Cost Factors
Our architectural fees are estimated based on size, schedule, finish grade and quality, design intensity, and design complexity. We discuss these factors in detail below, but here is a quick breakdown of how it works:
- Your construction budget and architectural fees are both affected by size and schedule.
- Your construction budget is also based on finish grade and quality of install.
- Your architectural fees are based on design product complexity and design process intensity.
- As your architect, we will work with you throughout the design process to balance your program and budget.
We base our estimate on the project scope outlined in our initial consultation and any foundational information we receive at that stage. As a custom design firm, we evaluate the best way to bring you the highest value possible. The process is exploratory and aims for a fantastic result. We are happy to run multiple scenarios for you and help you define your prevailing determinants of success.
Let’s now review each cost factor in a bit more detail.
Cost factor: Size
The square footage and number of stories, the amount of conditioned versus unconditioned space, and the extent of site work to be done will all affect the cost of construction and architectural fees.
Cost factor: Schedule
A typical schedule includes consecutive design and construction phases. An expedited schedule with parallel phases can be planned for and can save costs in terms of time, but it does incur some risk of increasing costs in other areas.
We expect to receive client responses to presentations within seven calendar days to maintain schedule and cost estimates. Delayed approvals and/or owner-directed schedule pauses without 30 days’ notice will incur project wind-down fees.
The following graphic shows a typical full-service schedule in terms of the phase order and schedule breakdown.
Cost factor: Finish grade and quality of install
Both finish grade selections and quality of install can include low-, mid-, and high-cost options that will determine your estimated price per square foot for construction costs. While this choice does not affect the design process complexity or intensity, any changes to this choice after the schematic design phase has been approved will increase costs due to the time spent redesigning and re-documenting these choices. If you have a hard budget maximum, we advise making these selections at the beginning of the project instead of relying on value engineering additional services during the final phases.
Cost factor: Design product complexity
Design complexity ranges from simple to intermediate, complex, and very complicated. This directly affects how many hours the studio will spend designing and administering the project. Webber + Studio provides a custom design approach that includes higher design complexity than a standard plan.
If there is a discrepancy between your budget and scope, we will typically design toward your scope and program first. If you have a hard budget, we will want to limit the amount of design exploration in the early phases, and we will want to establish scope priorities to use in the event of design compromise. We will also want to establish finish grade and quality of install choices early to avoid substitutions. During the documentation and construction phases, we can perform value engineering to reduce cost of construction, although there will be additional charges for the design work, so early budgeting is most cost efficient.
Adding specialty consultants and design goals will add complexity, and therefore cost, to the project. Additional agency reviews (by coastal commissions, wetlands agencies, or historical building societies) will add complexity and cost.
Cost factor: Design process intensity
Each client, project, and budget calls for a unique level of collaboration. We assume that we’ll carry out one primary design exploration effort. The table below conveys the amount of time spent in design review meetings, site observation meetings, and responding to requests for information (RFIs) at three different levels of design process intensity.
Additional design iterations and additional review and input meetings will be billed as additional services. Each meeting can last up to 1.5 hours, with up to 15 minutes of travel each way. Meetings can take place either in person or via phone or video calls with the client, client rep, and/or GC. RFIs must be reviewed by the submitting party (e.g., the GC).