highest level of agreement was that architects lack an understanding of business needs, with an average agreement score of 5.4 on a 10-point scale (with 10 indicating strong agreement).
• Overall, clients are generally pleased with the role that an architect plays in the design and implementation of projects, with federal government clients expressing the highest degree of satisfaction.

Perceived value for the money of architect services

• Respondents were asked to rate the value they were getting for their money regarding architect’s fees. Overall, clients rated the “value for their money” as 7.1 on average on a 10-point scale, with 1 indicating poor value and 10 an excellent value. Just under half of respondents (46 percent) believe they have received very good value (with ratings of 8, 9, or 10) for architects’ fees.
• Client groups that are particularly satisfied with the value that they are getting from architects are: federal government clients, clients with smaller capital budgets, and clients located in New England and the Pacific Southwest.

Ways for architects to improve relationships with clients and things architects do well

• Things that architects could do to improve their working relationship with clients included: better listening and communication, better understanding of client needs and knowledge about the project, and more accurate cost estimates and staying on budget for the project.
• Things listed by clients that architects generally do well include: design and draw, create a vision for a project, and listening and communication.