Fee proposals are normally being prepared by Senior staff with lots of experience in the estimation of time required to realise a project. Primarily the main consideration would relate to the Landscape Consultant’s Appointment (or RIBA stages) that the appointment is intended for.  Other aspects of project requirements such as Design Team Meetings or site inspections for example need to be estimated and allowed for in the fee.

Lump sum fee proposals are usually calculated according to the predicted number of stuff (Senior/Junior) that is likely to be involved in the project and the number of hours it will approximately take for the team to complete the agreed services. Everyone within a practice has a rate per day that is chargeable to clients, so Partners/Directors that normally prepare the fee proposals work out the totals according to these tables of rates.

Including the above factors, a fee proposal can be prepared on the basis of:

• The LCA stage that the consultant will be appointed up to.
• The number of design team meetings that the consultant will be attending.
• The travel distance from the site/mileage.
• Will there be a requirement for long travelling times? How is travelling time going to be charged?
• Will there be a requirement for accommodation?
• Will there be a requirement for site inspections?
• Will any sub-consultants need to be appointed?
• Will any licences need to be obtained by the consultant?
• Will there be any printing costs? (for example, for public consultation presentations)
• Will the consultant need to organise for a public consultation? How far will this be from the consultant’s offices?