Fees

THE ARCHITECT’S WORK BROKEN DOWN BY DESIGN PHASE

10% Discovery
15% Schematic Design
25% Design Development
35% Construction Documentation
5% Bidding & Negotiation
10% Construction Administration

For a private residence, it typically takes an architect between 250 to 350 hours of work from start to finish. This amount of time varies based on the complexity of the project and the size of the residence. 

Tier 1: FULL-SERVICE
from discovery through construction administration
Architect’s fee is 5% of the Construction Budget
Example: $600,000.00 (Construction Budget) x .05 (Architect’s Fee) = $30,000.00 Fixed Fee

A licensed architect is your construction advocate. Choose this level of service if you want to see your project is built as it is designed and to the construction quality you are paying for. This level of service ensures you get the highest quality end product.

Tier 2: PERMIT SET
from discovery through bidding & negotiation
Architect’s fee is 4.25% of the Construction Budget
Example: $600,000.00 (Construction Budget) x .0425 (Architect’s Fee) = $25,500.00 Fixed Fee

Choose this level of service is you have a trusted and proven contractor or project manager already selected. 

Tier 3: PRELIMINARY SET
from discovery through schematic design
Architect’s fee is 1.25% of the Construction Budget
Example: $600,000.00 (Construction Budget) x .0125 (Architect’s Fee) = $7,500.00 Fixed Fee

Choose this level of service if you have a qualified contractor preselected who will deliver the project through Design-Build. Also, choose this level of service if you are unsure about how the project will move forward, but you need vision. 

*Hourly Rate of the Architect is $125/hour.

OTHER POSSIBLE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATED TO YOUR PROJECT IN ADDITION TO THE ARCHITECTURAL FEES:
Geotechnical Engineer 
Civil Engineer
Structural Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Plumbing Engineer
Landscape Designer
Interior Designer

TYPICAL ENGINEERING FEES ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR PROJECT
6-7% of Construction Budget

Every project we work on is engineered – using the client’s Structural, Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineers. Many architectural firms use their own engineers for any projects; however, we do things differently. We assist the client in securing their own engineering consultants. After the client has secured the engineering services, the architect works directly with the engineer from beginning to end. We have found that clients prefer to contract the engineers directly since it saves them money in professional fees.

YOUR ARCHITECT’S VALUE
The value of an architect will far exceed the professional fee. This is because the goal of every design decision is value to the client. This is why when you use an architect, you will most likely see:

• higher resale values
• higher quality of life
• improved efficiency and functionality
• lower construction costs and lower life-cycle costs