Architect costs were always calculated according to the size and complexity of the project and calculated as a percentage of the construction cost......... Back in the day anyway. The fee scales were mandatory until 1982, advisory until 1992 and abolished totally in 2009.
So how much do architects charge?
One reason this isn’t a simple question to answer is there are three different ways that architects can charge for their work, and many firms use all three, depending on the task! So architects can charge you a fixed fee, a percentage of the project costs or by the hour!
1) Fixed Fee - The architect quotes you a lump sum depending on how much work they will have to put into your project.
2) Percentage - This can range from 1.5% to 20% – in general, the bigger the project, the lower the percentage. That might seem like a huge range, but the reason for it is simple: 5% of 3 million, for example, is a lot more than 15% of 300,000.
3) By the hour - That’s pretty simple to understand – it’s the way both plumbers and solicitors tend to operate for example.
If you work with an architect from start to completion of your works, your architects may charge you by all three methods: a fixed fee up to the submission of your planning application, and by percentage and hourly rates for later parts of the process if required. By no means is this set in stone and this is only a guideline of how discussions may go, each and every architect works differently... so we have found out.
So what do I get for my money?
In addition to drawing up your plans, your architect will play an important role in the following -
1) Discussing your project in detail with you, assessing the feasibility of your project and advising you on the opportunities and options available to you.
2) Providing advice, guidance and assistance about the relevant requirements and procedures of the statutory consents and how your project can comply with the rules and regulations.
3) Preparing and submitting your planning application and liaising with the planning officers on your behalf during the planning assessment process.
4) Preparing and submitting your building regulations application.
The most common issue we find as a building contractor is that clients don’t know what they’re getting and what’s required for work to begin. Drawing up plans is just the first step in the process, building control acceptance & working/structural drawings are quite often missed but are essential before work can begin. Finding a decent architect can be quite a daunting process but K Design can always point you in the right direction. We’ve dealt with many over the years and always know a good one when we see one!