Beyond the basics, architects provide many types of services to support building projects.
With varied experience and specialized knowledge, architects have the opportunity to provide valuable services for clients well beyond the basics. Building a strong foundation by executing the core services is the first priority. Layering in additional services lets you give each client the right level of support for their project, and it opens up new revenue along the way.
Basic Services
Basic services are what the architect needs to do for every design. These services are considered basic because an owner should expect each of them to be included in a standard contract. Many of these have been covered in our guide to design phases, so this is a brief overview. Basic services typically include the following:
Programming
In programming, you are determining the scope of work to be designed. No actual design is being developed at this point. You will mainly ask your client questions to understand their problems, wants, and needs. This is also where the research and decision-making process happens. The work is largely a consulting job, and you should have a clear list of the client's wants and needs by the end.
Schematic Design
Here you will develop the basic form of the building. There will be a lot of sketching rather than formal drawings. Generally, you want to develop the floor plans, site plans, and building elevations. This gives you a complete description of the building systems, including structural, mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, along with interior and exterior finishes and the building site. You should have a basic design at this point.
Design Development
Now that you have the basic idea, you can begin to refine it. You will look at specific materials in this phase and evaluate them for beauty, durability, and price. This is when your client selects the materials for countertops or shower tile. You should have the full design by now.
Construction Documents
During this phase you provide a product: two complete sets of drawings. The construction documents fill in all the details and include every element of the design. Today most firms produce these documents in BIM environments like Revit, which keep plans, sections, and schedules coordinated as the design changes.
Construction Administration
Construction administration typically involves the architect acting as the owner's representative during construction. Site visits, materials testing, and inspections make sure the contractor is building as specified and isn't cutting any corners.
There is some debate about whether this counts as a basic or additional service. More often than not, architects include it as part of their basic services. Owners should check with the architect about whether it is included. Architects should decide whether they want to offer it. If the architect an owner selects doesn't include construction administration as a basic service, it is in the owner's best interest to request it as an additional service. Most owners don't have the experience to be their own advocate during construction, and an architect can guide and advise them toward a successful project completion.
Additional Services
Additional services are services you are not required to include under a basic contract. The more additional services you can offer, the better you can assist your clients. You've already won the job and know you will be providing your basic services, so it's worth making sure clients get everything they might need from you. Additional services also bring the benefit of extra revenue.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of every additional service you might provide, but it gives a solid start on building your own. A few of the most common additional services include:
- Alternative project delivery selection
- Record drawings and feasibility studies
- Sustainable design and urban design
- 3D rendering, interior design, and project management
Each of these is worth defining clearly in your proposals so clients understand the scope and the fee. The sections below break them down.
Alternative Project Delivery Selection
Most of the time, the two project delivery methods that work best are design-bid-build or design-build. They are the standard methods, and owners, architects, and contractors know them best. Sometimes, though, an alternative delivery method better serves a project. Maybe the owner needs to follow an aggressive schedule, or they need to minimize change orders as much as possible.
Whatever the case, an architect will know a wide array of delivery methods and can help pick the right one for the project. Selecting a delivery method is the responsibility of the owner, so asking an architect to help would be an additional service with an additional fee. For a deeper look at the options, see our guide to project delivery methods.
Record Drawings
Every owner of an existing building should have a set of drawings that record the building as it currently stands. These are helpful for future development of the building, and architects typically need them to start work on a project. For many reasons, the owner could lose track of these drawings. If that happens, they will need to hire an architect to redo them.
Record drawings are not as-built drawings. As-built drawings are defined in the Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice as contractor-prepared drawings documenting any changes made to the original design during construction to document any changes made to the original design during construction. As-built drawings should show the changes made in red ink.
While the two terms were once used by architects somewhat interchangeably, it is no longer recommended that architects use the term as-built. The term carries liability that architects want to avoid. Because architects create record drawings using information provided by the contractor, the information cannot be verified by the architect, so there are no liability issues for the architect.
Sustainable Design
With the increasing focus on environmental concerns, clients are more frequently asking their architects for sustainable design services. Decarbonization targets and embodied-carbon reporting have moved this work from a niche offering to a routine client expectation on many projects. Sustainable design services an architect might offer include analyzing the health impact of materials, design for well-being, energy analysis, ventilation and computational fluid dynamics, carbon accounting, project sustainability assessment such as LEED, BREEAM, or WELL, and workshop facilitation. These services are not offered by every architect, so any firm that does offer them should collect additional fees for the additional work.
Urban Design
In urban settings, how buildings and structures work together to create an enjoyable environment is just as important as the design of the individual buildings. Urban design extends past a single building to focus on groups of buildings, public spaces, transport systems, services, and amenities. Because it includes components of architecture, landscape architecture, and city planning, many architects bring on external consultants with expertise in these urban fields. As the scope expands, the architectural contract can grow to match the needs and build a much more holistic project.
Bidding/Negotiating/Price Discussions
Often the architect is the only person on the owner's side with experience in construction and how much it costs to build. The owner usually has little to no experience with the negotiations, and they might not know how much a project should cost.
This is where an architect can be extremely helpful. They know what cost is too high and what is too low. They know what changes can lower costs without compromising the integrity of the original design. If a client is uncomfortable handling these negotiations, it's worth hiring an architect to guide them.
Project Management
This would include any services the owner doesn't feel capable of handling on their own. It could mean selecting various materials or coordinating with other parties involved in the project.
If an architect is asked to include project management as an add-on service, it is typically billed at an hourly rate. Neither the owner nor the architect has a clear picture of how the service will look during the project, so an hourly rate rather than a flat fee protects both parties no matter what arises. Firms managing several of these engagements at once often lean on purpose-built tools to track hours and budgets against each phase, so add-on work stays profitable instead of quietly eroding margins.
3D Renderings
Thanks to modern design software, architects can render 3D models of designs. This gives the owner a clear feel for how their building will look. It can also serve as promotional material to gain support for the project. Many times, architects put together a short film showing a camera moving through the 3D rendering. Real-time engines such as Twinmotion and Enscape now let firms generate walkthroughs in minutes that once took days. While basic services include the design drawings, 3D images are not typically part of basic services because of the extra cost and time to produce them.
Most clients care only about the deliverable of a beautiful, legible image and not the process for deriving it. Outsourcing rendering work to other firms is a common source of revenue for architects.
Feasibility Studies
A feasibility study determines whether a project is worth the owner's investment. Normally, architects examine the proposed location and other factors to determine whether the project will bring the outcome the owner desires. A feasibility study also takes a hard look at the legal right to build what the owner envisions. If codes prohibit the owner from building what they want, a feasibility study helps them figure that out.
Mixed Use Architecture
When owners have a concept for a building that serves more than one purpose, they need architects who specialize in that type of design. Mixed use means single buildings that serve as residences, restaurants, workspaces, medical services, or other combinations of building use. More people want buildings that create a village-like feel. This work is often combined with urban design to create spaces with micro neighborhoods where people don't have to travel far to work or play.
Site Selection
Where a building is placed is as important as the design of the building itself. Site selection is a multifaceted process that varies depending on the use of the building. Site selection for a retail space often looks at factors like the amount of competition and the cost of living in the area. It wouldn't be ideal to put a business where it has to fight with several similar businesses or where locals cannot afford the products or services.
Single-family homes are often a bit different during site selection. Usually the land has already been purchased by the owner, and an architect can help situate the home on the best spot on the property.
Building Condition Audits
A building condition audit is performed on an existing building. An architect can look for structural issues or building components that might be out of code. An audit might address questions like: What is the building's overall condition? Can the current capacity be safely increased? Is the building able to serve the owner's needs? How much longer can the building last?
Full-Time Site Representation
Construction administration provided under basic services is a form of part-time site representation. The architect is only on site for specific activities, like inspections, testing, or oversight of sensitive construction work.
In some cases, the owner might need more full-time representation. This could be for legal reasons or because the project is complicated. If small failures could cause huge headaches for the owner or put people in danger, full-time oversight might be warranted.
Electrical Schematics
While electrical schematics are an important part of the design for a building, architects are under no obligation to provide them. Architects are well qualified to provide these drawings because they intimately know the final layout of the design. If a client wants electrical schematics, they will need to be included as an additional service with an additional fee.
Cabinetry Elevations
Cabinetry elevations are detailed drawings of the configuration and design of cabinets. They typically require a very high level of detail, and it can take hours to create that level of design. This is not required by any housing authority. Just like electrical schematics, architects are well qualified to create these drawings because they know what configuration of cabinets will work best with the overall design.
Multiple Contract Preparation
During a project, the owner typically has to prepare multiple contracts with several different entities. Having an architect help pull these contracts together means they will be more consistent. An architect can also make sure all the components of a contract are included so the project runs smoothly for the client.
Interior Design
Some architects provide in-house interior design. If the architect offers this service, it is worth including as an additional service when the client is looking for an interior designer. It benefits the project to have a holistic approach that includes all design elements from the beginning. It makes for a more complete and cohesive final result.
As we said at the start, not every architect includes the same things in basic and additional services. What you include as additional services depends on your abilities and strengths. Every client should review the contract to confirm the basic services they expect are included and that any additional services they might need are accounted for.
Packaging these services well is its own discipline. Firms that track scope, fees, and hours in one place tend to price additional services more confidently and protect their margins. Tate Studio Architects, a seven-person firm in Arizona, saw 25% profit growth and a 50% efficiency gain after centralizing this work, one of many firm results worth reviewing as you build out your own service menu.
Additional Resources
- Architectural Fees: Architectural Services
- Architectural Services
- Building Condition Assessment Guide
- Mixed Use Architecture
- Feasibility Study
- Urban Design
- Sustainable Design
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between basic and additional architectural services?
Basic services are the core deliverables an owner should expect in a standard contract: programming, schematic design, design development, construction documents, and usually construction administration. Additional services are everything beyond that scope, from feasibility studies to 3D rendering, and they carry separate fees.
Should construction administration be a basic or additional service?
It varies by firm. Most architects include construction administration as a basic service, but some treat it as an add-on. If your architect doesn't include it, request it. Most owners aren't equipped to advocate for themselves during construction, and architect oversight protects the design and the budget.
How do architects charge for additional services?
It depends on the service. Well-defined work such as record drawings or cabinetry elevations is often a fixed fee, while open-ended work like project management is usually billed hourly because the scope is hard to predict. Tracking hours against each phase helps firms confirm that add-on work stays profitable.
How can a firm decide which additional services to offer?
Start with your team's strengths and the needs of your typical clients. Then look at the numbers. Firms that track the real cost of delivering each service can price it with confidence and spot which offerings actually add to the bottom line versus which quietly drain it.
