A note on our fees.
The subject of Architects’ fees often feels like an opaque and tricky topic which has the opportunity to cause friction and mistrust in the key client/designer relationship. In my experience, this mistrust stems from a few critical points which are almost always the fault of the architect not taking the time to educate clients about what we do:
1. Clients not understanding how much ‘non-drawing’ work goes into Architects’ fees.
2. Architects putting in initial fees which are too low in order to win work.
3. Failing to articulate the different factors which affect the design process.
So how much are Architects fees? Broadly, Architects will base their fees using two methods: a percentage of the estimated construction cost (usually between 5-10%); or a fixed fee (per hour or per day) based on the amount of time taken to produce certain elements. Both methods have their pros and cons but the simple reality is that in the vast majority of situations, no two projects are alike which makes providing accurate ‘benchmark’ figures difficult. However, just because something is difficult, it does not mean it should not be attempted. The best way I can think to show you how fees in architecture work is to use what I call ‘the suit analogy’.
The suit analogy
Most people in their lives will require a suit for formal occasions, job interview or work at some point. Depending on its use and style, there are a number of different ways a suit can be purchased. For most people today, suits are bought off-the-peg at a shop; the finish/cut/fabric of the suit dependant on the shop you go into. For people who really like suits or require specific styles, there are tailors who can provide a ‘made to measure’ service which has a level of customisation not found on the high street. For the true suit aficionado, there is the fully bespoke option (epitomised by Savile Row in London) where everything is handmade, fully customisable and exactly cut to fit. These suits all come at different levels of expense; from a few hundred pounds for an off-the-peg item, to thousands for a bespoke 3-piece.
Now, for a second, think about houses in the same way. Most of us in the UK live in a house that has already been built (probably by someone a century or so ago), or (like me) live in a newbuild house built by a housing developer. These houses are, for the most part, very good, comfortable places to live but we have little say in how they were built or what they look like. Many people choose to alter their houses to fit them and their families, gaining a measure of tailoring in the process (not unlike made-to-measure suits). For some, there is the opportunity to go for something completely bespoke, a home that is designed specifically around their family’s wants and needs.
Like suits, there are Architects and Designers for every level. There are some architects who only deal in the bespoke, but I have previously worked in practices where we have designed houses for national housebuilders in addition to working on newbuilds and extensions.
As a small practice, Open House Architecture mainly works on extensions and alterations of existing buildings but we have also designed one-off houses. I believe our talent as a practice is to pick out what individual clients need and build a service around this need. If all this still sounds like smoke-and-mirrors then please get in touch and have a chat to us; we will always come and meet you to discuss things – free of charge. We might have a project where we design the architectural equivalent of a bespoke suit but more often than not, we’ll be making your existing clothes fit better and feel right.
John