Owner agreements, phase approvals and added services, signed
Architecture fees get lost in the space between what the owner approved and what they remember approving. The schematic design they loved in March becomes a redesign in July. SignMaster gets the agreement, every phase sign-off and every additional service signed as you go, so the project's history is a set of sealed PDFs instead of a long email thread.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 3 min read
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What an architecture firm gets signed
| Stage | Documents | Signers |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement | Owner–architect agreement or letter agreement, fee schedule, NDA if needed | The owner, then you |
| Each design phase | Schematic design, design development and construction document approvals | The owner, before the next phase starts |
| Scope changes | Additional services authorizations with fee and schedule | The owner |
| Your team | Consultant agreements with structural, MEP and civil engineers | Each consultant, then you |
| Construction | Change orders, certificates for payment, supplemental instructions | Owner, contractor and you, as the contract sets |
| Closeout | Certificate of substantial completion | Owner, contractor and you |
Bring the agreement you already use, whether it's a standard form exported as a PDF from your contract software or a letter agreement of your own. Upload it, add fields and turn it into a template. A fillable PDF's fields come in with it.
Phase approvals that protect the fee
- 1
Send the set with a sign-off page
Put the phase drawings and a one-page approval in one envelope. The approval states what was reviewed and that the next phase starts from it.
- 2
Let the owner approve, not just sign
An Approve field is one tap that says yes, and a text field takes their comments. If they want changes first, they can decline with a reason, and you see it straight away. See approve instead of sign.
- 3
Get every owner
A couple building a house, three LLC members, a board: add each as a signer, in order or all at once. A signer group lets any one officer approve for an institution.
- 4
Start the next phase on a record
Everyone gets the sealed PDF with its certificate of completion. When the owner asks for a redesign later, the approval tells you whether it's an additional service.
Additional services, in writing before the work
The owner wants a detached studio added after design development, or a second round of bid documents because the first bids came in high. Make an additional services authorization template with the description, the fee basis (fixed, hourly or a percentage) and the schedule effect, plus a calculated field for the hourly estimate. Send it the day the request comes in, before anyone opens the model. Reminders follow up so the request doesn't stall while your team waits to start.
Not for sealing drawings
SignMaster signs agreements and approvals. It isn't a tool for sealing construction documents for permit. State boards set their own rules for electronic seals and signatures on drawings, so follow your board's rules for those.
Consultants and construction administration
Send consultant agreements with the consultant first and you countersigning. During construction, change orders and certificates for payment go out with the signing order the contract sets, and CCs keep the owner's rep and the contractor's office copied on every signed version. On Crew and Company, webhooks can file each completed document into the project folder your team uses, through Zapier or a tool like it.
Plans for a design firm
A sole practitioner pays $15 a month on Solo, with unlimited envelopes and templates. A studio shares Crew: $49 a month for 5 people, with your firm's logo on signing pages and emails. Company covers 15 people for $99 a month, and extra seats are $8 a month on either. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. Compare plans.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't write your agreements. Bring your own, or a standard form you've licensed.
- It doesn't track hours, fees or invoices.
- It doesn't seal drawings or submit permit sets.
- It sends signing requests by email, not text.
Questions? Answers.
Can owners approve each design phase electronically?
Yes. Send the phase set with an approval page and an Approve field. The owner taps approve or declines with a reason, and you keep the sealed record for when scope questions come up.
Can I use my own owner–architect agreement?
Yes. Upload your PDF, add the fields once and save it as a template. SignMaster doesn't change your wording.
Can SignMaster seal construction drawings?
No. It signs agreements, approvals and administrative forms. Electronic seals on construction documents follow your state board's rules.
Can several owners sign the same agreement?
Yes. Add each owner as a signer and choose whether they sign one after another or all at once. You countersign last.