What Do Architects Cost in the Midlands? Real Numbers.

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

Our Work Across The Midlands

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?"

At JSA, 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.

What would your project cost?

Every project is different. Tell us what you're working on and we'll give you a straight answer — no obligation, no sales pitch.

Get a fixed fe quote Or book a call with us

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

News & Insights

Project updates, practice news, and the occasional hot take. You might just find the spark you're looking for.

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How it works (Because "get in touch" shouldn't feel like a leap of faith)

01. Talk One conversation to understand your project, your budget, and whether we're the right fit. No obligation. No sales pitch.

02. Design Everything built around your brief. We sketch, develop, and refine — with check-ins before anything is fixed. You stay in control without getting buried in the detail.

03. Deliver Through planning, building regs, and into construction. We handle the process. You make the decisions that matter.

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