The Design Process and Factors Affecting Your Project’s Cost

The following design items affect your project’s cost. McClellan Architects will work with you to make these necessary decisions in a timely manner, which will allow you more control over your costs:

1. Project Program

The program for your house is a laundry list of everything you want your house to be. This is the starting point of your project.

2. Project Budget

The budget is what you are prepared to spend on your house. The budget and the program provide the context within which the remaining decisions are made.

3. Existing Site Conditions

The building site can affect your project cost in a number of ways. The strength of the soil or the slope of the land can affect the size and design of your foundation. In remodels and house additions, the condition and configuration of the existing house can be a major determinant of the new construction cost.

4. Project Size

The size of your project will be determined by balancing the needs and limitations of your program, your budget and your site.

5. Exterior Envelope

In addition to your project’s size, its shape and configuration also affect its cost, primarily due to the amount of its exterior envelope. The exterior envelope of your house, its foundation, walls, windows and roof, comprises a significant part of your project’s budget.

6. Finishes and Materials

One category presenting a great range of cost options is that of finish materials. Countertops, wall treatments, flooring, and the building’s exterior skin are just a few of the elements that can be supplied in a variety of forms and styles, each with their own cost impacts.

7. Change Orders

Change orders are those changes which are made after construction has commenced. This is the most expensive time in the process to make changes, and minimizing change orders is a very effective way to keep costs within budget. McClellan Architects will work with you and the contractor to anticipate key decisions prior to construction.

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Three Typical Methods for Determining Design Fees:

1. Percentage of Construction Cost

The estimated cost of a project has proven to be a consistent indicator of how much effort is required in its design. The project’s cost is a more accurate indicator than merely its size. A small condominium may have many more elements (special tile patterns in the bathroom, a wall of cabinetry in the living room, a specific arrangement of lights in the kitchen) that make it more expensive than a project that may cover a larger area, such as a multi-car garage.

2. Fixed Fee

In some projects, a fixed fee may be established. This is negotiated between the architect and client, and could be determined a number of ways. The architect gets paid the agreed amount over the course of the project.

3. Hourly with a Maximum Limit

In this option, the estimated construction cost is used as an indicator, as outlined in method 1. This cost is then used as a maximum limit to the fee, and the architect is paid hourly, not to exceed this maximum limit. This option establishes an upper limit to what the client will pay, and provides potential savings to the client should the process go more efficiently than anticipated.

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Planning for the Total Project Cost:

The following costs should be planned for in a typical residential project:

Construction Cost – The cost of building your project.

Tax on Construction Cost – All construction costs are subject to Washington State sales tax.

Contingency Costs – Unforeseen expenses which may occur during the course of a project.

Permit Fees – Building Department fees.

Professional Fees – Fees for architectural services, structural engineering, and a site survey.

Following our initial consultation, McClellan Architects provides a spreadsheet outlining these costs, establishing an initial project budget.
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