Published9 April 2026Updated9 July 2026
What Do Architects Cost in the Midlands? Real Numbers.
Ask most architects what they charge and you'll get a very long explanation that answers nothing. Here's what architect fees in the Midlands actually look like — in plain English, from a practice that's done this 700+ times.
Ask most architects what they charge and you'll get a very long explanation that answers nothing. Here's what architect fees in the Midlands actually look like, in plain English, from a practice that's done this 700+ times.
Ask some architects what they charge and you'll often get a masterclass in non-answers.
"It depends on the project." "We'd need to understand your requirements." "Fees vary based on scope and complexity."
All of which is technically true. And almost completely useless.
So here's what we'll do instead: explain how architect fees actually work, give you a realistic sense of what to expect for different types of projects, and tell you exactly how JSA structures its fees — so you can walk into any conversation with an architect knowing what you're looking at.
Why Architect Fees Are So Hard to Pin Down
Before the numbers: a quick word on why this question is genuinely complicated — and why most architects avoid answering it.
Architecture isn't a product. It's a service, and the amount of work involved varies dramatically depending on what you're building, where you're building it, and how smoothly the process goes. A straightforward rear extension in a standard suburban semi is a very different undertaking to a new-build home in a conservation area with a tricky planning history.
That said — "it depends" is not an answer.
The Three Ways Architects Typically Charge
Most practices use one of three fee structures. Understanding each one makes it much easier to compare quotes — and to spot when you're not comparing like-for-like.
1. Percentage of Construction Costs
The traditional model. The architect charges a percentage of the total construction budget — typically anywhere from 8% to 15%, depending on the firm's reputation, the project type, and the complexity involved.
It sounds straightforward. It isn't.
The problem is that construction costs shift. Prices change. Scope creep happens. If your project runs over budget — which construction projects are statistically inclined to do — your architect's fee goes up with it. You end up paying more, precisely when you're already paying more. It creates a misalignment of incentives that doesn't sit well with clients who care about budget.
There's also an opacity to it. "Percentage of construction costs" sounds simple until you try to work out what counts as construction costs, and whether that includes VAT, groundworks, or fixtures.
2. Hourly or Day Rates
Some architects charge by the hour or day — typically in the range of £60–£150 per hour for an architectural assistant, technician or qualified architect, though senior practitioners or specialist firms may charge more.
This model works for small, clearly defined pieces of work: a feasibility study, a planning assessment, a second opinion on someone else's drawings. For an ongoing project, it's a recipe for anxiety. You never quite know what the bill will be. Every phone call, every revision, every round of planning feedback is potentially adding to the total.
3. Fixed Fees
The model that makes the most sense for most clients — and the model JSA uses almost exclusively.
A fixed fee is agreed upfront, based on the scope of the project. You know what you're paying before work starts. There are no surprises at invoice time. Revisions and planning back-and-forth are usually absorbed within the agreed scope within reason, not billed back to you per hour.
Fixed fees align the architect's interests with yours. We can't inflate the bill by taking longer. We don't benefit from scope creep. The incentive is to deliver the work efficiently and well — which is exactly the incentive you want your architect to have.
How JSA Structures Its Fees
At JSA, we price on project complexity — not on your construction budget.
That's a meaningful distinction. We're not looking at your budget and calculating a percentage. We're looking at the actual work involved: the design challenge, the planning context, the regulatory requirements, the number of revisions a project is likely to need, and the time required to take it from brief to approval to construction.
In practice, our fees often sit in the region of 5% of construction costs — but that's a coincidence of how complexity and scale tend to correlate, not a formula we apply. A complex small project can cost more than a straightforward larger one. A technically demanding renovation in a conservation area will carry a higher fee than a simple extension on a standard suburban plot, regardless of what each one costs to build.
What you always get from JSA is a fixed fee, agreed upfront, before work starts
What Does 5% Actually Look Like?
To give you a practical sense of scale, here's how fees typically look across common project types in the Midlands. These are illustrative figures — your project may vary — but they give you an honest starting point.
Single-storey rear extension (typical Midlands semi) Construction cost: £50,000–£90,000 Architectural fee range: £3,000–£6,000 Covers: Survey, design development, planning application, building regulations drawings, construction support
Double-storey or wrap-around extension Construction cost: £80,000–£150,000 Architectural fee range: £6,000–£14,000 More complex design, often more planning scrutiny — complexity reflected in fee
Full house renovation Construction cost: £100,000–£300,000+ Architectural fee range: £8,000–£20,000+ Scope varies enormously — structural changes, listed building consent, and heritage considerations all add complexity
New build home (bespoke) Construction cost: £300,000–£600,000+ Architectural fee range: £20,000–£40,000+ Full design service from concept to completion, planning through to site support
Multi-unit development (5–20 units) Construction cost: £500,000–£2,000,000+ Architectural fee range: £30,000–£100,000+ Development feasibility, planning strategy, and phased delivery all factor into the brief
Barn conversion / Class Q agricultural conversion Construction cost: £150,000–£400,000+ Architectural fee range: £10,000–£25,000+ Prior approval and planning complexity, structural assessment, heritage considerations
These figures assume full architectural services — design, planning application, building regulations drawings, and construction-stage support. If you only need one part of that (a planning application on existing drawings, for example), the fee reflects the scope.
Why Architect Fees Are Worth It — If You Choose Correctly
Here's the uncomfortable truth: a cheap architect who gets your planning application refused has cost you more than a good one who gets it approved first time.
Planning refusals mean resubmission fees, delays, and in some cases, redesign costs that exceed the original architectural fee. For a developer, every month of delay is money. For a homeowner, it's months of disruption extended indefinitely.
JSA has a 97% planning approval rate. That's not a marketing line — it's the result of 20+ years of understanding how local planning authorities think, what they will and won't accept, and how to design and present schemes that get approved.
When you hire architects, you're not buying drawings. You're buying the expertise to navigate a process that has real financial consequences if it goes wrong.
The fee is the investment. The approval — on time, without surprises — is the return.
The Question Nobody Asks (But Should)
Most people ask: "How much do you charge?"
The better question is: "What do I get for that fee and what happens if planning doesn't go to plan?"
For us, the answer is: a named, experienced architect or architectural technologist who stays with your project from brief to completion, a fixed fee that doesn't move unless the scope does, and a track record you can check.
We don't disappear after you sign. We pick up the phone. We give you plain-English answers to planning questions without making you feel like you should have studied architecture first.
That's not a differentiator. It should be standard. But here we are.
Areas We Cover
JSA Architects Across the Midlands
We work with homeowners, developers, and landlords across the Midlands. Fees, planning authorities, and project types vary by location — find local insight and project examples for your area:
Architects in Derby → — Quarndon, Kirk Langley, Duffield, Allestree, Darley Abbey, Mickleover, Littleover
Architects in Nottingham → — The Park Estate, West Bridgford, Edwalton, Mapperley Park, Wollaton, Bramcote
Architects in Lichfield → — Shenstone, Little Aston, Four Oaks, Streetly, Aldridge, Walsall, Tamworth, Whittington
Architects in Solihull → — Knowle, Dorridge, Hampton in Arden, Shirley, Dickens Heath, Olton
Architects in Sutton Coldfield → — Four Oaks, Wylde Green, Boldmere, Mere Green, Streetly, Little Aston
faq's
Common Questions
It depends on the fee structure and project complexity, not just the construction budget; JSA prices on project complexity rather than a flat percentage of build cost, which tends to give a fairer figure for smaller or more involved projects alike.
Percentage of construction cost, a fixed fee agreed upfront, or an hourly/time-based rate. Most practices use one of these three structures, and each suits different project types.
Because the honest answer depends on project complexity, scope, and how much of the RIBA Plan of Work stages you're instructing, not just the size of the building.
Not necessarily. A cheap architect whose planning application gets refused, or who misses issues a more thorough process would have caught, can cost considerably more once delays and revisions are factored in.
Not just "how much do you charge", but "what do I get for that fee": which RIBA stages are covered, what level of detail the drawings go to, and what's excluded.
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