Architect fee
We are planning to renovate our kitchen, two full bathrooms, closets and also have built-in bookshelves built for our hallway. We are in a large co-op building in Prospect Heights. Right now we’re in the process of finidng an architect who can help us design the spaces and I’m wondering about their fees. We’ve spoken…
We are planning to renovate our kitchen, two full bathrooms, closets and also have built-in bookshelves built for our hallway. We are in a large co-op building in Prospect Heights. Right now we’re in the process of finidng an architect who can help us design the spaces and I’m wondering about their fees. We’ve spoken to two architects so far, and one quoted us at 10% while the other said 20% (of the total construction cost).We were really surprised about the discrepancy between the two of them. Does anyone have feedback about the average/typical fee of an architect for a fairly standard renovation? We’re not planning to move a lot of things around (plumbing, etc.) and we’re keeping the basic layout the same. It’s certainly not a gut reno. Any advice would be helpful!
Fee associated with % of cost is justifiable. A $1000 faucet requires a significant amount more coordination effort and precise detailing than a $100 fixture. The more money you spend, the more exact all the detailing needs to be and hence the more time is involved from the architect/designer. Though usually what will happen is an architect will base the fee on a percentage, then lock that fee in based on an agreed upon scope of construction. As the construction scope changes, they’ll ask for more (or less) money as the project progresses.
The difference is fee is due to the difference in service they will provide, most likely. Compare their scope of services. 10% isn’t going to get you the same as 20% will. With 20%, you should be able to sit back and just approve things. 10%, you’ll probably have to do some work yourself and have more stress.
we are just finishing up a very similar project in a manhattan co-op – kitchen, 2 bathrooms, closets, but no major layout changes. I had no problem finding architects willing to do the job for a fixed fee, and then a reasonable hourly for any extra work we needed them to do. it worked out fine – i would say it ended up being about 5% of the total construction vs. the 12-15% quotes we were getting the other way. i just fundamentally refuse to incentivise someone to make me spend more money. all of the architects who worked on a percentage basis miraculously thought our construction costs would be about 30-50% more than we are actually spending….
Goombahs rule? Weewa, what the f$ck are you talking about? This is a disucssion about fee structure and why it is or isn’t a ridiculous way to cost out a rate. My architect is a lovely man, gets paid well but not a percentage of the job. No one is trashing architects–some people just take issue with that particular way of getting paid.
1:52, Because architects are all ripping you off why don’t you just forget the fees altogether, skip filing the job and come up with your own miraculous Long Island faux Donald Trump special cheesebag mansion?
Goombahs rule!
The flipside, 1:52 and 2:27, is an hourly rate — the architect gets paid for the time worked, and not fancy materials or cabinets.
However, many folks do not like not knowing what the total fee will be. Worse, they begin to feel pressured during meetings (feeling the “meter” is on), don’t explore options fully (for the same reason) and they sometimes don’t invite the architect back during crucial turns in the project (to save a few bucks) or only invite them back when things really are in trouble and the options are all expensive.
In other words, it can be a false economy.
1:52 —
I’m with you. In particular, the architect should serve you independently of teh contractor, but if the architect makes more money if there are change orders, the incentive works against you. Many archtiects are fine and won’t abuse this incentive, but you shouldn’t have to worry about it. Architect should be in your corner, period, and you shouldn’t have to think twice about it.
I know I’ll draw fire for this but I truly cannot see how architects can justify basing their cost of the overall cost of the renovation. If my cabinets are 5,000 or 50,000 how does this change their drawing? Or if my plumber has to dig through plaster and bust his ass laying in pipe why should the architect get a percentage? Same for the electrician? Think about it, do you go in to work and tell your boss you’d like your annual pay to be 10% of his entire allocated busget for his department?
It’s a total bullshit game they play and are allowed to keep playing because people go along with it.
Shop around and find a architect who has some degree of sanity who will negotiate based on the work he does, not the work others do.
I am using an architect now who is unlicensed (and a graduate of Yale’s School of Architecture)and the fees are about $110/hour. An unlicensed architect will do all the design and then work with a licensed engineer to get the plans approved by the city. Just because someone is not technically licensed does not mean they are unqualified to do interior design.