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Architect's Fee
PRACTICE & STANDARDSbeginner
Definition
The payment made by a client to an architect for professional services. Fees can be structured as a percentage of construction cost (typical range 5–15% depending on project scale and complexity), a lump sum, hourly rate, or resource-based. RIBA publishes guidance on fee levels, but there is no fixed scale.
Example
An architect designing a bespoke private house with a construction budget of £500,000 might charge a fee of 12–15%, covering all design stages from briefing through to completion on site.