2009 Canadian Architectural Practices Benchmark Study

- Table of Contents -

Overview
Background and objectives
Method
The Report
Summary of Findings

1. Demographic Information
1.1 Type of firm
1.2 Firms having staff within various categories
1.3 Firms with licensed/intern/graduate architects
1.4 Number of staff over a three year period
1.5 Percentage of firms with male/female architects
1.6 Percentage of architects in three age groups
1.7 Respondent’s position in the firm
1.8 Number of years the firm has been in business
1.9 Markets served

2. The office
2.1 Location of Office – Province
2.2 Office location – city
2.3 Square footage of office space
2.4 Own or rent office space
2.5 Amount paid per square foot
2.6 Incidence of renovations/upgrades in the past three years
2.7 Incidence of increasing office space in the past three years

3. Human Resources and Training
3.1 Incidence of firm having an HR department/dedicated HR staff
3.2 Incidence of in-house training staff/online training system
3.3 Professional development opportunities offered
3.4 Amount spent on training/development/conferences

4. Coverage and benefits
4.1 Medical and dental coverage offered
4.2 Other benefits offered

5. Performance appraisals
5.1 Incidence of conducting regular performance appraisals
5.2 Performance appraisals - Types of employees reviewed

6. Billing practices
6.1 Total gross billings
6.2 2008 gross billings by fee type
6.3 Percent profit/loss over past three years
6.4 Method used to determine hourly billing rates
6.5 Multiple used to determine hourly billing rates
6.6 Hourly billing rates
6.7 Frequency of updating hourly billing rates
6.8 Percentage increase in hourly billing rates over past three years
6.9 Billings practices - person responsible for setting fees

7. Sub-consultants
7.1 Incidence of having standard mark-up fee for sub-consultants/consultants
7.2 Incidence of having coordination fee for sub-consultants and consultants
7.3 Amount (%) of standard mark-up fee
7.4 Subconsultants/consultants - amount(%) of coordination fee
8. Management Compensation

8.1 Annual base salary
8.2 Average bonus in 2008
8.3 Average hours worked per week by principals and staff

9. Incentive compensation
9.1 Incidence of bonuses being included in firm’s budget
9.2 Expected change in bonuses in 2009
9.3 Most successful incentive compensation plan
9.4 Incidence of offering a profit-sharing plan
9.5 Basis of profit-sharing plan

10. Expenses
10.1 Amount spent by the firm in various areas in 2008
11. Information technology
11.1 Total spending on IT in 2008
11.2 Amount spent in specific areas
11.3 Operating systems used on the server
11.4 Operating systems used on workstations
11.5 Software packages used
11.6 Firm has an Information Technology manager

12. Marketing activities
12.1 Firm has staff dedicated to marketing
12.2 Tracking new versus repeat clients
12.3 Percentage of revenue coming from new clients
12.4 Amount spent on marketing and public relations in 2008
12.5 Types of marketing over the past year
12.6 Marketing method that achieves the best results
12.7 Incidence of having a website
12.8 Marketing activities - projects resulting from client visiting website
12.9 Firm has a CRM database
12.10 Number of names on CRM database

13. Request For Proposals
13.1 RFP's responded to/competitions entered over past three years
13.2 Cost to develop a proposal
13.3 Number of staff involved
13.4 Number of hours developing an average proposal
13.5 Average number of proposals that result in being shortlisted
13.6 Percent of proposals that resulted in a commission in past year
13.7 Average project size

Introduction

Excerpt