TL;DR
A newly graduated architect should charge 60–80% of the CAU table
in the first 24 months. Starting hourly rate: R$ 90–150/h.
100 m² residential: R$ 12k–28k. Don't work for free (it kills
the market and burns you) and don't charge like a veteran (the client
gets suspicious).
The 60–80% rule
Charge 60–80% of the CAU table in the first 2 years. Not less, you devalue yourself and the market. Not more, the client gets suspicious ("a recent graduate charging like an established firm?").
Practical table (first 24 months)
| Project type | Realistic range |
|---|---|
| Residential 80–120 m² | R$ 9k–22k |
| Residential 150–200 m² | R$ 18k–38k |
| Apartment interiors 60–100 m² | R$ 12k–26k |
| Small residential retrofit | R$ 6k–14k |
| Hourly rate | R$ 90–150/h |
What to avoid
- "Free for the portfolio", it becomes a habit, hard to drop.
- "R$ 30/m²", a price that doesn't even cover the house's electricity.
- Working 200h on a project to earn R$ 4,000, your hour is worth R$ 20.
- Taking on a difficult client "because it's the first one", a bad project drains 6 months.
Charge to cover: rent + software + food + 1 hourly rate that makes sense. If it doesn't add up, it's better to take a well-paid internship than a cheap, badly paid project.
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