Architect fees - London

[Firsttimebuyer192]

Looking to do a side return and loft conversion in London and had the following quote back - does this seem expensive or about right?

Including VAT
RIBA Stage 1-3 £9.5k
RIBA Stage 4 - £11.5k

What's the intended contract value? Architects we spoke to all operated on a % of the contract value. 10-14% was standard.

Depends on overall cost of build usually a percentage between 12-15% depending what it includes.

My dads an architect and those are ridiculous prices.

I think we paid about 5k. Side return only

Estimated build cost around £200-225k

It works out at around 10% I
If build price so pretty standard

I was shocked when I heard from a friend that their architect charged a %fee but it seems it is standard practice.

We used an architect technician and paid a flat fee of £9k (possibly less) for sketches (with numerous revisions as our ideas evolved), planning application, building regs submission, colour scheme/mood board. If we had paid him 10% it would have cost as >£30k.
Our builder was very impressed with the accuracy of his sketches and he was very nice guy to boot - receptive, not arrogant or pushy with fanciful designs but thought of the practicalities, too

To add, ours was a 2 storey extension plus basement and small side return in SE London - prices are current

@potatoheads how can it be calculated at 10% of build costs when the build costs can only be properly estimated once you have your final drawings. I think people need to be a bit savvy and shop around and maybe not use big architectural companies. There are a lot of talented and very experienced architects working for themselves who will do a much better job at a more reasonable price.

You should find an architect who charges an hourly rate.

I used an architectural designer and I paid about £6k for the design, planning and tender pack for a side return and loft. The build came in at about £160k (bearing it mind it was 2019). I added 10SQM to my kitchen but changed all of the ground floor and added two beds to the loft with a dormer. They were fab - thoroughly recommend. I did gets quote from RIBA architects too but they came in over double
www.hometales.co.uk
Artan was their recommended builder and he was excellent too.

I think you get what you pay for to be honest- but we went for an architect (not an architectural designer, I think you may strike lucky but there is a difference, like a doctor or a non-doctor…) who works on his own so we always got his full attention - rather than being palmed off to some junior person. He was lovely and his fees were pretty reasonable - low overheads I imagine. I recommend getting someone like him, he doesn’t advertise and his website is not fully fancy but he gets work from word of mouth. Ask around. You may need to go on his waiting list- we did for a few months- but well worth it. We had Andy from StudioDC - he does PassivHaus designs too [email protected]