The services provided by an Architect break down into 4 areas:
Initial Design:
Meeting the clients, discussing the brief (client's requirements), timescale and budget, carrying out a site inspection and survey, preparing initial design proposals for discussion with the client, advising outline costs and requirement for additional consultants, advising on planning, building regulation, health & safety regulations (as required), agreeing cost, scope of services and fees.
Developed Design:
Developing the client's brief and outline proposals, further disussion with client to agree preferred options / layouts, incorporating relevant planning, building regulations and H&S requirements into proposals, liaising with any appointed consulants, signing off on developed design and costs with client and, if a planning application is required, preparing all relevant documentation - application forms, notices, drawings, outline specification of materials, supporting information - for submission.
Detail Design:
Developing detail design of project including construction details, site works, finishes and fittings (if required), preparing technical & quality specifications, incorporating consultants detailed design, addressing any planning issues (compliance submission, as required), preparing Forms of Tender, advising client on forms of Contract & client requirements, liaising with QS, preparing tender lists and issuing tender documents.
Construction:
Reporting on Tenders with QS input as required, requesting clarification of rates from tenderers as required, advising clients, arranging contract between client and contractor, visting site to inspect progress and quality of work (as appropriate), modifying drawings to respond to site conditions (as required), issuing payment certs when appropriate and valuing the final account (with QS, as required), listing defects to be made good by contractor and then inspecting same, inspecting work at end of defects liaibility period, issuing final certificate, issuing Opinions on Compliance with Planning & Building Regulations in official format.
Generally the fee for an Architect to carry out all of the above is calculated as a % of the overall cost of the project. Work to existing houses is usually charged slightly higher than for a new-build house - with new-build there is a clean plot of land, with refurb and extension, there is a higher probability of issues arising once the building is opened up and work is underway, requiring architectural input.
Although there are no set guidelines for this - it will be dependant on the size of project and complexity of work - there is a survey on average charges available on the RIAI web-site:
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This suggests that the average fee for smaller projects (up to €500k) would be between 8 - 12%.
The RIAI recommends that each of the above stages be calculated as 25% of the overall cost, which would indicate a fee of 50% of the overall project cost to take the project to planning stage - this is indicative and most architects will be more competitive than this (perhaps with the exception of whoever quoted €18k above!)
It is not necessary to hire the architect for the whole process, you can agree the services you want and the architect will quote on that basis - in your case, for the initial and developed design to planning stage. Bear in mind, that if you want to sell your home in the future, that a buyer will want to know that the work has been carried out to the correct standards, so you will probably want Opinions on Compliance as well.
Do you need an architect? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I have a limited space to extend?
- Do I want the new space(s) to integrate seemlessly with the existing house?
- Is there an existing extension to be taken into account?
- Do I want to maximise the use of existing internal space?
- Do I want to maximise natural light?
If the answer to any of the above is yes, then an architect will probably bring more value to your project. Building is an expensive business and it's worth taking the time to get it right.
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