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Architect Cost Calculator UK

Estimate 2026 architect and architectural-designer fees for your project — by project type and how much service you need. Instant result, no email.

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Estimate Your Architect Fees

Choose your project and the level of service for an instant 2026 fee estimate. For most home extensions a qualified architectural designer can do the drawings for 20-40% less than an ARB-registered architect.

2026 Price Guide

Architect & designer fees, 2026

Service levelTypical 2026 cost
Planning drawings only£1,200 - £2,500
Full plans (planning + building regs)£2,500 - £5,000
Full architect service (7-15% of build)£4,000 - £12,000+

Fees are for the designer/architect only — the council's statutory planning fee (around £258 for a householder application), a measured survey (£300-£600) and structural calculations (£400-£1,000) are charged separately. Full detail in the architect cost guide.

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FAQs · 2026

Architectural Services cost questions

Planning drawings for an extension typically cost £1,200-£2,500 in 2026, a full plans-and-building-regs package £2,500-£5,000, and a full architect service £4,000-£12,000+ (often 7-15% of the build cost). London and the South East run 20-40% higher.
Usually yes — a qualified architectural designer or technologist (CIAT) can prepare extension drawings and planning applications for 20-40% less than an ARB-registered architect. Only someone on the ARB register may legally call themselves an 'architect'; for a straightforward extension a designer is often all you need.
No. This is the designer's or architect's fee only. The council's statutory planning fee (around £258 for a householder application in England), a measured survey (£300-£600) and structural engineer's calculations (£400-£1,000) are paid separately.
Planning drawings show the council what you want to build; full plans add the technical building-regulations drawings your builder constructs from. Most projects need both — a 'full plans' package bundles them and is the most common homeowner purchase.
Not necessarily. Many extensions are permitted development and need no planning application, and a designer or technologist can produce the drawings. A full ARB-registered architect adds the most value on complex, bespoke or high-value projects.

Last reviewed June 2026. Fees reflect 2026 UK ranges for architectural designers, technologists and ARB-registered architects across project types and regions, cross-checked against published fee guides. This calculator gives a budgeting estimate, not a quote. Editorial standards: /editorial-standards. See all free calculators or the cost guide hub.