How much does an architect cost for a new building?

How the fee is composed

What influences the cost of an architect?

There's no fixed price like in a supermarket. Architect fees are variable and depend on the complexity of your dream home. Three factors are crucial:

• Construction costs (total construction costs): This is the most important factor. The more expensive the house is to build, the higher the architect's fee will be in absolute terms. Architect fees are often calculated as a percentage of the eligible construction costs.
• The level of difficulty: Are you planning a simple, rectangular cube on a flat meadow? Or a complex, multi-layered villa on a steep slope with intricate structural engineering? The more demanding the task, the greater the time required and therefore the cost to the architect . The SIA (Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects) defines various categories here.
• Scope of services: Are you only commissioning the architect with the design and building permit application (partial service)? Or should they also handle the detailed planning, tendering for tradespeople, and construction management up to handover (full mandate)? Logically, the architect's fees are significantly higher for a full mandate, as they will be involved for 1.5 to 2 years.

How are the costs for an architect calculated?

In practice, you will usually encounter two models that define the costs of an architect .

1. The cost-percentage fee (lump sum based on construction cost)

This is the standard practice for new buildings in Switzerland. The fee is defined as a percentage of the construction costs.

• As a rule of thumb: For a single-family house, architect fees usually range between 10% and 16% of the pure construction costs (excluding land and ancillary costs).
• The larger the project, the lower the percentage often is (degression), but for single-family homes it usually remains in the upper range due to the high individual effort.

So when you compare offers, pay attention to whether the architect's fees are included. are defined as a fixed percentage or whether there are upper limits (cost ceiling).

2. The time-based fee (expenses)

In Switzerland, architects' hourly rates typically range from 120 to 180 Swiss francs for staff and 180 to 250 Swiss francs for the lead architect. For a completely new building, this model is risky for clients, as architect fees are difficult to predict if the project costs spiral out of control.

The billing phases

The architect's fees are not incurred all at once. They are spread across the so-called service phases (according to SIA 102):

• Preliminary project: approx. 9% of the fee.
• Construction project (approval process): approx. 21% of the fee.
• Tender (search for tradespeople): approx. 18% of the fee.
• Execution (construction management): approx. 52% of the fee.

This shows that over half of an architect's costs are for construction management and implementation. Those who save money by handling construction management themselves significantly reduce their architect's fees – but also assume the full risk for construction defects and delays.

Examples of typical architect costs

Let's get down to brass tacks : What does that mean in Franconia?

Let's say you're building a detached house. You already own the land. The building itself (BKP 2) costs you 1.2 million Swiss francs.

Scenario A: The standard new construction (full mandate)

You want a unique, but not overly complex, house. The architect takes care of everything from start to finish.

• Construction costs: 1,200,000 CHF.
• Fee rate: approx. 14%.
• Architect's fees: 1,200,000 CHF * 0.14 = 168,000 CHF .

This amount covers approximately two years of work, including liability, planning, and countless site visits. The architect's fees may seem high, but they guarantee quality.

Scenario B: Drafting and approval only (partial mandate)

You want the planning done by an architect, but you're building with a general contractor or doing a lot of it yourself.

• Construction costs: 1,200,000 CHF.
• Fee share for phases 1 & 2 (approx. 30% of the total fee).
• The total fee would be: CHF 168,000.
• Architect costs (partial mandate): approx. 50,000 to 55,000 CHF .

Here you save on the architect's fees , but you lose their independent perspective during the construction phase.

Regional differences

Architect fees also vary depending on location. An office in the city of Zurich has higher wage and rental costs than an architect in the rural Jura region. Hourly rates reflect this. Nevertheless, the percentage of the total construction cost charged for architect fees often remains similar, as building in the city is also more expensive.

Comparison: Architect vs. Prefabricated House

Many people believe that prefabricated houses eliminate architect fees . This is a misconception. Even a prefabricated house needs to be planned and approved. Planning costs are often hidden in the fixed price. They might be slightly lower (due to standardization), but they are still there. Transparent architect fees are often only found with a custom-designed house.

Conclusion

The question "How much does an architect cost?" is best answered with a rule of thumb: Budget around 12 to 15 percent of your pure construction costs for the fee. For a house costing 1 million Swiss francs, the architect's fees would therefore be around 120,000 to 150,000 Swiss francs.

That sounds like a lot of money. But remember: the architect is the only person on the construction site who has no interest in selling you expensive materials (unlike the window installer). They are your trustee. A good architect's fees pay for themselves through a flawless house, enforced warranty claims, and an aesthetic that secures resale value. Don't skimp on the planning, because mistakes on paper cost an eraser, but mistakes on the construction site cost a fortune.

If you are unsure whether a given fee offer is in line with market standards or what the actual construction costs for your dream project in your region are likely to be, it is worth using Loft 's data analysis to obtain a neutral basis for comparison.

Glossary

• Architect's fees: The total fee for planning and construction management services, usually based on the construction costs.
• SIA (Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects): The professional association whose standards (e.g. SIA 102) form the basis for calculating architect fees in Switzerland.
• HOAI: The German fee schedule for architects; not valid in Switzerland, but often used as a comparison for the structure of architect costs .
• Project phases: The division of a construction project (preliminary project, approval, execution), according to which the architect's costs are billed step by step.
• BKP (Building Cost Plan): A standard for structuring costs in construction; the architect's costs usually refer to BKP 2 (buildings).