Re the RIAI guidelines
Costs exclude: Professional Fees,VAT, Planning Fees and
Charges, Fit-Out, Furniture and Inflation, and may be affected by spec and issues like access.
Re the fees - for a full turn-key project requiring planning where the client does not intend to be hands-on I would say 15% fees overall for architect, engineer and a "project manager" are not bad.
In my opinion the most important thing for the client is to be happy that they are getting the level of service they need from any professional before signing a contract.
In reality though there will need to be some form of agreement before design commences. I was surprised to hear about the 200euro up front for consultation but again I suppose the company have been stung by people wanting to get a freebie who have no intention of hiring a professional.
Its also important to remember that at these early stages the costs are "estimates" based on discussions between advisor and client - they should allow for some leeway and need to be firmed up as the project continues.
Clients often focus on one aspect, say cost, while ignoring quality and time. What should be done is a balancing act of all three. There is no point in getting a cheap job that takes forever and is poor quality or a hi-spec job done very quickly that costs an arm and a leg. Achieving a happy balance is as much a factor of the sophistication of the client as the skill of the professional.
For the record I have no relationship with extend.ie but I am a freelance project manager in the construction industry.
M