Key takeaways
- Fees are derived from area and rate.
- Milestones are percentages that reprice with scope.
- Billed counts only invoiced milestones.
- Margin is measured after hours and consultants.
A design practice is paid in stages for work that is done continuously, which is why so many small offices are busy and short of cash at the same time. Drawings advance, staff hours accumulate, consultants invoice, and the client is billed only when somebody remembers a milestone has passed. ArkiDesk PH makes the fee, the milestones, the hours and the consultant engagements one record per project.
A fee with a basis
The contract amount is the floor area times the rate per square metre, plus any other fees agreed. Both parts are visible, which makes a scope discussion a discussion about area and rate rather than about a single number.
Because milestones are percentages of that contract, a revised area reprices every milestone that has not yet been billed.
Billed is not the same as earned
A milestone counts as billed only when it carries a billed date. Work that is finished but not invoiced is therefore visible as a gap between the milestones passed and the amount billed.
Collections are recorded against the project, and the balance is billed less collected, which is the figure a practice can actually chase.
Permits have offices and clocks
Each permit records the type, the office, the filing date and the release date. Days pending runs from filing to release, or to today while it is still inside.
A permit that has sat at an office for eleven weeks is a fact worth having in front of you when the client asks why the project has not moved.
What the project actually cost
Staff time is logged with hours and a rate per hour, so the principal's twelve hours and a draftsman's forty-six are both costs against the project.
Consultant fees and reimbursable expenses complete the picture, and project margin shows what the contract left after all three.
Review exceptions every week
Resolve duplicate IDs, missing links, overdue balances, negative amounts, and open operational items in CHECKS before using the dashboard for decisions.
ArkiDesk PH Private Google Sheets Web App is designed for use with a Google account, Google Sheets, and Apps Script, using owner-only deployment by default.
No CAD or BIM file management, no drawing viewer or markup, no electronic permit filing with any building official, no PRC or professional tax compliance, and no construction cost estimating or bill of quantities.
Frequently asked questions
How do I handle a change in scope?
Adjust the floor area or add to other fees. Milestones are percentages, so every unbilled milestone reprices with the contract.
Are reimbursable permit fees income?
They are recorded as project expenses. If you recharge them, add them to other fees so they appear in the contract amount too.
Does it manage CAD files?
No. It records drawing codes, revisions, issue dates and reviewers. The files stay in your own folders.
Does this replace official records?
No. No CAD or BIM file management, no drawing viewer or markup, no electronic permit filing with any building official, no PRC or professional tax compliance, and no construction cost estimating or bill of quantities.
