Architects' Fees: An Explainer

A reader dropped me a line and asked if I could do a post on architectural fees [good idea, thanks Erin!] - and I thought it was a great idea for a topic. Architectural fees are shrouded in mystery - for those who hire architects, and for architects themselves! Turns out, it’s *really* hard to accurately price architectural services, and it’s hard to know if you’re getting a good deal when you don’t have a lot of experience hiring architects.

But - that doesn’t mean you can’t get to clear and fair pricing for architectural services - it’s definitely possible! Let’s dive in.

First, why are architectural services hard to price accurately? A few reasons:

• A clear picture of what work is needed isn’t always available at the start of a project, when fees are being negotiated;

• A large percentage of the architect’s fees are paid before developers’ financing kicks in;

• On renovation projects, it’s impossible to know ahead of time what challenges or problems are lurking behind walls;

• Most homeowners and small business owners who need architectural services have never worked with an architect, and are completely unfamiliar with the process;

• Popular press like HGTV and DIY blogs erase the work of architects, who are often required in projects that are depicted;

• Every jurisdiction has different requirements, and may at any time require an architect to be involved in even a small project like a single family renovation;

• Folks misunderstand what they’re paying for - not “the drawings” but “architectural services,” which encompass a lot more than just “the drawings';”

• Folks underestimate how much coordination will be needed on a construction project, even on relatively uncomplicated ones;

• etc, etc, etc.

In short, it’s awfully hard to price something when you don’t know what the project fully entails, and it’s hard to know what you should be paying when you don’t quite understand what you’re buying.

So let’s talk about what architectural services include: