Architect practices: tasks to outsource and keep

Key takeaways

In architect practice admin outsourcing, the tasks that usually move are the ones around the design work: preparing planning application packs for submission, document control and drawing registers, fee invoicing against stages, timesheet chasing, and formatting reports and specifications. Design, client advice and anything signed as an architect stay with registered staff.

• Move: planning pack admin, drawing registers, fee invoicing, timesheets.
• Move: formatting reports, specifications and presentations.
• Keep: design, client advice, professional sign-off.
• The title 'architect' is protected; registration stays personal.

Why does admin build up in architect practices?

Small practices rarely have dedicated support, so architects and assistants absorb planning portal submissions, consultant coordination, fee tracking and document issue. Each project adds a layer of admin across many months. Billable design time is lost to tasks that need care but not an architect's training.

• How to identify tasks suitable for outsourcing
• Senior people doing junior tasks: the costliest mismatch

Which tasks usually move?

These tend to pass the six signals.

• Compiling planning application documents for review and submission.
• Keeping drawing registers and issue sheets up to date.
• Raising fee invoices at each project stage.
• Chasing timesheets and preparing project time reports.
• Formatting design statements, reports and specifications.
• Booking consultant and site meetings.

• Document control: one current version of everything
• Document preparation: drafts, packs and templates

What must stay inside the practice?

Design decisions, client advice, professional judgement and anything that relies on registration with the Architects Registration Board stay with qualified staff. The practice also keeps responsibility for what it submits, so planning packs prepared outside should be reviewed before submission.

• Expert content: a writer drafts, the expert signs off
• Your core service: should the thing you sell stay in-house?

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: in a small practice, drawing issue, fee invoicing and formatting are spread across every architect's week. Moving that admin together gives each architect back regular design time.

• See client work
• BPO Solutions for UK businesses

Architect practice checklist

• List admin in each architect's week.
• Mark design, advice and sign-off to keep.
• Screen document, fee and booking tasks.
• Review planning packs before submission.
• Track design hours gained.

• Trace customer requests to find repeat tasks
• Vet practices: tasks you could outsource

Next step

Ask each architect to list last week's non-design tasks. The total is usually larger than the practice expects.