While it’s true that the cost to hire an architect depends on many intersecting factors, researching a ballpark figure will help you allocate enough room in your construction budget. Though some soon-to-be homeowners may entertain the idea of designing their own house plans to save money, finalizing a house plan for your custom home isn’t the time to cut corners. After all, planning your home’s layout is a foundational step in the construction process and necessitates a trained architect’s expertise.
If you’re unfamiliar with the custom home construction process, you’ll want to conduct the necessary research on house-plan-related expenses. For more insight into average costs, read on.
The cost of a home design
According to reputable sources, the average cost to hire an architect to design a 2,500 sq.feet home is around $1,764. On a low end, you can ask an expert to draw a blueprint for as little as $500. If you’re interested in a more intricate design that incorporates all the essential elements and finer details of a large house, the cost can often reach up to more than $5,000.
If you can’t negotiate a reasonable cost, and you’re willing to be flexible regarding the final product, consider purchasing a ready-made design from a well-reviewed website stocked with pre-made house plans. Buying their blueprints can be hundreds of dollars cheaper and equally effective in guiding your construction team.
In contrast, homeowners who want to tweak the blueprint gradually or those who prefer the idea of a formal consultation should hire an architect. Most architects will charge anywhere from $100 per hour to $150 per hour to make changes. If you want an architect to create a draft for your home remodel, the drafting process can take 10 to 14 hours to complete. Expect to pay anywhere from $1000 to $1500 for a simple draft.
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Budget house plans
As previously stated, the cost to create a house plan depends on several different factors. For instance, you can purchase a house plan from Monster House Plans and hire an architect to customize the ready-made house plan to your liking. Under these circumstances, the cost will, undoubtedly, be much lower than the prices cited on popular websites. Similarly, if you have a blueprint in hand and you just want the architect to make simple changes, then the cost to hire a drafter shouldn’t be more than 5,000 dollars.
Hiring an architect is usually twice as expensive as the drafter because most architects work on commercial projects. For part-time work on a commercial project, the typical cost to hire an experienced architect on an hourly basis is $125 to $250 per hour.
If the cost seems high, and the project is relatively simple, some individuals hire an assistant or an intern to complete the project. Usually, these interns’ services cost less than $100 per hour. While some homeowners may worry about quality when entrusting their house plan with an inexperienced intern, these beginners will often work diligently to showcase their talent, as this opportunity allows them to get a foothold in the industry.
Due to the nature of construction projects, you may come across various quotes with a wide range of costs. To put everything into perspective, here’s the average cost of a house plan, which should give homeowners a sense of acceptable price tags and those final totals that border on the astronomical.
- The average cost of hiring an architect to complete a $2,500 sq. feet home: $5,000 – $15,000.
- The average cost of hiring an architect to do modifications on blueprints: $1,000 – $3,000.
- The average cost of getting a full blueprint of a ready-made house design: $500 – $4,000.
A house plan’s cost may vary depending on who and how you want to build your dream custom home. Selecting a ready-made house plan is the cheapest option and will cost significantly less than hiring a drafter to complete the house plan. In contrast, hiring an architect is the most expensive choice, though experts universally recommend this option for large-scale houses and commercial projects.
Cost of hiring an architect for large-scale house plans
For full-service architectural service, an architect may split the total cost based on the construction stages. As a rule of thumb, your architect will usually charge between $2 per square feet to $5 per square feet to design an initial draft. Once they receive clearance from you, they will charge the same rate to draw all construction elements from framing to electrical to plumbing.
In summary
If the price seems too high, consider purchasing a ready-made house plan and hiring an architect to slightly tweak the house plan. The cost to modify and add extension can be 0.75% to 1.25% of the total house construction cost.
Perhaps, the least expensive method option is to stick to the pre-made house plans to a tee. You can give yourself a certain amount of budget leeway by selecting this option. No custom homeowner wants to exceed his or her construction budget. When you opt for a ready-made house plan, you can funnel this extra money into home decor and even project contingency plans.