Owner / Architect · ALA Contract Documents
Pre-Design Services Agreement (Hourly)
A short, clear agreement for feasibility studies, site analysis, programming, and other pre-design work billed by the hour, so you get paid for early thinking instead of giving it away while chasing the commission.
| Format | Editable Microsoft Word document, delivered by email after checkout |
| Price | $75 · free for ALA members |
| Drafted by | Husch Blackwell construction-law attorneys for the Association of Licensed Architects |
Who this document is for
- Architects doing feasibility, programming, or site studies before design begins
- Firms that bill early-phase work hourly before scope is defined
- Anyone who wants paid discovery instead of free proposals
Frequently asked
How is this different from other industry-standard forms?
Unlike forms written for the whole construction industry, the Pre-Design Services Agreement is drafted specifically from the architect’s perspective, in plain language your clients can read without their own attorney translating every clause.
Can I edit it for my project?
Yes. It arrives as an editable Microsoft Word file, so you can adapt names, scope, fees, and project-specific terms while keeping the attorney-drafted structure intact.
Part of the ALA contract library : attorney-drafted agreements in clear language, written for the way architects actually work. Four contracts cost more than a year of ALA membership, which includes every document free.