Are architects really this expensive?!

[HahaHarrie]

Sorry if this has been done before but I was wondering if anyone had any recent experience with architecture costs on the London/Surrey border for a rear single storey extension on a detached house?

Half the architects I had contacted were flat out and there was no chance of them doing the work anytime soon. The ones who can start the work within a reasonable time scale are quoting between £3300-5500 (inc. planning application fees, ordnance survey, and getting to building regs stage, VAT). Structural engineer costs would be in addition.

I was thinking it would cost half that amount. Have I been delusional about what it costs to get some drawings done?!

Thanks!

I hired one recently for a small but tricky planning job in central London. Small independent firm with two architects in the business. That's about the same as what they're charging me.

See if you can find an Architectural Technician (lower qualification than an architect) if you more or less know what you want and it is just drawings. The extension sounds simple so you probably don't need an architect. I would agree what service the technician is providing though and what, exactly, you are paying for. Likewise with the structural engineer's costs.

I'm a structural engineer - as far as I can tell the whole industry is flat out at the moment, we have so much more work coming in than we can handle that prices are definitely going up.

I'm a senior engineer, chartered, and I charge about £80/hour for that kind of work. For a single storey rear extension with no complications, and no site visit, would be £350 - 400+VAT. That would get you calcs for BR and sketch drawings, not CAD ones.

Thanks so much everyone for your replies.

SocksRock for a basic (we think) single storey rear extension would it be sufficient to have a structual engineer do all the drawings and not use an architect or architectural technician at all? Thanks.

Don't underestimate the amount of time a set of drawings take. They will not only need to include planning drawings but it will also have to go through building regs. Even though it's a one off modification it is still quite a big/detailed job (a site with multiple dwellings can quite often be a copy/paste job)

Architectural technicians might charge less, but bear in mind that whoever does the work needs to have insurance etc - whether they are an architect or an AT. There are lots and lots of cowboys out there who produce substandard work and, when it comes to builders having to use them, the schemes don't work.

Ah, yep, Socks is right about sketch drawings (should read previous posts first!) - CAD does take a lot longer

DH is a structural engineer and his practice would not do architectural drawings for planning or any other use. They are not qualified to do this. Around here, an AT would be cheaper but ask to see previous work. They should also work with you to specify the finer details of the building.

No, we won't do architectural drawings. You need a technician or an architect f

or that. And by sketches, I mean marked up architects drawings - so for a beam, I would draw a single line and label it with the beam size - occasionally a brief section if needed, but very basic stuff. The architect would then take those and add them into their drawings.

Thanks socks.

It does not need to be this expensive if your project is straightforward, we have just done a single storey kitchen extension with this firm and they were fab, let me know if you want more details.
www.123plans.co.uk

Ours were £1700 plus planning fees for a two storey extension and loft conversion. Included calculations but not building notice charges, which are quite expensive!

Building Reg fees are not insignificant. Also a well drawn plan will detail all aspects of the build, which will be critical in ensuring that there is no misunderstanding when it comes to quotation.

Architects fees are generally inexpensive if you consider them against similarly qualified professionals - private dr/ solicitor. Architects have to have insurance, many qualifications & have professional ethics - you can get struck off if you fuck up! You must be on the ARB register to legally call yourself an architect.
Those fees don't equate to a massive hourly rate once you take out insurance, professional fees, licences, overheads & how many hours it actually takes to do the work.

Architectural technicians are usually cheaper but aren't as qualified as architects and don't have quite the same professional obligations (although those that belong to their professional body do have obligations)

Architectural consultants/designers/plandrawers - may be qualified or may be just some bloke with a pen/pc, they have no professional obligations or insurance

You can get excellent & crap people in all these categories. What an architect is more likely to give you is higher qualifications & recourse if it goes wrong.

The industry is busy at the moment so prices are more realistic of costs that at the height of the recession when a lot of people bid bargain basement prices to keep them in work.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you need technical drawings? If you're looking for a simple extension, have you thought about getting quotes from local builders or home improvement companies?

I don't know if they can offer technical drawings, but my brother recently had an extension put on the back of his house by this home improvement company (essex) and it does look really good. It's got a glass roof (one of those pyramid type ones) and loads of windows, so it's a bit of a cross between an extension and a conservatory, but it looks like a proper architectural job. I'm not sure how much it cost him, but I can ask if you like?

That does sound a tad high to me but not surprisingly so.
You might not need planning permission but you will need building regulations approval.

I agree with Wonkylegs of course.
Also with Cathabelle.
From personal experience running a building company that build single storey extensions some do not require architects drawings.
In other cases the builder might deal with architect for you and get a far better price (due to repeat mutual working arrangement).
And I know of some builders who employ architects in house).

So going to architect first is not the only way to go about it.

HahaHarrie hi! I'm a qualified architect myself, and recently started a website called Design for Me to help people find the right architect/designer specifically for their project.

I started the site because so many people just don't know where to start looking! Anyway, it works a bit like a dating site - matching your requirements with designers/architects... you create a shortlist... then invite some for a consultation (where you would get quotes etc).

If you've got a project that isn't too large or complex, there are students, freelancers (doing work on the side of their day job), and 'architectural designers' (who aren't registered and can't officially call themselves architects e.g. technicians).

We also look at your project for you and handpick designers who seem suitable. If you need any help my email address is [email protected]