Architect fees...how much did you pay?

[Maz]

I need to sort out an extension at my mum's house in Sheffield. It's a single-storey bathroom extension that has barely enough room to swing a cat in (quite literally, just a toilet/basin plus shower).

I spoke to one architect whose fees were £650+vat (£763.75). Another one told me it'd be 10% of the build cost (one builder told me the build would be roughly £7k, hence £700 for the architect).

Neither of the architect quotes included the council's inspection fees etc.

What's your experience of architects w.r.t. extensions and does £700ish sound reasonable?

Regards
Maz

 

[Abitrary]

Unless it's a specialised toilet architect, I'd go with the builder.

 

[hubgearfreak]

imho, they're a bunch of overpaid time wasting plonkers.

have a chat with the LA building inspectors to see if it can be done under building notice, where a plan is enough and let the builder and BI sort out the specification of each stage, the foundations, insulation etc. are standard requirements and a good builder doesn't need drawings from some twat in an office to tell him what it should be.

10%...it's an outrage, the roofer does 20%, the plumber 20%, the builder the rest and he gets 10% for printing a couple of plans off a computer?

 

[Dave5N]

Simon L X+Y does them free for Cyclechat members, I believe.

 

[Speicher]

The estimates you have seem very high. An Architect was involved in drawing up plans for this house, moving the garage forward (into a car port) building a room where the garage was, and changing another room. He did a complete plan of the whole house, oversaw the planning application etc and charged about twice what you have been quoted.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

The fees sound perfectly reasonable to me. Often, jobs like extensions are very fiddly over details of complying with the Building Regulations.

 

[Slim]

Mine charged a percentage of the build cost (I think around the 10% mark) but that included managing the project from start to finish. His work included organising planning permission, inspecting the builders work to ensure the correct materials were used, etc. I did think it was a lot of money but at least if anything went wrong I had someone to sue check with.

 

[hubgearfreak]

Often, jobs like extensions are very fiddly over details of complying with the Building Regulations.

that's true, but a good builder can achieve this....and you don't want to employ a bad builder.

 

[rich p]

most arcitects charge a percentage rate which depends on whether it's new build or renovation work. Might get a guide if you check on the RIBA site.