What happens if the owner and the architect cannot agree on compensation?
Keep talking, so that each understands the other’s basis for negotiation. Often, differences result from incomplete or inaccurate understandings of project scope or services. Perhaps some project definition services can be performed by the architect on an hourly basis by the owner. Perhaps coordination of owner forces, special consultants, or other actors mandated by the owner is adding to the architect’s costs. When everything is mutually understood and there still is no closure on compensation level, the owner and the architect have no choice but to end negotiation.
