How Much Does an Architect or Architectural Designer Cost?
We're currently living in a world of ever-increasing costs, and this is especially true in the construction and housing sector. House prices are up, interest rates are up, and material costs continue to rise.
Yet professional design fees haven't increased at the same rate, meaning that getting an architect or architectural designer to draw up your extension may cost less than you think.
Here's our cost breakdown at The Practical Planning Company.
Let's Start with the Fees You Can't Control
Before you appoint a designer, there are several unavoidable costs that you'll need to factor into your budget.
1. Planning Fees
For a standard householder planning application, the current cost is £639, which includes the £91 Planning Portal administration charge.
Do you have to use the Planning Portal to submit an application?
In most cases, yes. The majority of local authorities now require planning applications to be submitted via the Planning Portal.
2. Structural Engineer Fees
Structural engineer fees will vary depending on the complexity of your project.
As a rough guide, we suggest budgeting around £200 per beam.
Removing two internal walls? That's approximately £400.
Planning a loft conversion? You'll typically require three beams, so you should allow around £600.
3. Building Control Fees
Building control fees can vary between providers and local authorities, but for a simple extension of up to approximately 40 square metres, you should budget around £1,000.
This fee covers inspections throughout the build and your completion certificate.
You'll need this certificate for your home insurance, and it will be essential if you decide to sell your property in the future.
A Typical Kitchen Extension Example
Let's say you'd like a single-storey rear extension to create an open-plan kitchen, dining, and family room.
You live in a typical 1930s or 1960s three-bedroom property with a large front room, large rear reception room, and a small kitchen.
Your proposed extension is around 6 metres wide and 3.5 metres deep.
The plan is to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room, then open up the rear of the house to create one large, open-plan living space.
Perhaps you're considering bifold or large sliding doors across the rear elevation, along with skylights in a pitched roof or a roof lantern over a flat roof.
Your costs immediately start at:
£639 – Planning application fee
£400 – Structural engineer fees
£1,000 – Building control fees
That's approximately £2,000 before you've even appointed a designer.
What Does The Practical Planning Company Charge?
At The Practical Planning Company, we charge a fixed fee of £1,049 for a single-storey rear extension designed to create an open-plan kitchen and dining space.
At first glance, that might seem like a significant investment, but here's what's included:
We carry out a full site measure.
We prepare your initial designs, and all revisions are included.
Don't like a door or window? Want to adjust the size of the extension or change the materials? Just let us know.
We submit your planning application and deal with the council on your behalf.
We prepare all construction drawings in detail, ready for builders to provide accurate quotations.
We coordinate with the structural engineer and building control provider, organising the entire process for you.
This puts our typical cost for a single-storey kitchen extension at around £3,000, including everything you need to start your build and all the necessary documentation required for your home insurance and future property sales.
How Does This Compare to an Architect?
If you search online for "How much does an architect cost?", you'll often find answers ranging from 5% to 15% of the total build cost.
This raises an interesting question: how can you know your build cost before you have the detailed drawings?
On top of that percentage fee, you'll usually still need to pay separately for:
Structural engineering
Building control
Planning application fees
Let's put this into context.
A typical kitchen extension in the East Midlands currently costs around £50,000, assuming you're employing a builder to complete everything except decoration.
Five percent of £50,000 is £2,500.
Add your unavoidable costs of approximately £2,000, and your total professional fees could exceed £4,500.
Our approach is often more cost-effective than a traditional architectural service, but perhaps that's the wrong question to ask.
Instead of asking, "Who is the cheapest?", ask yourself:
Who offers the best value for money?
Who will provide the most creative ideas?
Who do I want to work with throughout this process?
Who will make the experience as straightforward and stress-free as possible?
The only way to find out is to speak to potential designers and architects.
Ask what they offer, what their fees include, and how they work.
Will they visit your home to discuss your ideas?
Will they suggest alternatives you may not have considered?
Or do you already know exactly what you want and simply need someone to handle the drawings and paperwork?
At The Practical Planning Company, we combine transparent fixed fees with practical design expertise and a fully managed service to help turn your extension ideas into a build-ready reality.
If you're thinking about extending your home, we'd love to help.
Get in touch today to discuss your project.