How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Architect in 2025?

This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.

Hiring an architect costs an average of $6,641, with most people paying between $2,191 and $11,564. Your project's size, complexity, location, and the architect's experience level will influence the final price. It's important to budget carefully, as architects may charge per hour, per square foot, or as a percentage of your total construction cost.

Architects usually charge $125 to $250 per hour or $2 to $10 per square foot. Depending on your project's scope and complexity, you might pay as little as $550 or as much as $50,000. Hiring a professional ensures your project meets all building codes and regulations.

Cost Factors for Hiring an Architect

How much an architect costs to draw plans depends on several factors, including their experience level, the project type, and the required building plans.

Experience Level

You’ll pay more to hire experienced architects with specialized expertise for your project. Senior architects may charge up to twice as much as junior or intern architects, especially if they're taking on project manager roles. When collecting quotes from architects near you , remember that the most affordable option may not be the best fit for your project.

Project Type

Most people spend between $2,191 and $11,564 to hire an architect. However, this price usually covers only the drafting of initial plans, small projects, or partial services. Architects typically charge 8% to 15% of the total construction cost for residential services, depending on your budget and project complexity. For a new $300,000 home, that means you might pay between $24,000 and $45,000 to hire an architect.

An architect is an asset to any project requiring building a new structure or fundamentally altering a current one. Architects perform various functions with a wide skill set, including:

• Creating plans, blueprints, and construction documents

• Working as your agent as well as a planner, manager, and construction administrator to help you evaluate bids and select contractors

• Understanding engineering, structural and spatial relationships, planning, applicable building codes, and zoning regulations

Remodel or Home Addition

Architect fees for remodels and home additions vary based on your project's scope. For example:

• Home additions: $2,400 to $14,000

• Full renovations: $2,400 to $17,600

• Kitchen remodels: $1,800 to $8,500

• Bathroom remodels: $800 to $3,500

• Unknown conditions: Unlike new construction, the condition of building materials and utilities behind walls and out-of-sight locations is unknown in existing homes. Unknown conditions typically require more design revisions.

• More hands-on work: Most pros won’t write up initial plans and leave it at that. Architects need to be onsite more often to assess conditions and make changes as the project progresses.

• Code compliance: Any time you update an existing home, you must bring any altered areas up to the current building code. For example, if you open up an existing wall, the electrical, plumbing, and framing might need to be updated to current standards.

Custom House Plans

Basic drawing plans range from $2,000 to $20,000. For full custom home builds, architect fees generally range from $10,000 to $60,000.

Fee Structure

Architects offer different payment structures for their work. Here are the typical cost ranges for hiring an architect per square foot, per hour, as a percentage of the total build price, and the average cost for drawing plans.

Architect Hourly Rate

If you hire an architect on an hourly basis, you can expect to pay $125 to $250 per hour for a principal or project manager level architect. Intern architects typically charge $65 to $90 per hour, but since they work under a higher-level architect, you'll likely be billed for both.

Hourly rates make sense for smaller projects or to solve a specific design issue. If you need limited services, such as simple building plans, you might be able to use an hourly rate—alternatively, you could hire an architectural draftsperson .

Architect Cost Per Square Foot

Architects may charge between $2 and $15 per square foot. This billing method isn't commonly used due to the variation in project requirements. Each phase of work can be separated into a cost per square foot as follows:

• Concept development and drafts: $2–$5 per square foot, including preliminary design consultation, site visit, and initial draft documents.

• Construction documents: $2–$5 per square foot with detailed drawings for all construction elements, from framing to electrical and plumbing.

• Project management or administration: $2–$5 per square foot, depending on the level of onsite construction oversight and document administration.

Percentage of Construction Cost

Architects typically charge 8% to 15% of the total construction cost for most projects. For example, if your home build costs $115,000 to $450,000, you might pay $9,200 to $67,500 in architect fees, with an average of $32,500.

Fees can go as high as 15% to 20% for remodeling projects and as low as 5% for new construction jobs, depending on the project's complexity. Percentage-based pricing is the most common and ethical as it clearly defines the project budget, so find a professional architect near you who uses this fee structure.

Combined Cost Structure

Some architects use a combination of percentage, hourly, and per-square-foot billing, depending on the phase of work. Typically, they'll charge hourly rates for the schematic and design phases to encourage you to be available and make changes promptly. Once the design is settled and the project's scope is clear, they can assess a more accurate per-square-foot or percentage fee.

Fixed Fees

Architects might charge a fixed fee for smaller projects where the scope of work is clearly defined. Fixed-fee pricing is ideal for you because you'll know exactly what the cost will be up front. However, it's hard for architects to estimate costs due to the many variables in the design and construction processes. For this reason, architects rarely use fixed-fee pricing. Minor revisions are often included in the fixed fee.

Building Plans

Blueprints cost anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000. The cost of a set of architectural plans for a small addition will be lower than building plans for a large, fully custom home on the higher end. Note that this price range does not include the cost of additional drawing services, like design revisions, project management, or construction oversight. Most projects require extra design revisions along the way.

Included in architectural plans—also called construction drawings or blueprints—are detailed drawings for every part of your new-build home. Plan types include exterior site plans, floor plans, roof plans, elevation views, basement or foundation plans, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) plans.

Add-On Services

In addition to the costs related to architectural plan or blueprint design, architects may offer additional services for your project.

Reimbursable Expenses

Reimbursable expenses cover any cost outside of design services. These could include the cost of printing or shipping design plans, travel expenses like mileage and airfare, and more.

3D Renderings

Some homeowners request 3D realistic design renderings to visualize their proposed project before it is built. These renderings cost between $200 and $2,000 per image.

Design Revisions

Major changes made during the design phase or addressing any changes made during construction cost extra. The cost of minor design revisions might already be included in the base price. Still, you may want to ask the architect candidate what type of revisions constitute additional charges during the hiring process.

Building Permits

Building permits cost $1,200 to $2,000. Your architect needs to submit design plans to obtain a building permit. Expect them to include this added cost in their total bill.

Land Surveys

A land survey costs $200 to $1,100. You’ll likely only need one for new home construction; however, some more extensive remodels or additions may require one.

Architectural Design Fees Schedule

You typically do not have to pay the full architectural design fee upfront. Architects often outline a fee payment schedule based on the different phases of work and achieving certain project milestones.

Phases of Work

The design process consists of five or six design phases. The phases of work start with initial planning and end with complete construction.

• Pre-design: This is an initial design consultation meeting with your architect. You will start your project discussion, determine priorities and goals, and gather initial information.

• Schematic design: Also known as preliminary design, your architect creates a conceptual design during this phase. This high-level design plan is considered a rough draft that you will review with your architect before moving forward. A site visit might also be included.

• Design development: After you have accepted the schematic design plan, your architect turns it into a more detailed technical plan. At this time, you finalize the design and select material colors and finishes.

• Construction documents: During this phase, your architect produces fully detailed technical plans and specifications. The hard copy blueprints are submitted for building permits and solicited for contractor bids.

• Bidding and negotiation: If you choose, your architect can help you review contractor bids. This can be helpful because an architect knows the level of quality and cost to expect for services.

• Construction administration: Optionally, your architect can handle the administration of your construction project. This could include approving change requests, submitting progress payments, and settling disputes. Administration entails an extra cost of around $2 to $5 per square foot or 20% to 25% of the overall fee.

Budgeting for Hiring an Architect

As you examine everything that goes into the cost of hiring an architect, remember these budget-friendly tips to avoid unnecessary expenses:

• Collect detailed project quotes from multiple architects to compare pricing.

• Negotiate a fair payment schedule based on reaching project milestones.

• Opt for simpler, more templated architectural plans over totally custom designs.

• Choose an architect with specific experience handling projects similar to yours.

• Discuss billing methods, like paying per hour, per square foot, or as a percentage of the project total.

• Gain clarity over all additional fees you may incur, like the cost of building permits and land surveys.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.