An architecture firm is negotiating a contract with an owner for a $2,000,000 project. The proposed architectural-only fee is 5% of the cost of…

This problem requires calculating the necessary staff to complete a scope of work within a specific timeframe and budget.

1. Calculate the Total Fee: The fee is 5% of the $2,000,000 construction cost, which equals $100,000.

2. Calculate Total Billable Hours: The total fee budget ($100,000) is divided by the average hourly rate ($100/hour), resulting in 1,000 total billable hours for the project.

3. Calculate Weekly Hours: These 1,000 hours must be completed within the 7-week schedule, requiring approximately 143 hours of work per week (1,000 hours / 7 weeks).

4. Determine Staffing: Assuming a standard 40-hour workweek per person, the required staff is calculated by dividing the weekly hours by 40 (143 hours/week / 40 hours/person). This equals approximately 3.57 people. Since staff cannot be fractional, the firm must assign a minimum of 4 people to meet the schedule.

A. 2: Two people would only provide 80 hours per week (2 x 40), which is insufficient to meet the required 143 hours per week.

B. 3: Three people would provide 120 hours per week (3 x 40), falling short of the 143 hours per week needed to meet the deadline.

D. 5: While five people could complete the work, the question asks for the minimum project staff required. Four people are sufficient.

1. The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th Edition.

Chapter 9, "Project Management," discusses the fundamentals of creating a work plan, which involves defining the scope, schedule, and required resources (staffing). Section 9.2, "Project Planning," outlines that "The project manager must determine the number of staff and the skill sets required to perform the work." The calculation performed is a direct application of these principles, balancing fee (budget), scope (work through CDs), and schedule to determine staffing.

2. AIA Document B101™–2017, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect.

Article 11, "Compensation," provides the framework for how fees are established. The question's premise of a fee based on a percentage of the Cost of the Work is defined in § 11.6. This document establishes the contractual basis for the fee used in the calculation.

3. Clemson University, School of Architecture, Course A S 4310/6310 - Professional Practice.

Lecture materials on "Project Management & The Project Manager" cover the "Project Management Triangle" (or "Iron Triangle") of Scope, Schedule, and Cost. The problem presented is a classic example of adjusting one variable (staffing/cost) to accommodate a change in another (schedule compression) while keeping the scope fixed. The calculation directly reflects this core project management principle taught in professional practice curricula.