When you’re considering a property development—whether it’s a new build or an extension—one of your first questions is likely:
To help you navigate these questions, I’ve put together this pricing guide. Of course, costs can vary depending on factors unique to each project, but my goal is to give you an understanding of the typical expenses involved, so you can plan with greater confidence.
However, a personal consultation with me (Tim) at JED Design will provide a more tailored estimate of your project costs. In most cases, my architectural fees are fixed, regardless of the project’s size, type, or location, and I structure them to support transparency.
Each phase of your development will be clearly outlined and invoiced separately, helping you keep a close watch on both your budget and cash flow.
As you think about your investment, it’s also worth considering the potential cost of not moving forward with your project. For example, you might face ongoing frustration due to lack of space or a layout that doesn’t quite work for you, which can affect your quality of life.
When planning a building project, understanding architect fees is an important first step. While costs can vary widely in different parts of the UK, having a sense of what to budget for should help you make more informed decisions.
Depending on who you hire, Architect fees in the UK can typically range between 5% and 15% of your total project cost, depending on the scale, type, and complexity of your building vision.
Smaller projects, like a single-room extension, or a re-design of your existing structure, may lean towards the 10-15% range, while larger or more straightforward builds, such as a new house or commercial space, may fall in the 5-10% range.
For a rough estimate, under this price structure, hiring an architect for a £200,000 project might cost anywhere from £10,000 to £30,000.
Project Size and Scope: Larger, multi-room builds or commercial developments will generally have lower percentage fees than smaller, bespoke projects.
Project Type: Residential renovations often require more intricate design work and planning considerations, whereas straightforward commercial builds might involve a more streamlined design process.
Location: Building in cities like London or historic areas often involves additional planning regulations, affecting both time and cost.
Materials and Finish: Premium materials, unique finishes, or sustainable solutions may raise costs but bring lasting value.
Contractor Choice: Partnering with experienced contractors can impact not only cost but also the quality and timeline of your build.
Whereas many architects will charge an hourly rate for their services, others as previously stated may likely charge a fee based on a percentage of the total project cost.
This means in either case, you may not be able to calculate the true architect fees until the project completion when all the costs are finally calculated and presented.
This we know can cause a degree of anxiety as the final fee could potentially be considerably more than you originally budgeted for.
We offer a fixed fee structure for our key services, giving you clarity and peace of mind from the outset.
After a free consultation, we’ll offer our professional advice tailored to your project, exploring all the best options before together ensuring we select the right approach to meet your vision and goals.
Our fixed fee structure (see our example below) is broken down and confirmed with your approval. This way, there are no financial surprises at the completion of the project, leaving you only to admire and fully enjoy the reality of your dream development.
So, having an early conversation about fees and expectations with us at JED Design gives clarity from the start, helping to set the foundation of your financial commitment for a successful build.
Please note that the following are ‘guidelines only’ of the likely costs you might incur with a typical building project using our services, but of course your project will be unique and subject to specific prices as determined by the type of project to be considered, and will be confirmed either during or following your free consultation.
1. Consultation: No charge
A booked consultation call with us and (if appropriate) your first ‘on site consultation meeting’ will be FREE of CHARGE. This is for us to firstly meet you in person at the site of your property to fully understand your objective and vision of your project, and secondly, to offer our advice and establish its viability. At this meeting, we will also confirm our fee proposal, breaking all the likely fees down for clarity and your approval.
2. Survey: £200
Following the consultation, and if appointed, we will carry out our Survey – a full measure of the property enabling us to get the building plotted down on paper, enabling the next ‘scheme design’ stage.
3. The Scheme Design/s: £400
These are designs to match your aspiration, presented in watercolour illustrations (as many as are required), so you can visualise the outcome of your project and to gain your approval to proceed.
4. The Planning Process: £600
This is the process of taking the approved scheme design to create the planning drawings to submit to the Planning Authority through the Planning Portal. We liaise with the Planning Officer throughout the process and with any other required consultees, (eg. highways etc), through to the conclusion and to the decision being issued.
5. Building Regulations: £600
With approval from the ‘Planning Authority’, we will then create specifically detailed working drawings in order for the appointed builders to give their consent and to price the project.
6. (Estimated) Planning & Building Regulation Fees:
Planning fees are generally £328 (but can be variable), whereby Building Regulation Submission fees – (i) submitting the plans, (ii) stage inspections – are typically priced between £700-£800
The following is a guideline of possible additional costs
you might encounter depending on the complexity of your project.
7. Structural Engineer:
If a structural engineer is required, this will be approx. £600-700
8. ‘Build Over’ Fees:
This fee will only be necessary if your project requires eg building over a sewer, needing Water Authority consent. An online application is approx £200
9. Design & Access Statement:
(eg: applicable if in a conservation area; or listed building) = £200
10. Heritage Report:
(also only applicable if in a conservation area; or listed building) = £200
Additional Costs to Budget For
11. Project management:
If appointed, we will negotiate our fees for the continuation and complete management of your project, handling all aspects of the process from concept to completion and to the assurance of your full satisfaction.
12. Cost of Build:
Advised by builders/contractors = expect approx £1,500/sq metre.
Our team is here to guide you through every step, ensuring your project remains on budget and meets your full expectations.
Just click on the gold button below to arrange your FREE (no obligation) consultation.
free checklist download
Building an extension to your property is an expensive investment, so in my experience, it’s well worth doing these simple checks to see what additional hidden space you already have that could potentially save you £££££s and a lot of time and disruption!
