Architects (Professional Conduct and Ethics) Rules

Architects Act

(Chapter 12, Section 36)

Architects (Professional Conduct
and Ethics) Rules

R 2

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[30th August 1991]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Architects (Professional Conduct and Ethics) Rules.

Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

2.—(1) Every registered architect shall, in the exercise of his profession, whether as a director of a licensed corporation, partner or otherwise, shall observe and be guided by Part I of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics set out in the Schedule.

(2) Every licensed corporation shall, when supplying architectural services in Singapore, observe and be guided by Part II of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics set out in the Schedule.

Dispute between architects

3. Where a dispute arises between two or more registered architects and such a dispute is referred to the Board for settlement, the procedure for the settlement of the dispute shall be as follows:

(a)	the parties to the dispute shall each submit a written statement of the matters at issue between them to the Registrar who shall place those statements before the Board at its next meeting;
(b)	the Board shall consider the points at issue at that meeting or appoint a committee to investigate into and report on the dispute;
(c)	the parties to the dispute shall be entitled to appear before the Board or, where a committee is appointed under paragraph (b), before the committee, and to be heard in person or by counsel and to give such further information as the Board or committee may require.
(d)	where a committee is appointed under paragraph (b), the committee shall report to the Board its findings on the dispute and may make such recommendations as it thinks fit; and
(e)	the decision of the Board shall be communicated to the parties to the dispute.

Dispute between architect and another person

4. Where a dispute arises between a registered architect and another person who is not a registered architect, and such dispute is referred to the Board for settlement, the procedure for the settlement of the dispute shall be as follows:

(a)	the architect shall submit a written statement of the matters at issue between himself and the other person to the Registrar who shall place the statement before the Board at its next meeting;
(b)	the Board may then instruct the Registrar to invite the other person to submit a written statement of the matters at issue in the dispute and, if any such statement is submitted to the Registrar, he shall place it before the Board at its next meeting;
(c)	the Board may, after considering the statements of the parties to the dispute, refer the dispute to an arbitrator in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration Act [Cap. 10]; and
(d)	the award of the arbitrator shall be laid before the Board and shall be communicated to the parties to the dispute through the Board.

Board entitled to recover expenses

5. The Board may recover any expenses incurred by it in settling any dispute between registered architects or between a registered architect and his client, in giving any specific advice to an architect or any member of the public upon a request being made for such advice, and in referring any dispute to an arbitrator under rule 4.

Fees payable for architect’s services

6.—(1) Where a registered architect performs partial services for any reason including the abandonment, deferment, substitution or omission of any works or part thereof, or if the architect’s services are terminated, the architect shall be entitled to such fees for services performed as agreed between him and his client or, in the absence of any such agreement, the following fees:

(a)	for taking client’s instructions and preparing preliminary sketch designs to illustrate the possibilities of a site or cost of a scheme, the fee payable shall be on quantum merit;
(b)	for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs sufficient to indicate the architect’s interpretation of the client’s instructions, and preparing preliminary drawings and particulars sufficient to enable applications for permission under the Planning Act [Cap. 232] to be made, the fee payable shall be 20% of the total agreed fees;
(c)	for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs sufficient to indicate the architect’s interpretation of the client’s instructions, and preparing preliminary drawings and particulars sufficient to enable applications for permission under the Planning Act [Cap. 232] to be made and for obtaining such permission, the fee shall be 25% of the total agreed fees;
(d)	for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, making approximate estimates of cost of works by cubic measurement or otherwise and preparing sufficient drawings for applications for approval of building plans to be made, the fee payable shall be 45% of the total agreed fees:
(e)	for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, making approximate estimates of cost of works by cubic measurement or otherwise and preparing sufficient drawings to enable applications for approval of building plans to be made and for obtaining such approval, the fee shall be 50% of the total agreed fees;
(f)	for taking client’s instructions, preparing sketch designs, obtaining planning permission and approval of building plans, for preparing working drawings, specifications or such other particulars as may be necessary for the preparation of bills of quantities by an independent quantity surveyor or for the purpose of obtaining tenders, the fee payable shall be 65% of the total agreed fees, and such proportion of the remaining 35% of the total agreed fees as the value of the completed works bears to the total value of the works.

(2) In this rule, “total agreed fees” means —

(a)	the lump sum agreed between a registered architect and his client to be the fee payable for architectural services rendered by the architect; or
(b)	such percentage of the value or estimated value of the works as agreed between a registered architect and his client to be the fee payable for architectural services rendered by the architect.

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