FEE STRUCTURE

 
 

how much does a renovation typically cost?

The renovation process is multilayered and requires a full team of experts to complete a successful project in a timely and well coordinated fashion. As a full service architecture firm, we’ll help you navigate the complex process of the renovation from the day we start the project through the project closeout.

As Architects, we help our clients look at the big picture as well as the nuance. We make sure that we help you find the finishes, the paint colors, the fixtures, the lighting, the hardware, and everything in between to make sure that your project is successful, beautiful, cohesive, and coordinated. Our fee reflects the level of service that we provide and the complexity of the project, the schedule for the project, and a host of other variables. Our fee range is anywhere between 15-20% of the cost of the project depending on its complexity, size, schedule, and other factors. We generally only take on projects that are full service projects to maintain a high quality standard that our client’s deserve.

A project cost however, consists of many other additional fees beyond that of the Architect. We’ve included this primer to help demystify the processes involved in a typical renovation.

Typical Project Requirements

A standard basic services project will consist at a minimum of the following requirements:

  • Architectural Services

  • Asbestos Investigations and Remediation

  • Department of Building Approvals

  • Progress and Special Inspections

  • Expediting

More complex projects will include additional services and consultants including:

  • Mechanical Consulting Engineers

  • Structural Consulting Engineers

  • Landmarks Preservation Commission · LPC Approvals

  • Land and Property Surveys

  • Condo/Coop Board Approvals

Example Fee Breakdown

To best show how much a project will cost given the additional services and consultants that a typical project requires, we have broken down an example of the total cost of a project below.

An 1000 square foot gut renovation with all new HVAC services, very good quality finishes, fixtures, integrated lighting, and appliances will typically cost between $350-400 a square foot with all fees included. The fees are broken down across many parties and for a typical renovation, the breakdown estimates are as follows:

General Contractor Construction = $240,000

Finishes including fixtures, equipment, lighting, plumbing, windows, appliances, and hardware = $60,000

Architectural Fee @ 20% of the sum of the cost of the two above numbers = $60,000+

Asbestos Investigation and Remediation Fee = $15,000

Department of Building Fees = $2000

Expediting Fees = $4000

Mechanical Engineering Fees = $8500

Structural Engineering Fees = $5500

Special Inspection Fees = $5000

Total Project Cost = $400,000

Example Square Foot Costs

Now that we’ve covered what goes into a project, we can look at how much that cost can break down by square foot based on this year’s current costs (2021-2022)

We have seen costs rising drastically with inflation. The average cost of a basic renovation in Brooklyn and Queens is roughly $300 a square foot. The cost for a more complex renovation with custom millwork, large exterior openings, higher end finishes, complex site access, building remediation, landmark preservation requirements, restructuring, and major reconfigurations in a Brooklyn or Queens Brownstone start at roughly $350 - 450 a square foot. A typical condo apartment renovation in Manhattan starts at roughly $350 a sf.

ARCHITECTURAL FEE STRUCTURE

To better understand a typical Architect’s fee, it is important to understand what is included in typical architectural services. As a full service firm, we include the full scope of services into our workflow. To help you understand the value of what we provide, it is best to see what the average costs for typical architectural services are.

The below calculations are for a project that is assumed to have a construction and finishes cost of $100,000 and what you would expect to pay for typical architectural services from most Architects.

BASIC SERVICES = 12% = .12 x $100,000 = $12,000

Typical Architectural “ADDITIONAL SERVICES”

For each additional service, our fee increases by percentage, since the example is $100,000, each percentage point is equal to $1000.

CABINETRY ELEVATIONS: 2% to 4% = +$2,000 - $4,000

ELECTRICAL SCHEMATICS: 0.5% to 1% +$500 - $1,000

BIDDING/NEGOTIATING/COST REDUCTION ANALYSIS: 0.5% to 1% = $500 - $1,000

CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION: 2% to 3% = $2000 - $3,000

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: 2% to 4% = $2000 - $4,000

3D Imagery = Hourly

Summary

LEAD Studios is a full service architectural firm. Our goal is to provide you with a simple experience that navigates all of the complexities with as much ease and clarity and transparancy as possible. Our team is dedicated to making the design experience as rewarding for everyone as possible and the execution of the design throughout the construction process as collaborative as possible to acheive great results that don’t cut corners. Reach out to us to find out more about how we can help you acheive your next project.