Fees of a
project manager.

A project manager's fees are freely set and unregulated. Contrary to popular belief, there is no official scale — each professional sets their rates according to the complexity of the project, the scope of the assignment and the local market. In Savoie and Haute-Savoie, the usual range is between 6% and 12% of the works cost excl. VAT for a full assignment.

The percentage varies mainly according to three factors: the size of the project (a large budget in absolute terms is negotiated at a lower rate), the technical complexity (major renovation at altitude vs new build on the plains) and the scope of the assignment (design only, supervision only, or a full assignment from start to finish).

At Atelier NovAlp, we favour transparency: the fee structure is presented at the first meeting, and the contract details each phase with its associated percentage. No hidden costs, no unplanned extras. Discover our services or request a personalised quote.

The question almost always comes in this form: what does a project manager cost? The figure is above — 6 to 12% of the works excluding VAT, or €70 to €120/h on a time basis for a short appointment. But a percentage means nothing until you compare it with the other way of doing things.

With project management, you sign directly with each trade contractor. The project manager designs, invites tenders, compares offers, plans, monitors the works on site and checks the interim valuations. The fee appears in plain sight, on a separate line: it is the clearest arrangement, and the one that leaves you the most say in choosing the contractors.

With a general contractor, you sign a single contract, for a single price, with a single party answerable for the result. Coordination no longer appears as a fee line: it is built into the price of the works. It is not free for all that — it is simply invisible, and that is the only real difference in how the two quotations read.

Comparing honestly. A project management fee plus the sum of the trade packages, set against a turnkey price, can only be compared on the same scope: same works, same finishes, same ancillary items — scaffolding, waste removal, service connections, making good. That is usually where the apparent gap closes, and sometimes reverses.

We offer both. We tell you which suits your project better, and we hand you the quotation in the same format either way: item by item, with what is included and what is not.

A full project management assignment covers a broad scope. Here is what is always included in our fees at Atelier NovAlp: survey of the existing building and initial assessment, outline (APS) and detailed (APD) preliminary design, building permit or prior declaration (déclaration préalable) application, tender documents (DCE) with bills of quantities, comparative analysis of the quotes received, supervision of the works (DET) with weekly site visits and written reports, checking of the firms' interim payment applications, and handover of the works with a snagging list.

What is generally not included (and billed as an extra or separately): specialist technical studies (geotechnical engineer, structural engineering firm, thermal engineer for RE2020, acoustic engineer), surveyor's fees, planning taxes, and the fees of a health and safety coordinator (SPS) if required. These services are carried out by outside specialists whom we coordinate, but their fees are added to the budget.

Important: the project manager's fees are not an additional cost but an investment. Rigorous supervision prevents budget overruns (undetected defects, unapproved extra work, delays without penalties). On a €300,000 project, a project manager at 8% costs €24,000 but can save you considerably more through management, negotiation and quality control.

The two are often confused. An architect (DPLG/HMONP) registered with the Ordre generally charges between 8% and 15% of the works cost for a full assignment. Their fees are higher because their legal liability is governed by law (mandatory use for buildings over 150 m²) and their training is longer (5 to 6 years). They bring strong added value on architectural design and complex projects.

A non-architect project manager (engineering firm, general contractor acting as project manager) charges between 6% and 12%. They often work on renovation, extension or standardised new-build projects where the architectural dimension is less critical than technical coordination and site supervision.

Atelier NovAlp combines both approaches: architectural design and construction-phase project management under a single contract. This integration allows us to offer competitive fees (no double billing for design and supervision) while guaranteeing consistency from start to finish. To find out more, read our article Architect, project manager or builder: how to choose.