How long is a piece of string?
Firstly you are not unemployed, you are - by the sounds of it - preparing to take on your first private commission. And despite all the utter tosh being talked these days by the RIAI and others who should know better attempting to control the profession, you will be providing architectural services and therefore acting as an architect for your clients.
You owe it to them to treat their design as if you were the best architect in the world and theirs was the most ground breaking design - both assumptions may prove to be unfounded over time, but a positive mental attitude like this towards your work is a must
it doesn't matter that you cannot use the title legally - act as if you are and can, because you can legally provide architectural services - set high standards and keep to them.
Secondly, 1500 sqft is a standard 4-bed house, so that's not what you're doing.
2,500 sqft implies a degree of fine detailing, a processios of spaces, soing something interesting with the hall and stairs and perhaps offering a storey and a half lounge or overlookign internal balcony for a WOW factor element - plus a nice kitchen layout. If you're bringing these added-value-and-interest design elements to this job you should charge for them. If you're working for a very demanding client they should pay for the privilege.
Thirdly, why aren't you taking this to site? I would sooner have an architectural technician supervising PI'd or not, than leave this to a builder who doesn't know the current regulations. Allocate sonme of your fees from say the briefd stage to purchasing some PI cover. Try AON insurances if you don't get advice from someone else.
Bone up on the current Passive Haus standard and advise your clients of the incoming changes to Part L [carbon neutral by 2013]. Suggest they reach Passive Haus or A1 standard as a minimum. Learn about weathering sealing from without, variable vapour checks from within and reducing the amount of embedded energy overall. If they're in the country, advise them of the Minister's intention to raise a charge on wastewater systems and specify a good one - Biocycle for example [no connection]. Much of this is technical information well within the capacity of an architctural technician.
Make them aware of the environmental issues involved in building a house and using ambient energy sources to augment their home heating facilities. Do a life-cost analysis for them in terms of the finishes used to help convince them to use better quality finishes and windows now and don't be afraid to strive for quality in your work.
If they appreciate what you are trying to do for them and like your design [a nice axonometric and section or model would help sell it to them] then don't be afraid to charge for it.
Fees - start talking at 10-15% discounting down to 6-8% for hard bargainers, striving for half at planning lodgement but accepting one third and seeking staged payments through (i) brief, (ii) completed design and (iii) planning lodgement stages if they've beaten you down on the percentage - all paid for on the date of delivery of the stage. There are too many cowboys not paying their fees and too many good architects running up bad debts and going out of business.
Write to your clients stating your position as you did above and requesting a letter of appointment to provide archtiectural services to planning stage for the agreed fee - after you've agreed it of course. Give them a blank letter of appointment to sign something along the lines of; -
RE: Letter of Appointment
I/We [NAME] and [NAME] hererby appoint Cathye [NAME] to provide architectural services to planning stage for a dwelling on site at [POSTAL ADDRESS OF SITE] in accordance with the work stages and fee amounts in the Fee Agreement dated [DATE] attached hereto.
Signed [NAME] and [NAME]
Date: [DATE]
There are firms out there selling terms and conditions advice if you want to take this and include it on the fee agreement and or on the back of each and every invoice you issue. You also need to appoint an accountant to handle your tax returns, advise you on company formation/ sole tradership formation, registration of your business name with the companies regulation office and opening up your trading-as bank account.
Trouble with detailing or design - try asking here, on archiseek.com or on Boards.ie in the Planning Forum - its run by architectural technicians or the Architecture Forum. Look on the Construct Ireland website to see the latest "green" designs and arrange site visits for yourself and your clients. Look on archiseek.com for general design comments on similar work, and don't be afraid to ask a friendly architect for advice. Times are tough, and you may get a short answer, but we all remember what our first job flying free was like and somone to fall back on to answer questions is useful.
Do make sure they appoint an engineer to specify structure and offer a cert in respect of same. I would also suggest you pay for an M&E to at least draft an up-to-the-minute specification for the house - it will pay dividends at tender time and on site. As part of this do some upt to the minute research on passive/ hybrid or forced ventilation and get your friendly M&E to do a study on max and min ambient temperature conditions. There is nothing worse than an overheating highly insulated house in the summer - think 26 degrees C internally and rising. Be careful if specifying a south facing conservatory for example, both in terms of overheating and compliance with Part L and F of the building regulations.
HTH
ONQ.
[broken link removed]
All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.