Clients could expect to pay architects around 7-10% of the construction cost from their project.
Architects' fees can be calculated in three ways: a percentage basis, a lump-sum basis, or time charged by agreement. Expenses may be included within the agreed fee or charged separately. The fees charged will range based on the scale of the project, the complexities and also the size of the practice (their overheads) - so don’t get lured in by those fancy offices!
Percentage Basis
The architect will charge a percentage of your construction fees. Before fees can be estimated, the client and architect need to establish the services to be provided, the approximate construction budget and the nature of the work.
Lump-sum Basis
Lump sums are best used where the scope of the work can be clearly defined from the outset. It is important to define the parameters of services - i.e. time, project size and cost - where applicable, so that if these are varied more than an agreed amount, the lump sum itself may be varied.
Time-charged basis
This basis is best used where the scope of work cannot be reasonably foreseen or where services cannot be related to the amount of construction. It may be wise to set an upper limit on fees to be incurred, perhaps on a staged basis. Records of time spent on services will be made available to clients on reasonable request.
How do architect calculate their fees?
Fees can differ massively between architects, so it never hurts to shop around and get plenty of quotes when it comes to your home.
Naturally, the nature of your project will affect prices. If you’re looking for a simple rear extension, you’ll be looking at costs ranging from £1500-£2500 + VAT. Whereas, if you’re the Kevin McCloud type, and want something artistic and unique, you could face an eye-watering charge of £20,000 + VAT.
Generally speaking, architects base their fees on:
- The type of building required
- The size of your property
- The complexity of the work
- The amount of bespoke design work
- How much face time you want from your architect
- Who the architect is - famous names have big price tags
- The amount of services required - do you need a survey? Want building regs?
You might also find that prices can vary depending on the state of the UK economy. In times of recession, when people are less keen to make large financial commitments, firms will lower prices in order to keep their offices afloat. Conversely, if work is booming and their team is busy, prices can be pushed up.
How much does Resi charge?
We aim to be as transparent as possible with our pricing, so offer three packages to give you an idea of what we charge. We work a little differently to other architects, having a more streamlined process, and by working online. This means we’re able to offer cost effective services, with no reduction in quality.
Our packages are…
Designed for those at the initial stages of planning a home improvement project. This will include the designs of your house, whereby our architects will bring your ideas to life with a mapped out floorplan.
If you’re looking for permitted development and planning application support, this is the package for you. We ask you to supply existing drawings of the property and then take it from there.
Existing drawings can include:
Estate agent plans: when you bought your house there were probably plans created for an online listing. You provide or we find these, and then ask you to cross check them. We'll even guide you through the measured survey process using detailed examples. All you need is a tape measure - not bad for saving hundreds of pounds.
Architectural drawings: we check in with your local authority to see if there are any existing plans held in their records. This is an important (and often overlooked stage), as it also means we can see if you or any former owners have requested planning permission in the past. Again, we’ll ask you to review these measurements for us, so we can be 100% certain they’re correct.
This package has everything from design to planning, and also includes a measured survey. Ideal for homeowners who may not have pre-existing drawings of their home. We only work with pre-approved surveyors from across the UK, so you know you’re getting the best service for one set fee.
We set out the above practises, so you have an idea of our fees before even talking to us. Of course, every home is different, so we’ll adjust these price points to fit your project. Meaning you never have to pay for something you don’t need.
What’s more, in our designs, your price will include one round of reviews. That means you can make as many changes to your design as you want, you just need to present them in one batch. Making it time efficient for everyone. However, if you do want to tweak your designs after this revision stage - that’s okay! We charge £75 per hour for extra work.
Remember: when you’re considering any architect, you not only want to get an idea of the pricing as a whole, but what extras could come your way. If revisions aren’t included in the price, what’s their hourly rate. By bearing this in mind, you can avoid extra time eating into your budget.
What to see how much a Resi design would cost your home? Use our cost calculator to get a quote that represents your unique project.
