FEES

The cost of construction of a project doesn’t determine the architectural fees, but it’s a useful guideline in projecting how much design time may be needed to consider the project and produce the drawings. A full scope of architectural services, as described below, often falls within the range of 10% to 20% of the construction budget. Fees will be in the higher end of that range for projects that have a construction budget below £100K.

The nature of the decision-making process, Client’s instructions, and the level of design input requested all affect the overall fees.Therefore, fees can only be estimated at the very start of a project based upon the potential size and complexity of the project and intended work.

It’s essential that your budget for your project aligns with both the extent of works and the estimated cost per sqm to build. For residential construction I typically use the range of £2,000-3,000 per sqm for new build and a range of £1,000-2,000 per sqm for refurbishment works. Please note that these costs exclude kitchen and bathroom fittings which should be allowed for as a separate lump sum. These approximate costs cover a wide range - some of which is dependent on the builder, some of which is based on the project complexity and some of which is based on the level of finish required.

I’ll work with you early on to fine tune the list of desired spaces and their sizes and develop an initial approximate building cost. This will focus your decision-making process and help to align the budget with the size of the building. I like to try to involve a Contractor early in the process to provide local construction cost feedback that together we can rely on. I do not warranty, guarantee or certify the construction cost for the project or any part of the project, but consulting with Contractors who have an good knowledge of the (ever-changing) actual cost of construction can give valuable insight and assurance.

PROJECT ADMINISTRATION

Design is only one part of what I do on a project. There’s a lot of communication and coordination required behind the scenes. This project administration and its duties are spread across all of the Stages of work. This is included in the basic services fee.

For a project to run smoothly open communication between everyone – Client, Contractor, Architect, Consultants, and others - is vital. I am an open communicator and always responsive to your questions.These administrative processes are in place to make sure your project runs efficiently, on budget and on schedule.

Some examples of this project administration are:

  • Phone, text, e-mail correspondence.

  • Client meetings and presentations.

  • Meeting agendas + minutes.

  • Coordination of Consultant’s work.

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER - HEALTH AND SAFETY (CDM 2015)

Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, it is a legal requirement for all Clients to appoint an active designer to act as Principal Designer to plan, manage and monitor the design of the project and coordinate matters relating to Health and Safety during the Pre-Construction Phase (design stages) of the project.

Where appointed, an Architect is almost always best placed to undertake this role.

As such I usually undertake this role on projects. The Principal Designer appointment is - strictly speaking - a separate appointment but is included within RIBA standard appointment contracts. There is separate lump sum fee required to ensure that the role is given sufficient and appropriate resource.

CONSULTANTS

My design fees include the architectural services outlined in the Stages above.They do not, however, include any outside consultant fees or other costs. Depending on the specific requirements of a project I will very likely request to involve an outside consultant on a case-by-case basis.

Some examples of consultants we may involve on your project:

  • Structural Engineer

  • Temporary Works Designer

  • Party Wall Surveyor

  • Landscape Architect

  • Energy Consultant

  • Lighting Consultant

  • Fire Consultant

As the need for these specialised consultants arise, we’ll work together to select the right person for the job and define the added costs up front.

COSTS

Designing a building can be an expensive endeavour and I’m happy to work with you to manage these costs. A couple of things to prioritise when thinking about how to effectively control design fees:

  • Exploring lots of design options, while a really enjoyable exercise for me, can get expensive quickly.

  • Be up front with your goals, likes and dislikes. I welcome critical dialogue so don’t be afraid to be direct and candid. Without an honest, open dialogue the process can take longer to arrive at something you’re happy with.

  • Match your expectations with your budget. This keeps all parties working toward a singular goal. It’s much easier to work early on to define a realistic scope that meets your budget than to try and remove money during the pricing phase. I recommend designing smaller, more energy efficient + affordable floor plans as a starting point and increasing from there if required.

FEES BY DESIGN STAGE

The RIBA Stages of architectural services are listed below. Each category notes a percentage of time that I typically spend in that Stage. Reimbursable expenses are in addition to the estimated fee of 10% to 20% of the construction costs.

  • RIBA Stage 0+1 - Predesign: Time Charge

  • RIBA Stage 2 - Concept Design: 20% of Total Design Fee

  • RIBA Stage 3 - Developed Design: 20% of Total Design Fee

  • RIBA Stage 4 - Technical Design: 40% of Total Design Fee

  • RIBA Stage 5 - Construction: Time Charge: Time Charge (~20% ofTotal Design Fee)

  • RIBA Stage 6 - Handover: Time Charge

  • RIBA Stage 7 - Use: Time Charge

  • Total Design Fee: 100% (estimated 10-20% of Construction Cost)

Stage 0+1 Predesign services are particularly variable in nature which makes it hard to list a percentage of fee to allocate to them. This variability is because each project begins with a different set of preconditions, some clients arrive knowing exactly what spaces they want, how big the building should be, and a clearly defined budget. Others are just beginning to take the necessary steps.

Similarly Stage 5 construction works are hard to quantify accurately as the workload is dictated by what issues crop up on site. This especially the case when working with existing and historic buildings.

OTHER COSTS (not included):

  • Other Consultant Fees (e.g. Structural, Energy, Landscape, Civil, Lighting, Fire - as required)

  • Site Survey (e.g. topographic, boundary, below ground services – as necessary)

  • New Utilities Connections / Diversion / Alteration / Septic tank design etc. - where required.

QUESTIONS?..

If there’s something you’re still wondering about, you can always reach me at:

info@donaldmoir.com

07599078095