Architect fees

[vickimum]

Hi all,
We recently moved into a grade II listed cottage in Oxfordshire. We're also in a conservation area.
There's a hideous old extension at the back of our cottage, which is freezing cold and too narrow to be functional. We'd like to change the extension (probably to approx. 9 metres by 4 metres). We got an architectural technologist in to quote for drawings, and he has quoted approx. £5000 for all sets of drawings required up to completion, plus we'll need to pay council fees, structural engineer fees etc on top of this. This sounds quite steep to me as I thought that architectural technologist fees are usually slightly lower than architect fees? Does anyone else have experience of architect fees recently?
Many thanks

[JT05]

It does sound expensive. Architects usually charge a percentage of the final cost. It is usual for the client to pay the fees for planning, building control and other professionals.

Whatever you do get a contract before you commit to anything. One that gives you a get out clause after each stage is helpful!

[whatsthatcomingoverthehill]

It does sound fairly expensive for an architectural technician. Maybe he's allowed a lot for the 'faff factor' of being listed and so on. Does it include full scope of services such as project administration and any site supervision?

Working to a fairly expensive £2k per sq m you're looking at about £70k so he's at 7% on that basis. A 'proper' architect you might expect to pay 10%.

Get some more quotes for a start. He might not just fancy doing it, is busy etc, so has put in a high price so at least if he does get it he makes a decent profit from the job.

[HereIAm20]

Before paying out for architects fees have you checked with the council that you can take down or extend further. It will depend on when the listing happened and unfortunately even the extension may be subject to the listing!