Architect’s fees

[FANTINE2]

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

What is the usual way that an Architect will bill you in the initial stages of planning?
If you change your mind about their work and decide not to use them after they have sent you the initial basic drawings , are they likely to charge you?

DH works on the RIBA & RIAS contract guides, he charges in stages with payment at each stage. There’s a get out clause at the end of each stage. Sometimes the build can’t go ahead, sometimes the client / architect relationship breaks down.( not often).
The design drawings are copyrighted and are not owned by the client.

So we have had an architect draw a first stage plan of a small extension.
Unfortunately we have had to put our long term plans on hold due to a family issue.
I informed the architect of this. Today he invoiced us for £250.
Is this the norm?
Sorry to appear clueless, but have never been involved in this process before.

Seems very reasonable

Very reasonable- hrs asking to be paid for his work

You commissioned him. He's billing. Quite normal.

That sounds normal to pay them for the work they have done.

How is it unreasonable to ask you to pay for the work he's already done?

When our customers (I'm not an architect, a completely different field) cancel we charge cancellation fees which can run into millions.

That seems reasonable to me. Our first stage was £1,800 + VAT.

Seems like a reasonable cost. Did you expect not to pay? They’ve done work specifically for you that would have taken them hours.

Thank you for your replies.

Just paid my first stage which was £450 plus vat.

Read the contract In detail.

But in any case this seems wholly reasonable.

Sorry about your family issues.