RIBA domestic professional services contract: conservation architectural services

The 2020 RIBA domestic professional services contract: conservation architectural services is suitable where the architect/consultant undertakes a commission for architectural services on domestic projects for a consumer client.

It can be used for work on the client’s own home, including renovations, extensions, maintenance and new buildings in their own name.

Buy a domestic professional services contract: conservation architectural services

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

• Buy a digital contract from £45 plus VAT
• Buy a paper contract from £35 plus VAT

You will need to buy two paper copies.

RIBA Chartered Practices get 50% off digital contracts. You can print multiple times at no extra cost.

Review the specimen copy of this contract.

Alternative contracts

• For commercial clients, use the RIBA concise professional services contract: conservation architectural services
• For the appointment of a principal designer under the CDM regulations 2015, use the RIBA principal designer professional services contract

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