Transparent Fees & Service Guide
Clear, straightforward fees for residential architectural design and technical services.
Every project is different, so our calculator gives you a more useful indication of what your own project may cost based on your property, the work you’re planning and the level of service you need.
Use the calculator below to build an indicative fee. We’ll also highlight likely additional services and third-party costs so you can understand the wider project budget from the outset.
Architectural Design Fees Calculator
Build an indicative fee for your extension, loft conversion or internal alterations and see what other services your project may need. No mystery totals — we’ll show you what changes the price and why.
Tell us about your home
This helps us scope the digital measured survey, design and technical work your home needs.
What type of property is it?
Is your home detached, semi-detached or terraced?
How many bedrooms?
A little more about the building
Existing buildings can vary enormously. These questions help us allow for the level of care needed without hiding it in a vague surcharge.
Roughly when was your home built?
Buildings constructed before 1920 can use very different materials and construction methods to modern homes. We’ve allowed a little additional time to understand the existing building and develop appropriate proposals.
Has the property been substantially extended or altered before?
Homes that have been extended several times can sometimes be more complicated to survey and understand. We’ll review the existing arrangement before confirming your fixed fee.
Planning and heritage context
You don’t need to know planning terminology. Tell us what you know and we’ll flag anything that may need a closer look.
Is the property within a Conservation Area?
Is the property Listed?
We’ll provisionally suggest a Heritage & Conservation Statement and confirm the actual requirement when we review the property.
What are you thinking of doing?
Choose everything that applies. The calculator will avoid charging twice where parts of the work overlap.
Where survey, design or Planning work overlaps, we’ll show the saving as a separate project credit rather than hiding it inside the total.
Project details
We’ll only show the questions relevant to the work you selected.
Where are you extending?
How substantial is it?
How many storeys?
How extensive are the internal changes?
What are you looking to do at roof level?
What are you hoping to create?
Will it include a bathroom or ensuite?
Has the roof already been converted or substantially altered?
Are you creating or altering structural openings?
Which stages would you like us to allow for?
You can price individual stages or the full journey. Where the full package qualifies for a credit, we’ll show it separately.
Where you continue with Downland Studio through design development and Building Regulations, the measured survey fee is credited against your final Building Regulations invoice.
Do you know how the planning side is likely to be dealt with?
Things your project may also need
£500 per adjoining owner. A notice pack is not a Party Wall Surveyor appointment or an Award. More than three owners needs a tailored quote.
We’ll suggest services based on your answers. Suggested doesn’t mean compulsory — we’ll check what’s actually required before you commit to anything.
Based on what you’ve told us, we’ll highlight services that may be relevant. Nothing is hidden inside the total and we’ll confirm what is actually needed before you commit.
Your indicative Downland Studio fee
Here’s how your estimate has been built. Every addition, saving and suggested service is shown separately.
Other costs to be aware of
These aren’t Downland Studio fees but we think it’s important that you’re aware of likely additional project costs early.
A note about your estimate
Every existing building is different. This estimate is based on the information you’ve provided and assumes the property is of reasonably conventional construction and complexity. Older buildings, properties altered several times, unusual construction, hidden structural conditions or particularly complex proposals can require additional work. We’ll review your property and project before confirming your fixed fee, so you’ll know what you’re paying before work begins.
Like the look of your estimate?
Send your project to Downland Studio and we’ll take an initial look at the property and information you’ve provided before confirming your fee.
What happens next?
The calculator is designed to give you a useful starting point rather than a binding quotation.
If you choose to send your project through to Downland Studio, we’ll review the information you’ve provided and confirm a clear fixed fee before any work begins.
Every project is considered individually, particularly where a property is older, has been significantly altered before or involves more unusual construction.
CORE SERVICES · GUIDE FEES
Prefer to browse our fees?
Our guide prices provide a straightforward overview of our core services and additional project support.
The guide pricing is based on a conventional 3-bedroom residential property in Worthing and West Sussex. Larger, more complex or unusual properties may require additional work and any difference will always be explained before you proceed.
01 · SURVEY
Measured Building Survey
From £400
Accurate measured surveys, captured digitally. Specialist digital measuring technology records the layout, wall thicknesses, openings and key dimensions of your existing home. We check and supplement important dimensions and building information using precision laser measurement where required.
The information feeds into the existing Revit model we produce for the design and technical stages, helping the project move efficiently from the first site visit into design and reducing unnecessary repeat visits.
- Detailed digital capture of existing floor plans within the agreed survey scope
- External elevations, section heights and roof profiles, with important measurements checked where required
- Survey information checked and interpreted by us to produce the existing Revit model and base drawings
- PDF measured floor plan added to your Client Portal as a useful digital record
- 100% credited back against your final invoice if you instruct our Combined Package
02 · DESIGN · DRAWINGS
Design Development & Drawings
From £800
Design development, Revit modelling and relevant existing and proposed drawings for the planning route that suits your project. Planning application submission is a separate optional service.
- Spatial layout and concept design
- Existing and proposed drawings
- Drawings for the relevant planning route
- Permitted Development considered where applicable
03 · TECHNICAL DESIGN
Building Regulations
From £1,850
Detailed construction-ready drawings for builder pricing and Building Control approval.
- Detailed construction sections and project-specific Building Regulations specifications
- Thermal insulation, U-value schedules & ventilation strategy
- Structural engineer coordination & foundation details
- Building Control application submission & management
04 · THE COMBINED PACKAGE
Complete Design & Technical Package
From £2,650
Our complete service from digital measured survey and concept design through the appropriate planning route to construction-ready drawings.
- Measured survey included — 100% credited back
- Concept design and drawings for the appropriate planning route
- Planning application or LDC submission can be added separately where required (£400; one submission service per proposal)
- Detailed Building Regulations drawings
- Structural engineer and Building Control coordination
ROOF SPACE · DESIGN & TECHNICAL
Loft Conversion Package
From £2,250
A tailored design and technical Building Regulations package specifically for roof space alterations, dormers, and hip-to-gable conversions.
- Detailed digital measured survey of accessible roof space, ridge heights and existing layouts, supplemented with precision laser checks where required
- Permitted development / planning drawings (dormers, rooflights, floor plans)
- Building Regulations compliance (stair pitch/headroom geometry, Part B fire-door strategies)
- Structural floor trimmer, steel beam, and ridge coordination
FULL PACKAGE CREDIT
Where you continue with Downland Studio through the complete Design & Technical package, the measured survey fee is credited against your final Building Regulations invoice.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Supplementary & Statutory Approvals
Some projects require further permissions, notices or utility approvals alongside the core drawing package. Expand a service below to see what is involved. The services you need will be identified in your project proposal.
Party Wall Notice Pack — £500 per adjoining owner
Where the Party Wall etc. Act may apply, Downland Studio can prepare the relevant notice using your project information and drawings, ready for service on the adjoining owner. This is notice preparation, not a Party Wall Surveyor appointment or an Award. If an owner dissents or an Award is required, a suitably qualified surveyor must be separately appointed.
Principal Designer Duty Holder Service — £450
Fulfilling the Principal Designer duty holder role under the Building Regulations, including appropriate pre-construction design compliance and coordination.
Southern Water Build Over Application — £295
Preparation of foundation bridging details, drainage layouts, application submission, and technical liaison with water authority inspectors. (Water undertaker fees paid directly to Southern Water).
Discharge of Planning Conditions — £295
Compiling materials schedules, external finish specifications, or surface water schemes and managing the formal council approval-of-details submission.
Minor Planning Amendments (S.73 / S.96A) — £295
Amending approved planning drawings to accommodate client adjustments or on-site builder variations post-planning.
Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) — £400
Permitted development confirmation packages and formal council submission (plus £400 measured survey if not already surveyed).
Dropped Kerb / Highways Crossover Drawings — £295
Site layout plans, visibility splays, and documentation for West Sussex County Council highways crossover applications.
Sewer Diversion (Section 185) — From £495
Technical drawing packages, invert calculations and formal application management for re-routing public sewer infrastructure.
FOCUSED SUPPORT
Hourly Support & Site Visits
Standard Hourly Rate — £45 / hr
Applies to client design changes outside agreed concept revisions, extra contractor detailing, or extended local authority negotiations.
Agreed Site Visits — from £95 / visit
Separately agreed visits to discuss a specific architectural detail or query with your contractor. Attendance is limited to the agreed purpose; it is not continuous supervision, structural inspection or certification of workmanship.
OPTIONAL · CONSTRUCTION & COMPLETION
Contract Administration — from £1,000
For suitable residential projects, Downland Studio can administer an agreed building contract, including JCT or NEC forms where appropriate. The appointment may include site inspections, payment certification and administration of contractual instructions and variations within the agreed scope. From £1,000; the final scope and fee are confirmed before appointment.
VIEW THE SCOPE & ALL FEE BANDS →MORE WAYS WE CAN HELP
Additional services, when you need them.
Not every project follows the same route. Alongside our core packages, we offer a range of focused services that can be added when required — from early planning advice and visualisation through to builder support and drawing updates.
PLANNING · DESIGN · VISUALISATION
Planning Application Submission — £400
Optional support when planning permission is required: preparation and completion of the application forms, relevant location and site plans, submission to the local planning authority, validation correspondence and routine communication during determination. Statutory planning fees, specialist reports and substantial redesigns are additional. This is separate from the design drawings fee.
Planning Feasibility Review — From £195
An early desktop review of your property, planning history and relevant site constraints to help establish the likely planning route and identify potential issues before committing to a full design package.
Formal Pre-Application Advice (Pre-App) — From £395
Preparation and submission of a formal pre-application enquiry to the Local Planning Authority where early officer feedback would be beneficial before progressing with a planning application.
Heritage & Conservation Statement — From £395
Supporting assessment and design justification for projects affecting conservation areas, listed buildings or other heritage considerations. More specialist heritage input can also be coordinated where required.
Planning Refusal Review & Resubmission — From £395
Review of the reasons for refusal, discussion of the available options and preparation of appropriate drawing amendments and supporting information for a revised application.
3D Visualisation & CGI — From £250
High-quality 3D visualisations to help you understand the proposed design, explore materials and finishes, or communicate the finished appearance of your project before construction begins.
PRICING · TECHNICAL SUPPORT · UPDATES
Builder Pricing & Quotation Review — From £495
Preparation and coordination of information for contractor pricing, helping selected builders understand the proposed works and provide more consistent and comparable quotations.
Additional Construction Details & Builder Support — £45/hour
Clarification of architectural drawings and preparation of additional construction details for specific builder queries, with separately appointed specialist information coordinated where appropriate. The task and fee are agreed before work begins.
As-Built Drawing Update — From £295
Updating the approved or construction drawings to reflect agreed changes made during the build, providing an accurate record of the completed works.
Building Regulations Amendments — From £195
Where the design changes following approval or during construction, we can revise the relevant technical drawings and coordinate the updated information for submission to Building Control where required.
HMO · DESIGN & CONVERSION
HMO Design & Conversion
For landlords and property owners considering a house in multiple occupation, the right scope depends on the existing layout, proposed occupancy and the planning and licensing position. Downland Studio can support early feasibility, measured surveys, conversion design, licensing floor plans and technical drawings. Planning and licensing decisions remain with the relevant authority, and specialist services are appointed separately where needed.
As a guide, a four-bedroom semi-detached property requiring moderate internal reconfiguration may need conversion design of around £1,695, with technical drawings priced separately. The guide fee for technical drawings for a 121–150 m² property is £2,250; the measured survey is priced separately.
01 · MEASURED SURVEY
HMO measured survey
From £400
Fee reflects the size of the property and agreed survey scope.
02 · FEASIBILITY
HMO feasibility assessment
From £395
03 · LICENSING PLANS
HMO licensing floor plans
From £350
04 · CONVERSION DESIGN
HMO conversion design
From £1,495
05 · TECHNICAL DESIGN
HMO technical drawings
From £1,850
Measured survey fees increase with property size and scope; larger properties receive a tailored fee. Where the agreed full-package conditions are met, the measured survey fee is credited against the final Building Regulations invoice. Statutory fees and separately appointed specialist consultants are additional. Every project receives a tailored itemised proposal.
CHECK HMO POTENTIAL →VIEW HMO FEES & CALCULATOR →EXPLORE HMO DESIGN & CONVERSION →CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING
A guide price. A tailored proposal.
Guide pricing is based on a conventional 3-bedroom residential property in Worthing and West Sussex. Final fees may vary depending on project complexity, site constraints and specific local authority requirements. Every project receives a tailored itemised proposal setting out the agreed scope and fee.
All fees exclude statutory third-party disbursements payable directly to local councils, water undertakers or independent structural engineers.
Fees shown are the amount payable to Downland Studio; no VAT is currently added.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Let’s talk about your project.
Use the calculator above for an initial indication, or tell us a little about your home and what you would like to achieve. We can help identify the services your project needs and confirm a clear proposal before work begins.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT →