Contracts for architects that follow the project stages

Residential and small commercial projects move through stages — brief, concept, developed design, permits, construction — and the fee should follow them. Where it doesn't, architects end up redrawing an approved scheme for free, or waiting months for a fee tied to a planning decision out of their hands.

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The contract and payment problems you actually run into

Redesign after sign-off

The client approves the concept, then wants a different layout at permit stage. Define what approval of each stage means and price changes to an approved stage as extra work.

Fees stuck behind permits

If payment depends on a permit being granted, you carry the authority's delays. Tie fees to the work delivered at each stage, not to decisions made by third parties.

Surveys and information from the client

Wrong measurements or a missing survey can invalidate a design. Say who provides surveys, structural reports and existing drawings, and that you rely on them.

Professional liability

Construction problems can surface years later. Align your liability cap with your professional indemnity insurance and keep responsibility for the contractor's work where it belongs.

How it works with Clinch

1
Describe the job in a sentence or two: the AI drafts the contract from a template made for your trade.
2
Send one link: your client reads and signs on their phone in about 30 seconds, no account needed.
3
Collect the deposit at signature, then invoice the balance from the same place.

Contract templates to start from

Freelance Service Agreement TemplateA general-purpose contract for any freelance engagement — scope, payment, ownership, and confidentiality in one clean document.Statement of Work (SOW) TemplateA standalone statement of work itemizing deliverables, milestones, and acceptance criteria for a specific project.Project Proposal & Agreement TemplateA combined proposal-and-contract for pitching a project and getting it signed in one document.Interior Design Contract TemplateAn interior design agreement covering design phases, procurement and markup, contractor coordination, site visits, and returns.Subcontractor Agreement TemplateAn agreement for agencies and freelancers who subcontract work: white-label delivery, non-solicitation of the end client, and pay-when-paid terms.

Clauses worth adding

Milestone payment clauseA milestone payment schedule clause: deposit, payments tied to deliverables, and when each is due. For larger freelance projects.Scope creep (change request) clauseA change request clause that stops scope creep: extra work is quoted, approved in writing and scheduled before it starts.Client materials clauseA client materials clause: the client guarantees it has the rights to the logos, photos and copy it gives you, and covers you if it doesn't.Limitation of liability clauseA limitation of liability clause for freelancers: cap at fees paid, exclusion of indirect losses, and carve-outs.Insurance clauseAn insurance clause: what professional liability or public liability cover you hold, and whether the client can ask for proof.Project pause (on hold) clauseA project pause clause: what happens when the client puts the project on hold, including billing, rescheduling and a restart fee.

Free tools

Project cost estimatorPhases and hours in, a priced quote with buffer and deposit out.Change order generatorPrice the extra request, move the deadline, get it approved in writing.Proposal generatorTurn scope, timeline and price into a proposal the client can say yes to.Late fee calculatorWork out the late fee on an overdue invoice and get a reminder email.

Comparing tools?

Clinch vs Rocket Lawyer for freelancers Clinch vs PandaDoc for freelancers Clinch vs DocuSign for freelancers

Questions

Can I use Clinch instead of a standard form of appointment?

For small projects and private clients, a clear service agreement with stage-based fees is often enough. For larger or regulated work, professional-body forms may be expected; you can still use Clinch for proposals, signatures and deposits.

How should architects structure payments?

A fee per stage, invoiced on completion of each stage, with an initial payment at signing. Hourly rates for work outside the agreed stages.

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General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes deals, have a lawyer review your contract.

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