Managed IT Cost for Architecture (+ Price Factors)

Managed IT spending has generally increased over the years due to rising demands. According to Gartner, worldwide IT spending is expected to reach $5 trillion in 2024, a 6.8% increase compared to 2023.  

Businesses want to leverage tech to enable automation, boost efficiency, and drive growth without exhausting members. The architecture industry is part of this significant growth as more firms invest in advanced technology like computer-aided design (CAD) and virtual reality (VR). Management of these new hardware and software has become essential for success, pushing them to turn to managed IT and reap its benefits.  

However, despite increasing demand and popularity, managed IT still has many unknowns. The biggest one is cost, and we’ll shed light on that. 

Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS) is a managed IT service provider (MSP) with 20 years of experience. In our tenure, we’ve learned the importance of transparency, especially regarding pricing. Businesses want to know service costs so they can properly allocate resources. 

So, in this article, we’ll tell you about two things: 

• Cost of managed IT for architecture firms 
• Five factors that affect managed IT pricing 

The goal is to help you determine the cost of managed IT services and solutions for your business. 

The Average Cost of Managed IT for Architecture 

If you’re looking for a quick answer, the cost of managed IT for a 20-member architecture firm starts at around $3,000 per month, equivalent to an annual recurring cost of $36,000. Outside of that, upfront costs could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on your needs. An example is the one-time onboarding fee that MSPs need to take control of your system. 

While that’s the most accurate estimation we can offer, don’t be surprised when there’s a deviation. Many factors could affect managed IT costs, and even that differs between providers. 

5 Factors that Affect Managed IT Costs for Architecture 

One of the best ways to estimate the cost of managed IT for your architecture firm is by understanding what affects pricing. Here are five common factors that MSPs consider when making quotes: 

1. Number of users

One pricing model MSPs use is to charge per user. Typical costs range between $50 to $400 per user per month. There’s a wide margin because you also need to consider what kind of support each user needs. It’s also possible to be charged extra if they use more devices. In this case, head and inventory counts should help you arrive at an accurate estimation. 

2. Number of servers

Server costs are both upfront and recurring, and many factors impact pricing. Form factors, power, and purpose are among a few. There’s also the choice between physical and virtual servers and the addition of specialized services. 

Expect to spend between $5,000 and $ 20,000 on the initial setup and upwards of $100 on maintenance and subscription costs, which could be billed monthly or as necessary. 

3. Data size

Data management is a complicated service because a lot can go into it, such as security, backups, and maintenance. As such, there’s a wide margin in fees from $5 to $500 per month. You can make it more affordable by sticking to simple storage, not including maintenance and backups. But it’s recommended to invest more to ensure proper and secure data management. 

4. IT support time 

MSPs could also charge you by the hour, at an average of $150 to $250. Those that follow this pricing model are break-fix companies that take action only once an issue is present. If your MSP includes support time in their plan, you may have a monthly support fee between $50 and $150 per user. 

5. Evolving needs

Technological needs change according to your business’s regression or progression. In short, scalability matters. You must adjust your tech spending according to your finances, resources, and goals. You can also choose to reallocate resources, such as investing more in cybersecurity services and dialing back in cloud. 

MSPs can help you transition at a price. Depending on what kind of adjustment is needed, whether an upgrade or downgrade, you can expect a charge of $50 to $1,000, plus a charge in recurring cost after the fact. 

You may encounter other price factors while searching for an MSP, but these are the most common ones that the majority, including ITS, use to calculate costs. 

Want to Know the Exact Managed IT Cost for Your Architecture Firm? 

Cost transparency is essential when searching for a managed IT service provider for your architecture firm. It allows for a proper and reasonable budget allocation that doesn’t involve sacrificing other important business aspects. 

If you find yourself running into MSPs that hide their prices, keep in mind the most common factors that affect costs, namely: 

1. Number of users 
2. Number of servers 
3. Data size 
4. IT support time 
5. Evolving needs 

These should help you reach a rough estimate. But if you ask us, we advise that you approach MSPs that are transparent with their pricing, such as ITS. You can learn more about the cost of our managed IT services by visiting our Pricing page, which contains a pricing calculator. And if you’re ready for a partnership, schedule a meeting with one of our experts. They’d be glad to answer all your queries regarding offerings or costs. 

We also have other pieces of related content in our Learning Center to help you with your search for a managed IT partner: 

• The Ultimate Guide to Managed IT for Architecture Firms 
• Managed IT Services: What ITS Can and Can’t Do 
• ITS Pricing: How Much Do We Cost? [Updated]