Pricing
How much does an architect cost?
At DK Arkitekter each stage has its own fixed price. It is worked out after a free property report, once we know the property — not from a list, and not as a percentage of the build cost.
A fixed price on each stage
Architect fees with us are a fixed price on each stage. We do not take a percentage of the build cost, and the stages are not charged by the hour. Each stage is its own agreement, and you know the price before the work begins.
A percentage of the build cost rises as the house gets more expensive. An hourly rate has no end until the work is done. A fixed price per stage means you can see the number coming, and it does not change along the way.
When do you get the price?
After the free property report. We look the property up in the public registers and bring together its history, current status, building rights and three worked-out scenarios. The report costs nothing, and you have it within 2 working days.
Once the report has been reviewed, you receive a written offer with the fee, deliverables, assumptions, consultant contributions and expected delivery dates. The price is for your property, not an average.
The stages — each with its own price
A typical project has these stages. Not every project needs all of them, and each stage has its own page.
Sketch design
The architectural direction: layout, volume, light, facade and materials.
Design proposal
Plans, elevations, sections, main dimensions, materials and technical principles.
Permit design and building permit
Drawings and descriptions for the application, coordinated with the technical consultants the project needs.
Execution design
The drawing set the builders price at a fixed sum and build from.
Site supervision and client advisory
Weekly architectural supervision and dialogue with the contractor and consultants while the house is built.
You can stop after any stage. One stage does not bind you to the next.
Why can the price not be calculated in advance?
Because what decides the price only shows once someone looks at the house and the plot. A calculator with three drop-down menus cannot know any of it.
Whether the house is listed or worth preserving
A house designated worth preserving is handled by the municipality. A listed house needs permission from the Agency for Culture and Palaces. The more there is to document, the more work the project holds.
What the local plan allows
The local plan can set the facade, roof, height and materials. Some plots are almost free. Others have a plan that governs every detail, and the work shows it.
How much of the building right is already used
The plot ratio sets the ceiling on how much may be built. If it is nearly used, the design has to be more precise, and a dispensation may be needed.
How the existing house is built
The structure decides what a new opening, a new storey or an extension needs in calculations and details. That only shows once the house has been surveyed, which is why work on an existing house often starts with a survey and registration.
Whether a dispensation is needed
A dispensation means an extra round of review at the municipality. It costs time above all, and it needs more material.
Size, documentation and consultants
The size of the project, how detailed the drawing set has to be, and whether an engineer, a land surveyor or other surveys are needed.
What is included in the price — and what is not?
What you receive as standard
- architectural concept and layout
- facades, roof, windows, and doors
- fitted joinery: kitchen, bathroom, and built-in furniture
- lighting layout: fixture positions, switching, and circuits
- material direction
- sketch design and design proposal
- visualizations as a natural part of the design process
- permit material
- coordination of necessary technical consultants
- structural calculations when required
- surveyor/geotechnical/material/environmental investigations when required
- execution design
- material for contractor pricing
- weekly architectural supervision during execution
- ongoing communication with client, contractor, consultants, and relevant authorities
Can be added to the offer
- furnishing with loose furniture — sofas, dining tables, and seating
- furniture selection, styling, and shopping lists
- selection of decorative light fittings
- a change of direction after the concept design is approved
- redesign after major changes during execution
External consultant fees, investigations, and authority fees are included as budget items or preliminary allowances in the offer and are clarified according to the project’s specific requirements.
Questions about price
- How much does an architect cost in Denmark?
- At DK Arkitekter each stage has its own fixed price. It is worked out after the free property report, so it rests on your property rather than a guess.
- Does the architect take a percentage of the build cost?
- Not with us. Each stage has a fixed price that does not rise because the house becomes more expensive to build.
- Do you charge by the hour?
- The stages are not charged by the hour. You get a fixed price on each stage before it begins.
- What does the property report cost?
- Nothing. It is free and without obligation, and you have it within 2 working days.
- How much does it cost to have a new house designed?
- It depends on the plot and the local plan, the building right, the size of the house and how detailed the drawing set has to be. A new house also starts with the free property report, and the price follows in writing, as a fixed price on each stage. About building a new house
- How much does an architect cost for an extension?
- It depends on the same things as any other project: the local plan, the building right, the structure of the house and whether a dispensation is needed. An extension also starts with the free property report, and the price follows in writing. About extensions
- Can I stop after one stage?
- Yes. Each stage is its own agreement. You can stop after a sketch design or after the building permit.
- What sits outside the fixed price?
- External consultant fees, surveys and authority fees depend on what the project requires. They appear in the offer as clear budget items or provisional allowances, so you can see them from the start.
The price starts with the report
Give us the address. We look the property up and send you the report within 2 working days, free and without obligation.