Architects
AND OTHER BUILDING DESIGNERS
I can assist you with the finalisation of your CONTRACTS, the administrative and financial MANAGEMENT of your office.
Marina Michaïlof
My approach
In the demanding world of architecture and building construction in general, creativity and technical excellence are paramount. However, the growing complexity of regulations, the pressure of deadlines and administrative and financial management can quickly become major obstacles to your core business.
With twenty years of experience in the field, I offer support to Architects and other building designers to enable them to reduce their risks in their contractual commitments and to consolidate their position in relation to the many players involved in the project. By ‘design contract’, I mean public or private contracts, design contracts, construction contracts, PPPs, in France or abroad.
My support also enables us to better control the profitability of design contracts, which often saturate the firms' managerial capacities. My work covers both the fair conclusion of contracts, and their monitoring via an optimised administrative and financial management. Finally, it can help avoid costly litigation.
Architects, why securing your contracts and optimising the management of your offices is crucial:
Unstable activity
Architects and other project managers are professionals whose work is cyclical and sometimes poorly remunerated. Their work is often increasingly complex, and their liability more and more often called in. They have to deal with a large number of different players, and the division of roles and responsibilities is often to their detriment. The recurring difficulties in the sector are numerous and directly affect the profitability and long-term viability of the agency.
Risk contracts
One of the cornerstones of this complexity is the drafting and negotiation of the design contract. A poorly drafted or incomplete contract is an open door to disputes, budget overruns and challenges to your professional liability. Clauses relating to tasks, fees, deadlines and insurance must be absolutely clear. In the context of a private contract, for example, the MAF's recommendations stress the importance of avoiding these recurring difficulties. Clauses often give rise to difficulties of interpretation, which can lead to costly disputes. Similarly, the contractual relationship with the client must be rigorously formalised to avoid the pitfalls of verbal contracts.
Weak internal management
Beyond the contractual aspect, the office's internal management - from organisational auditing to financial management and human resources - requires proven expertise. Poor cash management, miscalculation of production costs or a lack of rigorous planning can undermine even the most brilliant design efforts. My role is to minimise these risks and guarantee the profitability of the project management contracts you sign.
Permanent pressure
The combination of these constraints - irregular revenue cycles, unsecured contracts, and complicated internal management - create a permanent pressure that limits the ability of architects and other building designers to devote themselves to what they excel at: designing and creating, supporting clients and conveying a strong architectural vision. Without expert support, these challenges can hamper development, reduce profitability and weaken offices.
Target customers :
Perhaps your office is undergoing a major transformation (a rapid increase in the number of projects and consequently in the number of employees), is experiencing a temporary overload (an exceptionally important new project), has just lost its administrative manager or is a foreign firm looking to secure its foothold in France.
In all cases, I can work alongside you, advising and helping you to overhaul your organisation or set up in France, or providing one-off assistance with a competition application, contract analysis, recruitment, etc.
I'm thus speaking to firm managers:
Who do not have the necessary skills in-house
Wishing to improve their management resources and organisation
In a more complex situation than usual
Foreign agencies looking to set up in France
Your opinion counts!
Your questions
Here you will find a set of frequently asked questions and answers.
If you can't find the answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact me!
What is a design contract and why is it so important to secure it?
The design contract is the legal document that formalises the services entrusted by the client to the architect or other building designer.
It is essential because it defines the scope of the services to be provided (full or partial), the terms and conditions of payment, the deadlines for completion and, above all, the limits of the designer's professional responsibilities.
Securing it means making sure that all the clauses are clear, comply with the law (in particular the MOP law for public contracts) and protect you against the risks of disputes and challenges to your ten-year liability, for example.
What is the difference between a public design contract and a private design contract ?
The main difference lies in the regulatory framework. The public design contract is strictly governed by the French Public Procurement Code, which includes the MOP law (relations between public clients and private building designers).
In private contracts, contractual freedom is greater, but this increases the risk of unbalanced or ambiguous clauses.
My expertise can help you navigate between these two frameworks to ensure that you are protected in both cases.
How can I optimise my fees?
Optimising fees requires a detailed analysis of your design contract and your production costs.
The aim is to ensure that the fees are in line with the actual scope of services and the risks involved.
The aim is to ensure that the fees are in line with the actual scope of the services and the risks involved.
My office is growing. How can you help me structure my team?
I carry out an HR, organisational and financial audit (on resource issues) to define your firm's precise needs and means of achieving them.
I will then draw up an organisational plan for these two pillars of your office (HR and finance), which I will help you to put in place. This will involve, among other things, drafting clear job descriptions, helping you with recruitment, setting up teams and planning their work.
A good HR structure is essential to ensure that HR management does not become a burden on designers' shoulders and to ensure the profitability of each design contract.
What is a consortium Agreement and when is it necessary?
A consortium Agreement is a contractual agreement between several building designers (architect, engineers, economist, etc.) who respond together to a request for bid.
It is necessary if you are working as a co-contractor. It defines the nature of the consortium (joint or several), and the division of tasks, fees and responsibilities between the members.
I am securing this agreement to avoid any internal conflicts and to clarify the position of each partner vis-à-vis the project owner.
What are the risks of a verbal contract or an overly succinct services proposal?
The main risk is that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to prove the exact scope of services in the event of a dispute.
Without a detailed, written design contract, the client may demand services that were not provided for, or dispute the fees.
Case law is clear: the absence of a formal written contract is a major source of disputes.
What's more, in most cases, under the French Civil Code, this contract is compulsory.
My role is to formalise each commitment in a solid legal document.
How does optimising financial management impact the profitability of my projects?
Optimised financial management means you can monitor production costs in real time, control cash flow and anticipate financing requirements.
By accurately calculating the cost of each design contract, you can adjust your estimates, identify unprofitable projects (and vice versa) and make informed strategic decisions.
This transforms the financial management of a constraint into a genuine steering tool.
I'm a foreign firm. Can you help me set up in France?
Absolutely. Setting up in France means complying with French legislation, particularly in terms of employment law, taxation and professional insurance (such as the ten-year decennial insurance).
I'll help you with all the administrative formalities, from setting up your legal structure to putting together your recruitment dossiers and securing your first design contracts, particularly public-sector ones, in France.
What are the key elements I need to check in a subcontract?
In a subcontract, it is crucial to check, among other things, the subcontractor's regulatory compliance (URSSAF, tax, insurance, etc.), the precise definition of the subcontracted task, the terms of payment and the liability clauses for each party.
An essential point is to ensure that the main design contract authorises subcontracting and that the project owner has accepted the subcontractor, who must be declared, and the terms of payment.
My accountant and I don't understand each other. How can you help ?
My role is to act as a link between the operational reality of your branch and the accounting expertise.
I can prepare the information you need (tracking invoices, calculating production costs, etc.) to optimise your relationship with your chartered accountant, making it easier to produce the balance sheet, profit and loss account and analyse key indicators.
I translate the figures into concrete management levers for office managers.
Take action: secure the future of your projects
Don't let administrative and contractual complexity hold back the development of your firm. Contact me today for a personalised assessment of your needs. Together, we'll secure every contract and optimise your management for serene, sustainable growth.