Architectural service fees from Lookout Architecture are structured as fixed, hourly, or hybrid, depending on project specifics and fit. Fee determination factors include square footage, scope of services, and project complexity as well as planned construction methods (e.g., wood frame, post and beam, mass timber, steel, concrete, masonry, pre-fabricated). Architectural fees are comprehensive and include all services required or requested throughout a project, including design, drawings, contractor selection assistance, and construction administration. Understanding fee structures and influencing factors can help potential clients budget for design services.

Architectural Service fee paths

Fixed Fee

A fixed fee is a predetermined sum that is tailored for the specific project scope of work. This fee remains the same regardless of the actual time and resources spent on the project. This allows the client to know the total cost upfront, allowing for easier budgeting. However, changes to the initial project scope may require fee adjustments.

Hourly Fee

An hourly fee is based on the actual time spent by the architect and consultant team on the project. Invoices indicate the total hours worked for the billing period based on the hourly rates provided in the architect’s proposal. This fee model is flexible and works well for projects with unclear scope or when frequent changes are anticipated. It provides transparency as the client pays for actual time spent, but the total cost is less predictable upfront. An estimate is provided in the service proposal for budgeting purposes.

Hybrid Fee

A hybrid fee structure combines elements of both fixed and hourly fees. It is used to balance cost predictability with flexibility. Typically, certain phases or services with clearly defined scopes might be billed at a fixed fee, while other phases that are more variable or have evolving requirements are billed hourly. This approach allows the client to have some upfront cost certainty while still accommodating changes and adjustments during the project. A hybrid fee arrangement would be detailed in the architectural service proposal, clarifying which services and project phases are fixed and which are hourly. Typically, this fee path uses an hourly estimated fee for initial design and program development and then switches to a fixed fee for the remainder of the design phases. Construction administration services will typically be provided as an hourly fee, depending on project scope and complexity.

How fees are determined

Factors such as estimated square footage, estimated construction cost, scope of work, and project complexity are reviewed against estimated hourly effort to determine a fair and balanced fee proposal. All fee paths use these factors as a check against total fee or estimate and no proposed fee from Lookout Architecture is arbitrary.

Square footage fee costs will generally range between $5 and $25 per square foot. Project size, complexity, and scope of services are the greatest influences to square footage fee cost. Renovations and additions have a higher square footage cost than new builds.

Percentage of construction cost or construction budget can also be used for budgeting purposes. Architectural service fees generally fall in the range of 3% to 15% of construction cost. As with square footage fee cost, renovations and additions have a higher cost than new builds and project scale is a large factor.

All project fees are directly affected by complexity, scope of services, and scale. Professional service fees proposed by Lookout Architecture are the aggregate of all disciplines required to complete the services. This will be architectural services plus any consultant services required (e.g., civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical engineering).

Lookout Architecture will walk you through fee structures and project proposals to ensure that you understand the services proposed and are comfortable with moving forward with your project.