Posted by Thomas Mote, CPM on May 10, 2004 at 17:30:43:
You are far enough off the beaten track here that you will most likely find there are no rules. Typically, in a design/build application, you can expect an architect to charge around 8-10% of the construction costs if they are also doing project management or construction administration.
Considering the properties are located in China, and there will no doubt be regulatory issues there related to design and change of use, you probably want to solicit a Chinese firm to help you. The USA model is probably not even close.
My guess is that if you are very careful about spelling out what you want, finding a national firm is going to be a much better choice for you.
Just an idea. I am not sure how many American architects would want to handle this, but you may find some takers if their exposure is minimal and can handle a lot of the up-front work with some help on the ground there.