Pricing
 

Rates are current as of May 2020 & typically increase every 2-3 years.
 

If you want quality, professional work, & you work within reasonable, realistic time frames... I would very much like to work with you.
 

If you are looking for "fast and cheap"... That is not what I do.
 

Notice: No one else should be quoting prices for my services: builders, architects, engineers, designers, etc... No one. I don't quote or speculate on prices for their services, & they should not do so for mine.
 

I break down everything to an hourly rate....no matter if it's a full set of house plans, or miscellaneous CAD/BIM/drafting/modeling work. Ultimately, what I am selling is my skills & experience, which translates into TIME. This is fair to all parties, including myself. I can give you an estimate specific to your project, if desired. Even when projects seem very similar; they can vary in scope of work, drawings needed, complexity, level of detail, etc. I generally
don't do 'lump sum' or 'not to exceed' pricing.

Architect/Designer's Fee Breakdown
The following list is a further breakdown of the Designer's Fee. The breakdown
assumes a 10% fee of total hard cost estimate. For example, let's again assume your
estimate of total hard costs will be $150,000.00. With Designer's Fee at 10% the total
amount would be $15,000.00.
Schematic Design 15%
Design Development 20%
Contract Documents 40%
Bid/Negotiations 5%
Construction Observation 20%
100%

Keep in mind that your home design may be acquired from a stock plan service rather
than hiring an Architect to provide this service. If you purchase a stock plan for
$1,000.00 rather than spend $15,000.00 on full architectural services, then you’ve
radically changed how money will be proportioned in your anticipated budget. This type
of flexibility is what your Budget Estimate is all about!
 

My rate for all work is $50/hr., with a $700 minimum. I generally require a down payment (retainer) & signed agreement to begin work. The down payment can be 20%-50% of the estimate or more; depending on the project, location, time frame, etc.
 

If you want to 'ballpark' what it will cost to hire me to do a good builders set of drawings for a custom home; it can range
from $0.75 to $3.50 per square foot (under roof). The simpler the design, the lower the cost. Some projects need more design development than others, more time for working out challenging areas, etc...along with more details & drawings. Most straight-forward designs will be $1.25 per sf. Again, this is just a way to 'ballpark' the price.
 

Additions & Renovations are tricky to put a sf estimate on. That's why I price each project based on its specific needs.
 

If someone is pricing these services much lower than this...something may be fishy...be careful! Be sure you understand
what you're paying for & who you're buying it from. Some people who do this "on the side" can charge a lower rate, because this is "extra money" for them. They may be using someone else's software & equipment. This is NOT the case for me...I use my own software & equipment, and I've been buying my own health insurance for quite a while. I'm a one-man operation. This IS how I support myself...It's my "job". Please consider these factors when getting prices for services. I encourage healthy
competition...I ask only for a fair game. If you compare services, please make sure it's "apples to apples".
 

I would appreciate the opportunity to work with you. If you have a potential project, feel free to email material to me; summary/description, sketches, images, reference material, etc.
 

Please contact me to discuss further. See contact page for my info. 

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Thank You, 

James Strang 

Home Designer