Why This Poll Is Useless: Cost of Architectural Services

I still asked the question...

A few weeks ago, I posted a poll on X, asking developers what they usually pay for architectural fees on a project. I tried to give some parameters, so there might be some semblance of comparing similar projects, but the comments [and my DMs] told me that not everyone really paid attention to the actual question I was asking, or they had different ways of looking at the issue.

X poll, posted in May 2024. See the post here.

So at first glance, the results of this poll seem clear: most developers are paying between 0-6% for architectural + MEP + structural services on their projects.

But, a significant proportion of folks are paying more, and who knows what “less than 3%” could mean - are there people paying as low as 1%"?

And what does it mean?

And what *should* developers be paying for architectural fees

As usual, this is a simple question with a much more complicated answer than first meets the eye.

So, let’s break it down.

Like anything else, to understand how much fees should be for a project, you have to understand what you’re buying, and the *value* of what you’re buying. Architects and engineers aren’t all created equal, and the best ones ain’t cheap. They’re also not outrageously expensive, or they wouldn’t be in business anymore - they have to stay within a range that the market will bear.

No matter how good your architects or engineers are, they also might offer different levels of service. Barebones service might be just help getting through zoning, a permit set, a light set of construction documents, but very little construction administration support and no interior design services. Full services, at the other end of the spectrum, would include full support from zoning approvals through construction, as well as different levels of interior design services.