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Architect & planning fees: what it really costs in 2026
The paperwork, honestly priced.
£1,500 – £13,500 + fees
Concept designs start around £1,500. Full architect service on an extension runs about £4,500, structural calculations from £600, and council fees on top: planning around £548, building regs £700.
Price by spec
| Option | What it means | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Concept design | Sketches to test ideas | £1,500 – £4,500 |
| Full service | Drawings through to build | £4,500 – £13,500 |
| Structural engineer | Calculations and visits | £600 – £1,800 |
| Council fees | Planning + building regs | £548 + £700 |
What actually happens
- Brief and budget agreed — be honest about both
- Measured survey of the existing house
- Concept designs tested and revised
- Planning application drawn and submitted (8+ weeks to decide)
- Building regs drawings and structural calcs produced
- Tender pack lets builders quote the same job
Popular choices
Concept-only then builder's drawingsFull RIBA stages for complex projectsPlanning consultants for tricky sites
Regulations to know
- Householder planning applications cost £258–£548 in fees and take around 8 weeks
- Building regulations approval is separate from planning — you usually need both
- Architects' fees aren't regulated; quotes for the same job legitimately vary two-fold
Tips from the trade
- Good drawings save their fee twice over in builder quotes — vague drawings price in the unknown
- Ask for fixed fees per stage, not a percentage of build cost
Plan this project properly
Get a region-adjusted estimate, track budget against real quotes, and find local tradespeople -- free to browse on Qome.
Start planning on QomePrices on this page are approximate, region-adjusted guide figures built from cross-checked UK cost data. They exist to inform you, not to bind anyone. Actual prices are whatever you and your tradesperson agree, and a difference between a Qome guide figure and a real quote is not a fault in either.