The majority of architectural and other design fees are paid before construction of the project begins. Typically, we bill once a month for services performed in the previous month plus any reimbursable expenses. If you are financing your project, you may want to speak to your lender about financing design fees or inquiring whether the amount paid for design fees can be included as a portion of your required down payment. Before beginning work, we require a retainer (the amount will vary depending on the project size). The retainer is credited to your final billings and any remaining amount is returned to you.