I started my architectural practice, that was way back in 1978, when I was just in fourth year, not yet a graduate...

My uncle asked me to design a house for him in Kerala, in a small village called Irinjalakkuda. I was proud that my uncle asked me fully trusting me before I had even become a graduate. So I spent some nights figuring out what he needed for himself and his small family, put in all my new found fundas on ergonomics (my aunt was of short stature you see, which became the guideline for kitchen detailing...), ventilation in hot humid Kerala and so on... 

The rest of the house got built, after I supervised the line out for foundation, in my absence while I was busy with my thesis in final year. I had given sufficient drawings I hoped. One year later when I visited Kerala, I was delighted at the sight of my first project sitting pretty on the site. My uncle was also delighted I knew, when he gave me Rs.300/- as fees for my efforts of making the design drawings and details. The house cost about 80,000/- I guessed and with all new furnishings etc. it was about 125000/- I had never compared my fees then with the cost of the project. Rs. 300/- itself was a huge sum for me, equal to two months expenses in hostel and fees in IIT Kharagpur. The Value of the first project of my life was much more than the Fees I received.

In final year professional practice subject we were taught that we had to follow the professional fees as per guidelines given by the Indian Institute of Architects, which had a varying fees structure based on complexity of the project, from a small house to large institutional etc. 

I worked for several years after graduation on construction sites, in some offices and in associateship with some friends. It was in 1986 that I got my first independent project, an industrial work, in Thane Kalwe. I grabbed the professional fees and conduct manual of the Indian Institute of Architects and billed my clients according to it, for stagewise payments. There was no objection to my billing, as the clients were very happy with my timely delivery mechanisms, record keeping and thorough supervision of works. 

This experience made me a stickler for billing appropriately, never compromising on the fees. When the Council of Architecture regulations came into force as 5% of project cost as the standard fees, I continued with the same. Of course there have been many occasions when I was told I am charging more as many architects are willing to do the same job for as less as 1.5 %. To that I had politely refused to take up projects.

As a result, over a period of time from 1999 till now I did less and less projects, but whatever I did were for 5% fees, in some cases even for 7% for conservation and adaptive reuse type of projects. There were only two occasions from 1986 till date when the clients did not pay me the last instalment of fees... their way of telling me that I was charging higher as compared to other architects in town... I left them to their 'Karma'... payback time will come, sometime...

There were occasions when clients did not want to leave me, wanted me only to do the job, but for reduced fees... for them I always had a ready story with me as follows...readily enacted too in real time...

"We are having idli vada sambhar in a restaurant... the bill turns up as Rs.95/- and you are paying the bill. You give the waiter a hundred rupee note, and he brings back five one rupee coins along with the bill and leaves it in a dish on the table as we get up... Now if you take even one coin out of that and pocket it, I assume that you are not the kind of human being I would like to do business with... An architect is not just worth a waiter, but he is also the cook, you see..."

The story has worked well all these years. Stingy clients get the message... 

-  Dr. Harimohan Pillai