How Much Does an Architect Cost in Melbourne?

For a substantial custom home in Melbourne, architectural fees are often discussed as a percentage of construction value. As a broad guide, the design and documentation stages may sit around 8-12%, depending on the scale, complexity and scope of the project.

At Borland Architecture, we begin with Concept Design at $2,500 plus GST. Once we have tested the brief, site and initial architectural response, we understand the project well enough to establish fixed fees for the stages that follow.

We use the 8-12% range as an early guide rather than simply charging a percentage throughout the project.

On a $3 million construction project, 8-12% represents approximately $240,000-$360,000 plus GST.

On a $5 million construction project, it represents approximately $400,000-$600,000 plus GST.

Construction-stage services are additional. These are typically charged monthly for the duration of the build and currently range from around $2,500 to $5,000 per month plus GST, depending on the level of involvement required, with project-related expenses charged as necessary.

These are significant professional fees. If you are planning to spend several million dollars creating a home, it is reasonable to understand what affects the fee and what you should expect in return.

Why do architectural fees vary?

Two homes with the same construction value can require very different amounts of architectural work.

A new home on a relatively straightforward site is a different proposition from a renovation involving an existing building, difficult planning controls, complex structure and extensive custom detailing.

The amount of bespoke work matters too. A house with highly resolved interiors, substantial custom joinery and complicated coordination between architecture, structure and services takes more time to develop and document.

Scope also varies between architects.

Interior design may be included. Consultant coordination, approvals, cost planning, builder engagement and detailed documentation can differ considerably from one proposal to another.

That is why I would be careful comparing architectural fees only by looking at the number at the bottom of the proposal.

You need to understand what work is actually included, how deeply the project will be resolved and who will remain involved as it progresses.

For Borland Architecture, the construction value used for our percentage guidance includes GST. Our architectural fees are quoted excluding GST.

What are you actually paying for?

People understandably associate architects with drawings because drawings are the most visible output of the process.

I see them primarily as a communication tool.

They allow us to explain the design, materials, dimensions, systems, performance requirements and construction details clearly enough for consultants, builders and trades to understand what needs to be built.

The difficult work starts before that.

We need to understand what frustrates the family about their current home, how much space they genuinely need and where their money will have the greatest effect. We also need to anticipate how family life is likely to change over time rather than designing only around the circumstances that exist today.

Then we test those needs against the site.

Orientation, views, privacy, planning restrictions, landscape, structure, services, comfort, health, building performance and cost all start influencing the same piece of architecture.

They rarely pull in exactly the same direction.

A view may encourage glass where summer heat makes large areas of glazing difficult. Moving a room might improve daily life while creating a planning problem elsewhere. Increasing the size of the house affects much more than the construction cost of the additional floor.

The architect's work is in understanding those relationships and deciding what deserves priority.

The plans record the decisions that come out of that process.

A large part of the fee is also about guiding the process

A substantial home can involve a structural engineer, building services consultants, landscape architect, energy assessor, town planner, building surveyor, suppliers and eventually a builder.

Clients are being asked to make complex decisions about a process most will only undertake once or twice in their lives.

They should not have to become experts in every discipline simply to make sensible decisions about their own home.

Borland Architecture leads the design process and coordinates the consultants, approvals and other specialists around it. We filter technical information, resolve what can be resolved within the project team and bring the client into the decisions where their input is actually needed.

That protects the client's time and makes the process easier to understand.

We also make the design as clear as possible before construction. Three-dimensional modelling, materials, samples and visits to suppliers help clients understand what they are approving in a way that plans alone rarely can.

There is much more to say about the experience of working with an architect, but for a discussion about fees, the important point is that the service includes leadership, coordination and advice as well as design.

Why we remain involved during construction

Construction-stage services are charged separately from the earlier design and documentation work, and Borland Architecture typically charges between $2,500 and $5,000 per month plus GST during this period, depending on the service required.

We consider continued architectural involvement important because, by the time construction begins, the architect has usually been involved in every significant design decision since the start of the project.

Issues inevitably arise on site.

A product becomes unavailable. Existing conditions differ from what was expected. Services need to move. A structural detail changes. A builder proposes a different material or construction method.

The proposed amendment may look minor when viewed in isolation, while affecting several other parts of the building.

Changing a window can influence comfort, airtightness and appearance. Moving services can alter ceiling heights. Changes to cladding or waterproofing can affect durability. A structural amendment may change how a room works.

The architect understands the history behind the design and can assess those consequences before a change is accepted.

That continuity is difficult to replace once construction is underway.

How should you judge whether the fee represents value?

I would look at the quality of the decisions made through the process rather than the quantity of drawings produced.

Did the architect understand the family well enough to challenge unnecessary floor area? Did they find opportunities in the site that were not obvious at the beginning?

Were planning, comfort and building performance considered early enough to shape the architecture properly? Did they help direct the budget towards things that would make a meaningful difference?

Did the process leave the client understanding what was being built and why?

Some of those decisions can have a direct financial consequence. Discovering that a family can achieve everything they need with 40 square metres less building could save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Others affect the experience of living in the house for decades.

Orientation influences daylight and comfort. Storage affects everyday life. Material choices influence maintenance. Decisions about adaptability may determine whether the house can continue serving the family as their circumstances change.

For a custom home, that is where I would look for the value of the architectural fee.

The drawings matter because they communicate the result clearly enough to build it. The larger question is whether the thinking behind them has produced a better home.