What is the average cost to hire an architect in California?

Individuals and business companies continually want to construct or modify houses, buildings, offices and many other structures. Before the construction, they already know what type of building they want. What they do not know is how to orientate and choose from a number of plans, designs, and projects.

Another main problem may be figuring out building codes, zoning laws and finding contractors.

In such cases, hiring an architect is the best choice you can make.

What architects do is help you visualize the project, as they see different angles, designs and satisfy functional needs that we cannot portray in our heads. To put it differently, architects have the education, experience, and knowledge to come up with a well-designed project, whether it is remodeling, new construction or addition to existing structure.

The cost to hire an architect in California

There are more than 22.000 licensed architects in the state of California, who are regulated and licensed by the California Architects Board.

The amount of money professional architects will charge you greatly depends on a number of factors, including the desired size, appearance, and functional requirements of your project. Based on the project, you may need to pay from $1500 to $70.000 (or even more).

In general, architects use different payments structures, charging by the hour, square foot or by cost percentage of the entire project.

Costs per Hour

It is preferable to hire an architect per hour providing that you are in good standing and already have the big picture of the project in your mind.

In the state of California, residential architects typically charge from $115 to $225 per hour for the planning, designing, and drafting of the project. The average price is $145 if you hire them on an hourly basis.

In similar fashion, commercial architects charge from $108 to $170 per hour, depending on the nature of the desired project. The average price is $139, which does not include materials.

Costs as Percentage of the Project

In California, professional architects also charge based on the percentage of the total project cost. The prices depend on the size of the project, including some details and materials. In addition to this, you should know that the larger the project, the lower the percentage cost is.

Nonetheless, it is always useful for you to voice the whole budget of the project before hiring an architect and starting the project. You should clarify some design details as well, as they add up to the initial budget.

In California, the average percentage fee of the project cost is from 8.9% to 14.03%.

Costs per Square Foot

Hiring an architect per square foot is typical for small projects, as you will not have to pay for hourly added up fees. In this case, you will only pay more if you enlarge the project.

Californian architects usually charge from $6.75 to $13.25. The average price is usually $10.00 per square foot, which includes only the design cost and not the materials.

It may be useful to mention that there are some junior architects, who tend to charge $5 per square foot. As you may see, the prices depend on their expertise and professionalism. That is why senior architects are prone to charging more, valuing their knowledge and training as architects.