An architect will help you design or renovate your home. The cost of an architect depends on your requirements and wishes. On Renoca you can find an overview of the costs and read useful information that can help you in your search for the right architect.
What does an architect cost?
An architect specialises in designing, converting and renovating buildings. The average cost of hiring an architect is between £70 and £150 per hour. The total cost depends on an architect’s experience, the type of assignment and its size. Check out the cost chart below for average prices per project.
| Project | Average price per assignment (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Drawing out the house or extension | From £500 |
| Construction of ground floor, including design and building application | From £2.500 |
| House extension including design, building application and specifications | From £ 9,000 |
| Full project (house extension) | £ 10,000 – £ 15,000 |
| Renovation of house | £ 35,000 – £ 50.000 |
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What is anarchitect?
An architect is responsible for conceiving, designing and supervising homes and buildings. The architect creates a design for the client taking into account the client’s budget, wants and needs, as well as whether it is technically and legally feasible.
An architect can be hired for various projects, both by a private individual and by a company. Within architecture, there are also specialisations such as interior or garden architects. Read below what the most common specialisations are and find out which one suits your project best.
Interior architect
An Interior architect focuses, as the name suggests, on the inside of the house. The interior designer mainly deals with the (re)layout of the house, making sure that the design is logical, easy to use and meets the client’s wants and needs. The interior designer is trained for this purpose and has a lot of knowledge of materials, lighting and colours.
As opposed to an interior stylist, this is a protected title. This means that only those who have completed specific training are allowed to call themselves an interior designer.
Garden and landscape architect
A garden and landscape architect has a lot of knowledge about plants and soil types. This is also necessary, as plant maintenance, aesthetics and when what will flower must be taken into account when creating a design. In addition, the client’s wishes and budget are also very important when making a design.
Interior stylist
An interior stylist mainly focuses on the decoration of the space by looking at materials and colours, while the interior designer, also known as an interior decorator, also looks at the constructional aspect of a room. If structural work is involved, such as moving a wall or modifying the toilet, it is better to hire an interior designer for your project.
What is the process of an architect?
The architect’s working method may vary from project to project, but in general, the architect goes through the following steps:
- Approach meeting; During the introductory meeting, you will get to know the architect. During this meeting, the architect will ask questions to understand your wishes and needs. On this basis, an offer will be drawn up.
- Sketch design;after the meeting and the collection of measurements and other necessary data, the architect will start working on your wishes and translate them into a first design. The sketch design will be presented to you with room for possible adjustments.
- Preliminary design;The preliminary design incorporates the feedback from the sketch design and is completely adapted to your wishes. The design is also worked out in increasing detail.
- Final design;the final design also includes the information from the installer and structural engineer. Other details such as facade thickness are also included in this design.
- Environmental permit;when you are going to build or demolish something, you often need an environmental permit. If it is required for your project, the architect will apply for the environmental permit to the municipality and provide all the necessary information.
- Subcontracting; the architect will help you prepare for construction by looking for companies to carry out the work. The architect will request quotes from several contractors and choose the best one together with you.
- Work drawings; Once the final design has been completed, any necessary permits have been applied for and agreements have been made with the contractor, the construction drawings can be made. These are detailed working drawings for the contractor to work on.
- Implementation;During the implementation of the project, the architect will keep a close eye on whether everything goes according to plan with regard to the work to be carried out, the time schedule and the budget. This way, you will not face any surprises.
- Delivery;When the contractor is finished, the architect will inspect the house to make sure everything is in order. Once everything is in order, the house will be handed over to you.
Compounding the cost of hiring an architect
The cost for an architect is calculated based on an hourly rate or a fee. If the cost is based on a fee, the architect receives a percentage of the total remodelling cost. Since construction costs often change during the building process, the cost for an architect can therefore only be determined afterwards. The fee is usually between 8 to 14 per cent.
Determine the percentage of the fee with the architect in advance. During the renovation, ask for regular updates on the estimated costs. This way you will get a better indication of the total costs.
Price examples for hiring an architect
The work of architect varies; from making a drawing to supervising an entire project. Curious about specific examples? Check out the prices for various assignments below.
Basic advice
Are you looking for advice from a specialist on, for example, an extension to the house? For as little as £500 you can get advice and a drawing from an architect. A cost indication and planning are not included. So after this advice, you will have to look for contractors to supervise the renovation yourself.
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Would you like some more expert information before starting a major project? Then opt for a broad advice package. This package consists of several design options to choose from. Also, the architect will provide specifications that consist of a description of the structure and the associated work. The architect will also supervise the building application with the municipality. The architect costs on average between £8,000 and £10,000.
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Are you having a detached house built or breathing new life into a historic building? The architect supervises these new construction or renovation projects from start to finish. The architect sits around the table with you and determines a final design. After the design has been finalised, he will submit a building application to the municipality and prepare a technical description. The architect also takes care of the tendering process and construction supervision. For a large project, supervision by a specialist is often necessary. The architect costs for these projects are between £35,000 and £50,000.
How does the price breakdown of an architect look like?
Comparison: Interior designer or ‘standard’ architect
You would like advice on extending your home, but are not sure whether to hire an interior designer or a ‘standard’ architect? The difference is in the technical guidance. Compare the two options in the table below.
| Comparison | Interior designer | Interior designer | Architect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | An interior designer gives advice on colours and decoration in the form of furniture, accessories and lighting. | An interior designer gives advice on architectural structures in addition to interior design. | An architect designs houses and other buildings and visualises them in design and construction drawings. He then supervises the technical and administrative process of remodelling. |
| Duties | – Colour and furniture advice – Material and accessories advice – Lighting plan – Floor plan designs – Moodboard designs Additional capabilities: |
– Researching your living requirements – Designing the interior including construction work – Arranging building and other permit applications – Making sketches and drawings (2D or 3D design) – Drawing up quotations Additional possibilities: |
– Conversations on wishes of remodelling – Digitising the existing house – Designing single situations – Drawing up cost indication and planning – Building application – Creating technical description – Forming contracts* – Construction supervision – Budget and planning monitoring |
| Average prices | £ 250 – £ 800 | £ 2.000 – £5,000 | £4,000 – £15,000 |
| Acknowledgements | An interior designer is not required to have recognised training and is not a member of the Beroepsvereniging Nederlandse Interieurarchitecten (BNI). | An interior designer is a protected title. This means that they may only use this name if they are registered with the Beroepsvereniging Nederlandse Interieurarchitecten (BNI). | An architect is a protected title. This means that they may only use this name if they are registered in the Register of Architects. There are high entry requirements for admission to this register. |
* The process of contract formation involves selecting a number of contractors. These contractors provide information about the work and submit quotations. The interior designer converts this information and quotes into clear and straightforward language, advises you on the number of contractors available and draws up a contract for you.
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Frequently asked questions
The average cost of an architect is between £70 and £150 per hour. To find out the exact cost for your project, you can request free, no-obligation quotes.
Hiring an architect for a renovation costs around £70 to £150 per hour. If you outsource the entire renovation, this often amounts to between £10,000 and £15,000 in architect’s fees.
A preliminary design made by an architect costs an average of £1,000 to £2,500. Here you get the elaboration of your feedback on a sketch already made earlier.
