#Architects' rates
Minimum rates for architectural projects in Poland - what do architects think about them? Are they needed, how should they be charged, and how much could they be? We asked representatives of studios, both small, medium and large, developers and lecturers. One of those who shared their opinion is Robert Skitek. What does the founder of the RS+ studio think about minimum rates for architects?
The dire situation of architectural offices in Poland is a fact. In the worst position are medium and small studios, whose profitability and profitability are often on the verge of survival. At the same time, investments, especially from the residential sector, are increasing, which means there is something to design. In January 2025, more apartments were completed than a year ago, also the number of those whose construction has begun is higher (CSO data). However, the average quality of what is being built is not satisfactory. It is being built quickly, most often at a low cost, but at a record high profit. So why are architects one of the lowest-paid links in the industry?
When we discussed at this year's Budma what the quality of residential architecture in Poland depends on, the topic of architects' salaries dominated the debate. Mateusz Mastalski, a partner at the Danish studio Henning Larsen, who was present at the meeting, pointed out that in Denmark quality is due not only to tradition, good architectural education of the society or professional solidarity of architects, but also to the fact that they have more time for designing than in Poland and are better paid for their work. This correlation seems obvious.
So we continue the salary debate and ask Robert Skitek about architects' salaries.
Robert SKITEK - architect, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. Since 2001 he has been running his own studio RS+ Robert Skitek. Repeatedly awarded and honored in architectural competitions and for completed buildings. In 2008, awarded in the category of young Architectural Creator. Since 2016, a member of the Municipal Urban Planning and Architectural Commission in Tychy, since 2018 a member of the council of the City Museum in Tychy.
Should there be a guaranteed minimum rate per square meter of a project? Please briefly justify your answer.
Yes, absolutely. I do not know if per square meter, but it is one of the options. In tenders for many years the only de facto criterion is price. Subsequent criteria that are introduced, such as the length of the warranty, further plunge architects. The requirement to transfer copyright in the price of the project is standard. For smaller projects like houses, the prices offered for a project on the market (often not by architects, architects' friends just sign) do not even allow for the cost of labor.
How much should the minimum rate without tradesmen be per square meter for multi-family residential architecture?
150 PLN
How much should the minimum rate without tradesmen be per square meter for single-family houses?
150 zł
How much should the minimum rate without tradesmen per square meter for office buildings be?
150 PLN
How much should the minimum rate without tradesmen per square meter be for buildings and public spaces?
For buildings PLN 150, public spaces are hard to price per square meter.
If the minimum rate should not be guaranteed, how to work out favorable wages for architects?
Firstly, a wide discussion in the community. Fighting with prices is lethal for us, only investors benefit from it, who often have more funds secured anyway. Force public procurers to use prices from the regulation. Stop free project pricing for public investors - they should apply the said regulation, securing funds for project documentation. It is often the case that when organizing a tender or an inquiry, the ordering parties are not even aware of the regulation, to discern costs they send non-binding inquiries to several studios. In my opinion, we should react to this practice. Not only do we lose a lot of time, the ordering party often gets underestimations, which result in underestimating the funds allocated for design documentation. Reject the lowest prices in tenders. Although this needs to be thought through more carefully, because if only the single cheapest bid is dropped, it's easy to circumvent.
Well, and in our environment: probably without a "stick" is impossible, although it would also be good to work out some "carrots".
Apply penalties for "signers". Apply penalties for those who work for free (for example, concepts within bids).
Should architects as a professional group have trade unions to deal only with the issue of architects' salaries?
Yes. Unfortunately, IA (Chamber of Architects) has never dealt with this problem.
Robert SKITEK
RS+
more: A&B 4/2025 - RE-USE + architects' rates,
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