Sounds reasonable. What exactly is included in project management? Hours for project management are separate from the architectural design hours?

74,400-76,800 in fees. I also would like an expanded listing of the services and a time frame.

Try to reach someone dealt before with this firm to be rest assured.

Hmm. All regions and pricing are different.

I think you would be hard pressed to build 3100 sqft for $1.2M in my area using a relatively simple design. It would seem to be that starting with $75k on that road would be hard to make it work.

I must admit that I have never spent that kind of coin on an architect and I realize there are different models. I also wonder what project management actually entails. In my world, project management is the builder's job. I understand that someone overseeing this could be very helpful. But, if I was a builder, I would be bidding pretty high if I knew that I was going to have an architect going behind me.

I just don't see a build today at that price point with a supervisory project manager. Now, if the management is just going behind and making sure the plans are followed and aiding in design decisions along the way - that may work.

I feel like I am trying to pepper my post with all sorts of qualifiers and I should have just started with a very strong disclaimer at the beginning. All builds, all regions are different.

Builders often do things that are inexpensive. Given a choice, they pick the less expensive and simplest option. They probably have all done spec builds and profit was part of their compensation (not all). When an architect is getting paid large money to spec everything, they aren't focused on budget. They spec the most amazing and best things - maybe not always but cost isn't their primary objective. That is fine but you don't build 3100 sqft for 1.2M in that environment.

I live in an area of $500/sqft homes. The land is part of that but not a huge part. Most houses are designed by very good designers. An architect runs around $10 a sqft. Designers $5 or so. So $24 to me sounds like $800/sqft area.

That being said, I totally understand that an architect can be smart enough to design a quality build on a budget. I just don't see those charging $24 - it just doesn't jive.

A full service architect seems reasonable at that rate.

Let's see how the proposed fee compares with the overall budget. 3,150 SF @ $24/SF = $75,600 assuming the fee is based on the living area only. Some architects in our area include the area of garages, porches, decks and patios in the total area so understand what will be included in the calculation before entering into any agreement. Back to the math, again assuming living area only: $75,600/$1,200,000 = .063 = 6% of total project costs. That compares favorably with what folks would spend for those same services in my area when purchased through an architect. Design/build would be less. The caveat is whether 150 hours of design time is adequate for the task and how much you'll be billed if it goes over. Firms that bill for services by the hour are rewarded for their inefficiency. My architect bills by the hour for conceptual design work and then quotes a flat fee to produce the detailed construction plans. I think that's fair to all parties.

Do yourself a favor and get your builder on the design team from the outset. Their insights and those of their trades can inform the design--particularly as regards cost. It's the best chance to achieve your budget objective and to avoid "surprises" like "where do we install ductwork?"

I would want a lot more detail on the services too. Does project management include weekly site visits and weekly meetings with the builder? What else? Are interior and architectural design services unlimited? (And do they actually have people competent in these areas — not all architects are great in them). What is the deadline for drawing a change in plans while the build is in progress, if needed? And so on.

What does "project management" actually mean?

When I've managed a build for a customer on their lot, it means I'm on-site each day overseeing all trades and suppliers and the many unexpected decisions/changes that come up continuously.

Thanks for all the responses. I emailed the firm back asking for details on many of the services. The project management was the least of all the services in terms of cost so I’m guessing it doesn’t involve a lot. They do know my builder and have made it clear that they want to get him involved at day 1 to help manage expectations and the budget. The design does include non livable areas.

On site daily and overseeing trades - then the fee seems low. Just to my point, how many builds do you do that with that come in under $1.2M?

"Project management" services by an architect don't take the place of the builder's responsibility for day-to-day project management. It typically involves the architect visiting the site at scheduled intervals to ensure construction is substantially as per the plans and specifications. Some architect's "project management" services include inspections when payments are requested to verify completion of work for which payment is requested.

If the architect was on a building site daily, their life would be in danger. Builders here know what I am talking about.

I suspect that the project management aspect involves regular visits to the site and meetings with the builder but probably on a weekly or biweekly cadence. They definitely do not act as full project managers. I have relatively low expectations for that aspect especially because the cost is only $1.50 per square foot. I’m more interested in what the interior design service includes and how that differs from the interior architecture service. I’m looking for as much help as possible so would welcome interior design

We had project management as part of our package and it was to be billed at end depending on how much we used it. We didn’t use it at all. In the end all of the decisions that were needed we made with the GC and builder on site. We didn’t need the architect/designer but that was just our experience. We did have our builder meeting with us and the designer during planning meetings to try and keep budget in mind and ensure designs were in the scope of what we could afford.

Your project is conceived as Design-Bid-Build. Project management would be dealing with schedules, owner's vendors, consultants, permitting, RFI's during construction, etc. If anything is involving a site visit/inspections, where nothing has been included that specifically lists in terms of how many or what project stage, then the "project management" people are commenting about would be an additional listed item of Construction Administration, where an architect is the owner's eyes and ears. YMMV.