Rewriting the Fee Formula

A Smarter Model for Pricing Your Services

Sponsored by BQE Software | Presented by Steve Burns, FAIA

Live Webinar Airing on October 2, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

Are you tired of watching your fees shrink as your expertise grows? Does it feel like the better you get at architecture, the less money you make per project? You're not alone—and you're not stuck.

This webinar challenges the conventional wisdom of hourly and percentage-based fees that most AE firms have been trained to follow. This interactive webinar reveals a more powerful approach to pricing that aligns with the actual value you create for clients, not just the time you spend or the construction costs you influence.

In this 50-minute session, you'll discover why traditional pricing models punish efficiency and reward inefficiency—and learn a proven framework for breaking free from the "efficiency penalty" that's keeping your firm trapped in a race to the bottom.

Whether you're a firm owner looking to improve margins, a principal tired of competing on price, or an architect planning to start your own practice, this webinar will fundamentally change how you think about your value and your fees.

Photo courtesy of iStock; Photo Credit: phakphum patjangkata

	Steven Burns, FAIA, is an architect, technologist, and business strategist who works directly with architecture and engineering firm owners to help them rethink how they price, position, and grow their practices. With decades of experience in both practice and consulting, Steven has helped over 1,400 firms transition from commodity pricing to value-based approaches, typically seeing 15-25% improvements in project margins within the first year. His approach combines proven business strategy with a deep understanding of how architecture firms operate, creating practical frameworks that work in the real world of RFPs, client relationships, and competitive markets.

Originally published in Architectural Record

Originally published in September 2025

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Transform pricing conversations from cost to value: move beyond hourly rates and percentages to position your expertise as strategic transformation, not a technical commodity.
Structure proposals that clients choose rather than negotiate: create three-tier options that leverage psychology to guide clients toward optimal engagements while increasing your win rate.
Win more projects at higher fees: use value-discovery conversations and risk-reversal techniques to become the obvious choice rather than the cheapest option.
Evaluate how adopting value-based pricing models supports ethical practice, enhances firm sustainability, and strengthens the long-term delivery of architectural services.

Approval Pending

1 AIBD P-CE

0.1 IACET CEU*

AAA 1 Structured Learning Hour

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