RIBA concise professional services contract: conservation architectural services

The 2020 RIBA concise professional services contract: conservation architectural services is suitable where the architect/consultant undertakes a commission for architectural services on simple, non-complex, commercial projects for a business client or public authority.

Buy a concise professional services contract: conservation architectural services

It is legally advisable that both parties to the contract each have an original signed version.

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• Buy a paper contract from £40 plus VAT

You will need to buy two paper copies.

RIBA Chartered Members and RIBA Chartered Practices receive a £10 discount on all digital RIBA Contracts purchased.

Review the specimen copy of this contract.

Alternative contracts

• For work undertaken for a consumer client, use the RIBA domestic professional services contract: conservation architectural services

Conservation accreditation schemes

Working with older and historic buildings, traditional (pre-1919) buildings and designated buildings, such as Listed Buildings, calls for a particular set of skills and expertise. To gain conservation accreditation, professionals have to submit evidence of their knowledge, skills and experience. Registers of accredited professionals can be used to find professionals with the prerequisite skills.

Some grant funders, including Department for Communities Northern Ireland, Historic Environment Service (Cadw), Historic England and Historic Environment Scotland, require the use of accredited professionals, so it is important to check the funding requirements for the project.

Further details on the conservation accreditation and certification schemes that exist for the range of professionals, and on when using conservation accredited professionals is required by grant funders, can be found on Historic England's website.

Supporting organisations

The following organisations support this contract:

• RIBA Conservation Register, operated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
• Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC), operated by AABC Register Ltd
• Directory of Accredited Conservationists, operated by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT)
• Accreditation in Conservation Architecture scheme, operated by Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)
• Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the professional body for historic environment conservation specialists across many disciplines
• Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association (EASA), a membership organisation which aims to advance the knowledge and practice of ecclesiastical architecture

Key features

The RIBA domestic professional services contract: conservation architectural services has been created to align with the revised RIBA Plan of Work.

Other features include:

• Succinct and easy to understand language, compared to other standard forms of contracts
• Compliant with the Consumer Rights Act 2015
• Fair and equitable terms of the contract for both the client and the architect/consultant
• The clause structure used in the contract avoids the use of large numbers of sub-sub clauses and large amounts of cross-referencing between provisions