Architect fee calculator.
Three engagement models cover most Delhi residential architect contracts: percentage-of-cost (the most common), flat fee (small or known-scope projects) and stage-wise (phase-by-phase). The calculator gives an August 2026 planning range for each. Its exact assumptions are published below; the result is not a fee quote or the Council of Architecture scale.
Typically included
- Concept → scheme → working drawings
- Sanction submission (AAA fee usually extra)
- Structural coordination (structural engineer fee usually extra)
- Tender + BOQ + contractor recommendation
- Site visits 1–2/week through construction
- Material approvals + snag list resolution
Usually outside the fee
- MCD / DDA / fire NOC liaison fees
- Structural / MEP / landscape consultant fees
- Site survey, soil test, contour survey
- Physical models, 3D rendering beyond an agreed scope
Indicative 2026 Delhi rates. Real fee depends on the scope schedule we write together.
Ask for a fee letterStatic fee-scenario reference
Percentage and stage-wise results use the same scope bands. Flat fee uses a separate formula with minimum low and high results. These are calculator constants for comparing models—not prescribed fees.
| Selection | Calculator formula | Scope assumption to test |
|---|---|---|
| New-build · percentage/stage-wise | 5–7% of entered project cost | Concept through drawings, tender and agreed construction administration |
| Renovation · percentage/stage-wise | 6–8% of entered project cost | Existing-building survey/coordination and defined retained scope |
| Interior fit-out · percentage/stage-wise | 7–10% of entered project cost | Interior design and execution coordination; no assumed structural work |
| Flat fee · any selected scope | Low: higher of 4% or ₹1.5 lakh; high: higher of 6% or ₹2 lakh | Known area, deliverables, revisions, programme and added-service rule |
The Council of Architecture’s posted Scale of Charges is a separate professional reference. It lists 7.5% of cost of works assigned for comprehensive services to an individual house and separate categories for interior architecture and additions/alterations. See the sourced table and worked examples in the architect-fee guide.
How the calculator derives the range
- 1. Cost base. The entered value is treated as civil plus fixed finishes contracted for the project, within the input limits shown by the tool.
- 2. Scope band. New build uses 5–7%, renovation 6–8%, and interior fit-out 7–10% for percentage and stage-wise scenarios.
- 3. Model. Percentage multiplies the cost by the scope band. Stage-wise returns the same total band but describes phase billing.
- 4. Flat fee. The tool applies 4–6%, then protects the displayed low/high with ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh minimums.
The formula does not know the plot, number of options, drawing list, consultant team, site-visit frequency or construction duration. Those facts belong in the appointment and can move a real proposal outside the displayed planning band.
Explicit exclusions from the result
- Applicable taxes, documentation/reimbursable expenses and travel unless the fee letter includes them.
- Structural, MEP, landscape, lighting, acoustic or other specialist consultant appointments.
- Measured/topographic survey, soil investigation, testing and record retrieval.
- Authority charges, NOCs, liaison and external-agency fees.
- Daily/resident site supervision, contractor labour safety and construction means/methods.
- Unlimited alternatives or revisions, changed area/use, delayed programme and redesign after sign-off.
- Interior architecture, furniture or styling unless that scope is selected and documented.
What you’re actually buying
A fee percentage only becomes meaningful after “cost of works assigned” and the services are defined. The schedule should identify surveys, options, approval drawings, coordinated construction information, tender, site reviews, completion support, consultants, exclusions and additional services.
Architect fees in Delhi — engagement models and what you’re buying →
Architect fee calculator FAQs
Is the calculator result a quote from Archaus?
No. It is an August 2026 scenario based on the published constants below. A fee proposal follows a brief and property review and defines deliverables, exclusions, consultants, revisions, site involvement, programme, taxes and reimbursables.
What project cost should I enter?
Enter the estimated cost of works you expect the architect’s stated scope to cover, using the same inclusion basis across comparisons. The calculator assumes civil plus fixed finishes and excludes loose furniture, statutory fees and the architect fee itself.
Does the percentage include interior design?
Only when the appointment expressly includes interior architecture and defines its cost base and deliverables. The tool offers “interior fit-out” as a separate scope because comprehensive building architecture and interior architecture should not be silently merged.
Why is a renovation percentage different from a new build?
Renovation can require measured surveys, investigation, demolition/retention drawings, concealed-condition decisions and detailed coordination against an existing building. The calculator uses a different planning band, but the real fee depends on actual scope.
How does the flat-fee option work?
The tool calculates 4–6% of entered project cost, with a low-side floor of ₹1.5 lakh and high-side floor of ₹2 lakh. A real flat fee still needs an area, deliverable, revision, programme and additional-service boundary.
Does stage-wise mean I can stop after a phase?
Only if the signed appointment provides phase authorisation or termination rights. The calculator uses the same total range as the selected percentage scope and changes the billing model label; it does not itself create contractual exit rights.
How does this compare with the Council of Architecture scale?
The CoA Scale of Charges page lists 7.5% of cost of works assigned for comprehensive services to an individual house, and separate categories for interiors, alterations and other work. Read that dated professional reference with its Conditions of Engagement; this tool’s scenario bands are not the CoA scale.
Which cost matters more than the percentage?
The missing scope. Compare who surveys, designs, coordinates consultants, prepares approval and construction information, tenders, visits site, reviews bills or variations, supports completion and carries work through delays before comparing totals.