Architect Fees for New Construction Single Family Home in South Florid

Amit Ramani

5 years ago

I am looking to build a 3000-3500 sq.ft new single family home in South Florida.

I have been looking for architects and evaluating them.

So far, I have found one that is promising. I wanted to get everyone's feedback on the fee structure in general.

He has divided his Fee Schedule and Scope of Work in 3 phses:

1. Phase 1 : Evaluation, Programming and Due Diligence Investigation.

This is to investigate zoning requirements (setbacks, landscape, parking etc). Fire Department requirements. FEE: (included)

2. Phase 2 : Schematic Building Design

This is to develop conceptual floor plan, elevations and implementing owner's program for approval. FEE: $5000

3. Phase 3 : Construction Documents

Provide drawings for Architecture Construction Documents, Structural Construction Documents, Mechanical Engineering Construction Documents, Electrical Engineering Construction Documents and Plumbing Engineering Construction Documents.

FEE: $10,000-$11,000

Does this fee seem fair? I am looking to build a 5/4 house with a 2 car garage. It will be a fairly straightforward house.

I there anything I am missing? What else should I ask? For those of you that have built your house, is there any items I should ask the architect now in the design phase?

Thanks in advance

Featured Answer

bry911

5 years ago

@ Amit Ramani

The best advice I can give you on your project is to ignore everything said by robin0919.

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Comments (37)

User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
You’re missing specifications for everything. Floors, millwork, exterior cladding, hvac, roofing, etc. You’re missing him helping to select the builder and interpreting the builder’s quotes to be able to say that the builder is interpreting the plans and selections correctly. You’re missing project supervision, where she visits and ensures that the plans are better by followed. And problems are being solved appropriately.

Designing the house is only about a third of the job. Specifying is about half of the work to get a good result. Finding the builder? If that goes well, then the remaining 1/6 of the project supervision is a formality. If it goes poorly, then it adds up to more than 1. And so do the payouts.
Amit Ramani thanked User
Amit Ramani
Original Author
5 years ago
Sophie Wheeler, thanks for the useful input. He has recommended a builder that he works with often. Should all the items (you listed above) be listed explicitly in the Contract/Agreement?

Here is the full list of documents that are included:

ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Project Data

Governing Codes

Occupancy Classification

Construction Type

Area Calculations

Occupant Load / Egress

Site Plan (if required)

Dimensioned Floor Plan

Life Safety Plan

Roof Plan (if required to show new RTU’s)

Elevations indicating any new materials

Wall Sections showing construction techniques for any new walls, partitions, ceilings, etc.

Door and Window Schedules

STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Sections & Connection Details

Wind Load Calculations and Design Pressures for new openings

OWNER/CONTRACTOR-PROVIDED ITEMS

Equipment Plans & Schedule

Shop Drawings (if required)

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Mechanical Plan indicating location of AC units, ducting, return air and diffusers

Mechanical Roof Plan indicating location of rooftop equipment and the required fresh air separations

A/C Equipment Schedule, Fan Schedule, Supply air diffuser schedule and Return air grille schedule

Details for interconnections and installations

Material and Equipment specifications

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Lighting Plan with fixture specification and circuiting (including exterior lighting)

Power Plan with equipment circuiting and general receptacles (including TV and CCTV drop locations)

Roof Power Plan with roof top equipment circuiting

Electric Panel Schedules and Riser Diagram with Load Calculations

Material Specification

PLUMBING ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Sanitary Plan

Roof Plumbing Plan indicating condensate drainage

Sanitary Isometric Diagrams

Plumbing Fixture Schedule and Specifications

Domestic Water Plan & Domestic Water Riser (if needed)
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User
5 years ago
Licensed architect? Or Home Designer? Seems reasonable. Almost too reasonable for an architect.
Amit Ramani thanked User
Amit Ramani
Original Author
5 years ago

jn3344, yes licensed. He is a young architect in his late 20's. I went and visited his office (home office). He has a nice taste of modern design, similar to my vision for my house.

Any other questions I should be asking before signing the contract?
opaone
5 years ago
Here good architects charge about 10% of construction cost. So $1mm home = $100k in architect fees.

Your listing is a bit confusing. I assume everything below "OWNER/CONTRACTOR-PROVIDED ITEMS" is provided by others, not the architect? Unless you have a lighting designer the architect and interior designer should be specifying the lighting.
Amit Ramani thanked opaone
summersrhythm_z6a
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
It could cost much cheaper (maybe free) by contacting nearby univ architecture professors, make it a student project under professor’s lead....,,,
Amit Ramani thanked summersrhythm_z6a
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
Sorry to say, but in many cases, university architectural course work is planned in a sequential manner and often in advance. While not impossible, it's very rare that a university school of architecture would use a new single family residence for course work. There are a few schools which have specific class coursework focused on the design and construction of a structure, but they are typically not a single family home in the sense of this thread.
summersrhythm_z6a
5 years ago
Thanks for the input Virgil.
Holly Stockley
5 years ago
OTOH, I fully intend to farm the design and construction of my chicken coop out to the local FFA group. If you'll pardon the pun. But I don't think the chickens will be nearly as fussy about design, either.
just_janni
5 years ago
That's a great deal and it sounds like he's building his portfolio.
Amit Ramani thanked just_janni
rockybird
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
That sounds like a great fee, maybe because he is young and just starting out. Ask him what his hourly rate is beyond the contracted items. For instance, you may need his input on items that Sophie listed. Also, you will likely need him to visit the site during construction.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
5 years ago
Three things come to mind:
1. You'll need clarification about who is providing the piping/mechanical/electrical plans and specifications. It's ambiguous as stated. However, for the most part, the applicable residential codes obviate the need for plumbing and electrical plans, so you may be paying for something you don't need and which will likely be ignored by the trades.
2. There should be a clear statement of plan copyright ownership. It may be yours or the architect's--it just needs to be clear to all parties and agreed in advance.
3. There should be a clear statement of who is responsible for the cost to correct errors and omissions in the plans including errors and omissions by third parties retained by the architect.

Please do not allow the architect to plaster a note on the plans making it the builder's responsibility to check the plans, identify all errors and omissions and report them to architect prior to construction. The builder's job is hard enough without them being responsible for quality control of plans produced by others.

Best wishes for a successful project.
Amit Ramani thanked Charles Ross Homes
worthy
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Last week I received a six-page architectural proposal for a 5,000 sf higher-end home in Toronto.

Pre-design & Schematic design--C$45,000

Design Development ----------------C$36,000

Construction Documents----------- C$63,000

Interior Design --------------------------C$18,000

Contract Administration -------------C$18,000

---------------------------------------Total C$180,000 (US$138,276)+13% sales tax.

As I've built and renoed dozens of homes, I'm limiting the architectural input to Schematic Design and Construction documents alone.The two architects I'm choosing between have sent proposals of C$40,000 and C$41,000 (US$31,496.20), plus 13% tax.That's more than I paid for my first home in downtown Toronto.
Amit Ramani thanked worthy
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
I'd like to see the drawings and specifications that fee will produce...

Was this from your local architect who lives in the Prairie style house?
jmm1837
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Gosh, on our last house, the architect specified siding and roofing materials, windows and sliders, designed the internal staircase and outside deck and picked the railing materials, did the lighting plan, specified the type and placement of the rainwater tanks required under the house, and made strong recommendations for lighting, heating and plumbing fixtures. He and the builder worked together on selecting decking materials, screens and designing a roof sprinkler system that would meet local fire codes (we were in a bushfire zone). We did get to pick the colors of siding and interior walls, and of course tiles and cabinetry (and I did rebel and go against his recommendation on the faucets!). He even picked out the trees that had to be cut down and the ones that could stay because they wouldn't be a threat to the house.

He found us our builder, recommended a kitchen designer, and also gave us contacts in the local hardware and appliance stores.

Oh, and he and the builder worked with a structural engineer to design and build the floating slab for our garage. Interesting bit of design, that.

So, just a tad more than only designing the shape of the house and providing a floor plan....
Amit Ramani thanked jmm1837
millworkman
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
bry911, now I spit coffee all over my desk, dammit, lmao.....................................
Denita
5 years ago
Agree with millworkman, bri911 and jmm1837....it's pretty obvious robin has never worked with an architect and has no idea of the value of a plan.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
"...The best advice I can give you on your project is to ignore everything said by robin0919..."

Yep!
Diane
5 years ago
Won’t comment on cost as there are so many factors; region, size, style etc. However, having used an architect for our last two projects it has been our experience you can have they specifically list all down to the nails or just provide the necessary drawings for the builder. With guidance we selected all materials and sourced them all too with exception of framing lumber. It was a bit of work, took longer too, but we were able to control cost and quality.
worthy
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
VC asked

Was this from your local architect who lives in the Prairie style house?

No, it was from the architect whose spectacular modern house you liked!

I can only guess they confused me with an über wealthy retired entrepreneur.
Back alley office of my architects of choice.

My likely choice is a firm of young and "edgy" architects often noted in hip publications and who have designed everything from infill in various modern styles (see below) to medium sized condo developments to a host of high-end stores.
Corten steel-faced 4,300 sf infill home mid-town Toronto. arch. TACT

Rear elevation facing heavily-wooded ravine.
Amit Ramani thanked worthy
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
..."back-alley office...

No wonder they are edgy...I'm not even there and the photo makes me edgy! :-)
Denita
5 years ago
Have you asked the architect for references? Just so you can check to make sure you are getting what you are paying for and that he follows through.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
Worthy has been down this alley before...he understands the situation! :-)
worthy
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Edgy. But in a good way?

Here's a couple more:

Port Carling residence, arch. TACT
Dacre Residence, Toronto. arch. TACT

*******

I believe Denita was referring to the OP's choice.
Amit Ramani thanked worthy
Denita
5 years ago
@worthy, yes, I was referring to the OP's choice.
Amit Ramani thanked Denita
Laurie Schrader
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Amit Ramani- Good comments here, even though some meandering :)

One more thing I think you should ask- of yourself, since you seem a bit unfamiliar with the process as well as costs::

Is it a good idea, for you, to set off on a project like this with somebody as inexperienced as the architect seems to be?

I'm not agist, but can he handle himself in a permit dispute? Can he wrangle the GC to execute the plan you've paid for- not one that cuts corners? Can he help in all the big and small ways already commented on? On and on

I suggest you sit with that, and really think about who and what you need.

I wish you luck and will be following
Amit Ramani thanked Laurie Schrader
Amit Ramani
Original Author
5 years ago

worthy, that is definitely the style of the house I want. However, due to it being an older neighborhood, I am not sure how much of the exterior look will resemble the designs you posted. Thank you for echoing my style of architecture. "Edgy" is good.

Denita, I completely agree in that that is exactly the kind of style I prefer. Thanks to you and Worthy for understanding my choice!

When I visited the Architect in his home office, I could see his design is more of a modern tilt with big windows and more airy design. He seems to bring some very useful things in discussions with him (we have met 3 times already). So far, I feel very confident in his ability (regardless of his age). Add to that, his response times are fantastic.

jmm1837, my architect has also promised to work with the builder. In fact, he has recommended a builder as well. Of course, he will work on the permits etc. He has also recommended us a Kitchen Design Company (which is very well known around here in South Florida). He has also recommended us a vendor for the Impact Windows. Through the process, he works with different engineers (structural, mechanical etc). He has also shown us plans of other houses he is currently working on. Seems very detail oriented so far. He has already built a few houses in my town, so he is familiar with the Permitting process.

summer-z6a, I tried reaching the local universities' architecture colleges (FAU in my case). They are not very receptive to the idea.

I would like to thank everyone for their useful inputs. I will keep you posted.
Denita
5 years ago
How is the design coming along? I am looking forward to seeing both the design and the actual build.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
5 years ago
Rule of thumb re: architect's fees: 10 - 15% of total cost of construction. So let's say in Florida your cost per sf is ~$300. So at 3500 sf, your home will cost $1,050,000 to build. Your architect's fees, then, would be roughly $105K to $262K. So, I'd say you're getting a pretty amazing deal. Maybe a little too amazing. Get a couple of other proposals from architects with more experience.
Amit Ramani
Original Author
5 years ago
@Denita

The architect has completed all the plans. His plans seem to be very through and detailed. This includes structural, mechanical, electrical, etc among others.

I have been very pleased with his professionalism and work ethic. He has been able to answer all my questions and is also continuing to guide me moving forward.

We are now in the bidding phase. The architect has sent the detailed plans out to a few contractors. So far, one bid has come in (it seems like the South Florida new construction market is still hot).

I can post the plans here as well to get some feedback. I wanted some feedback on costing etc anyway.
robin0919
5 years ago
Post the plans please. Are you in Miami?
Denita
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
That's great. I have a builder in the area (just outside of Wellington) that is terrific if you want a referral for another bid. He is a small operation, not a production builder at all. Yes, our new construction market is still blazing at the moment.
Amit Ramani thanked Denita
Amit Ramani
Original Author
5 years ago
@Denita

please feel free to pass me the info for your contractor/builder.

Attached is the first and second floor plan along with the 4 elevations.

I have other plans (including MEP, Windows, HVAC). Let me know if you would like to review those as well.

I hope these attachments are clear.
Steve Daigneault
5 years ago
Looks amazing for the price!!
Amit Ramani thanked Steve Daigneault
wysmama
5 years ago
I would personally like to see larger windows and more of them.
qwert
last year
I found this thread and wanted to ask about your experience…I am considering a major renovation project in south Florida (palm beach county) and although many things will be different in 2022 vs. your 2018-2019 build, I thought I’d ask if you have thoughts to share on what went right and what you’d do differently.