Fee

Possibly the most commonly asked question when thinking about a new project is “How much is it going to cost?” This question can also be the toughest one to answer as every project is unique and presents its own challenges. It is likely that two similar projects will not cost the same. Some common items that will affect a project’s budget are:

•   Location
•   Scale
•   Availability of Materials
•   Labor
•   Design Complexity 

At TE Design Studios we encourage our clients to understand how these items affect their project budget before starting the design process. 

Good project budgets can be broken up into three simple categories: Fees, Cost of the Work and Contingencies. 

• Fees generally fall under the planning, design and administration portion of the work. 
• Cost of the Work refers to the actual cost for a contractor to build what was designed, including their cost to do so.
• Contingency is a reserve of funds for unexpected items, typically 10-15 percent of the total project budget.

When working with architects and engineers it is always important to understand that their fee is not part of the Cost of the Work. 

An architect can be beneficial to your project as a genuine resource of design knowledge, construction knowledge and Planning experience. When thinking about a project’s budget, the architect can be useful in reducing the overall project costs through some of the following methods: 

• Developing a site design that makes better use of land and resources.
• Help obtain more accurate quotes from contractors for the Cost of the Work.
• Achieving longer lasting structures with better construction quality through material specification and detailing.
• Better long-term energy efficiency through design.
• Creative design solutions. 

At TE Design Studio we understand that when you build something, you are making an investment for your future. We are here to help you build that future from the ground up.