Why the Cheapest Design Fee Often Costs More in Construction
When selecting an architect, it’s tempting to focus on one number: the fee.
On paper, a lower design fee looks like savings. In reality, it often creates costs that far exceed the initial difference — costs that show up later in change orders, delays, coordination issues, and construction disputes.
Here’s why.
A Design Fee Is Measured in Hours — Not Just Drawings
An architectural contract is fundamentally an agreement for time and expertise. The value of that contract reflects the number of hours required to thoughtfully design, document, and coordinate a project.
When a fee is reduced, the hours available to do the work are reduced.
There’s no magic way around that math.
If the timeline remains the same but the hours shrink, something has to give. Corners are cut. Details are simplified. Time spent coordinating is compressed. Quality control becomes rushed. The work may get delivered — but it won’t be as thorough.
And that’s where the real cost begins.
Incomplete Drawings Lead to Expensive Construction
Construction pricing is only as accurate as the drawings behind it.
When documentation is rushed or under-resourced, critical items can be:
Missed entirely
Under-detailed
Poorly coordinated
Incorrectly specified
That trickles down quickly:
Contractors underbid because scope wasn’t clearly defined
Material specifications are inconsistent or incomplete
Field conditions require interpretation
Change orders multiply
What looked like savings in design often reappears — amplified — in construction.
A $50,000 fee reduction can easily become a $250,000 problem once crews are mobilized, materials are ordered, and schedules are tight.
Architects Do More Than “Just Draw”
A common misconception — particularly in developer-led projects — is that architects are simply there to produce drawings.
In reality, a significant portion of an architect’s role is coordination and leadership.
We:
Coordinate structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing consultants
Direct engineers on equipment locations and integration
Align systems with architectural intent
Manage information flow between owner, consultants, and contractor
Identify conflicts before they become field problems
Without adequate time allocated to this coordination, issues don’t disappear — they just move downstream to the job site, where they’re exponentially more expensive to fix.
Good architecture is not just design. It’s orchestration.
The Hidden Risk: Standard of Care
There’s also a professional responsibility component that often goes unspoken.
Architects operate under a defined standard of care. We are legally and ethically obligated to provide services consistent with professional practice.
When fees are pushed too low, firms are forced into an impossible equation: meet a professional standard while operating without adequate time to do so properly.
That tension creates risk — for everyone.
For architects, it means exposure to liability.
For developers, it means exposure to errors, delays, and disputes.
For contractors, it means uncertainty and rework.
A reduced fee doesn’t reduce responsibility.
The Real Cost Conversation
The goal isn’t to be the most expensive architect in the room. It’s to be appropriately resourced for the complexity of the project.
Well-funded design means:
Clear, coordinated drawings
Accurate material specifications
Thoughtful detailing
Proper consultant management
Fewer surprises in the field
Greater cost certainty
In construction, certainty has value.
The cheapest design fee often feels efficient at the front end. But buildings are long-term investments. The true cost of design is measured not by the invoice — but by how smoothly the project moves from concept to completion.
At Peacock Architects, we believe good design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about diligence, coordination, and care. And that takes time.
The better question isn’t “What does the architect cost?”
It’s “What’s the price of rushing the very thing meant to protect your investment?”
If you’re looking for a starting point, the percentage ranges of construction cost traditionally associated with architectural and engineering services — as outlined by the American Institute of Architects — offer a well-established benchmark. They aren’t arbitrary numbers. They reflect the level of time, coordination, expertise, and responsibility required to do it right.
Design isn’t just a line item. It’s risk management. It’s value protection. And it deserves the time — and fee — to match.