How to use this template
The template below is a general layout, not a contract and not legal advice. It contains no fees, no terms and no wording about your rights; every figure and condition in square brackets is yours to fill in. Have your own terms reviewed by a qualified adviser before you rely on them.
For the thinking behind each section, read how to write a fee proposal. For what to do once the client accepts, see staged invoicing for drafting jobs.
The template
[Your business name] ABN: [your ABN] Licence or registration number: [only if your state requires one] [Address] · [Email] · [Phone]
FEE PROPOSAL Project: [site address] Client: [client name(s)] Proposal date: [date] Valid until: [date]
1. OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT [Two or three sentences: what is being built, for whom, and any budget or timing you have been told.]
2. SCOPE OF SERVICES Stage 1: [stage name, e.g. measure-up and concept design] - Includes: [deliverables, scale, format, meetings] - Excludes: [what is not part of this stage] - Revisions included: [number of rounds] Stage 2: [stage name] - Includes: [...] - Excludes: [...] - Revisions included: [number of rounds] [Repeat for each stage.]
3. CONSULTANTS [Discipline, e.g. structural engineer]: [what they provide]. Fee: [A$ amount, ex GST or inc GST as stated]. Engaged by: [the client / us]. Stage: [n]. [Repeat for each consultant, or write "to be confirmed before Stage [n] starts".]
4. FEES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE (all amounts in Australian dollars) Stage 1: [amount ex GST] + GST [amount] = [total inc GST]. Payable: [trigger, e.g. on acceptance of this proposal]. Stage 2: [amount ex GST] + GST [amount] = [total inc GST]. Payable: [trigger, e.g. on issue of drawings for lodgement]. [Repeat for each stage.] Total: [amount ex GST] + GST [amount] = [total inc GST].
5. ASSUMPTIONS [List the information you are relying on, e.g. existing survey, no overlays, soil class. If an assumption proves wrong, the fee may change.]
6. REVISIONS AND VARIATIONS [Rounds included per stage. How extra work is priced, and that variations are agreed in writing before the work starts.]
7. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES [Access to site, timely decisions, information to be provided, who pays council and certifier fees.]
8. PAYMENT TERMS [When each invoice is issued, how many days to pay, payment methods, and anything your contract says about late payment.]
9. ACCEPTANCE To accept this proposal, sign and return it by [date]. Name: [client name] Signature: [ ] Date: [ ]
Placeholders only. Nothing in this template is a recommended fee, a recommended payment term or legal wording.
Section by section
- Scope as deliverables. Name the drawings, reports and meetings, not “design services”.
- Exclusions. Say what is not included, such as engineering, surveys, council fees and certifier fees.
- Stages and triggers. Give each stage its own fee and a trigger the client can see, such as “on issue for lodgement”.
- Consultants. Say who engages and pays each one, so the client sees the whole cost (split payments guide).
- Revisions. State the rounds included and how extras are priced.
- Validity. Say how long the price holds.
Show GST clearly
Quote each fee both excluding and including GST, and say which one the client pays. GST is generally 10% of the price of a taxable sale, and only GST-registered businesses charge it; see the GST on consultant fees guide and the drafting invoice template.
- Stage 1: measure-up and concept, on acceptance
- A$2,000 + A$200 GST = A$2,200
- Stage 2: planning drawings, on issue for lodgement
- A$3,000 + A$300 GST = A$3,300
Sample figures only, not a recommended fee or a pricing benchmark.
Before you send it
- Check every [bracket] has been filled in or deleted.
- Check the stage names match what you will put on your invoices.
- Check the ex GST, GST and inc GST figures add up.
- Check the consultants’ scopes and fees match what they quoted you.
- Save a copy of the accepted version; it is the record the rest of the job is measured against.
Where DrafterShare fits
DrafterShare is in development and not yet available. It is being built so the proposal, the client’s acceptance, the stage invoices and the consultant splits live in one place. See the planned features and how it will work, or look at the sample demo.
Questions
Is this fee proposal template free to use?
Yes. Copy the text, replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details and adapt it to your practice. It is a general layout and contains no recommended fees or legal terms.
Should the fee proposal show GST?
Showing each fee excluding and including GST lets the client see exactly what they pay. Whether you charge GST depends on whether you are registered; the ATO’s guidance is the place to check.
Is a signed fee proposal a contract?
Once accepted it usually forms part of the agreement, often with terms and conditions. Get advice on your own terms.