Architecture & Design
This hub covers the upstream design and surveying trades that scope, draw, and price the buildings everyone else builds. Architects, interior designers, draughtsmen, quantity surveyors, land surveyors, town planners, building inspectors, and BIM consultants. Fees in this space are almost always staged.
A typical architectural appointment runs across concept, developed design, technical design, construction, and handover, with a fee for each stage. A draughtsman might price a set of council plans in two parts: measure-up and submission. Interior designers blend a design fee with procurement margin, and surveyors quote on scope plus disbursements.
Clients want a fee proposal they can compare against the next firm, with deliverables for each stage and a clean breakdown of what triggers the next invoice. QuoteGenio gives you a structured fee proposal you can build in twenty minutes, send as a branded PDF, and convert to milestone invoices as each stage is signed off.
Browse 8 trades
Pick a trade to see pricing benchmarks, sample quotes, and FAQs.
Architects
Quote stage-by-stage architectural fees with deliverables, drawing packs, and consultant pass-throughs all visible.
Interior Designers
Quote stage-by-stage interior design fees, FF&E procurement, and project management with deliverables and pass-throughs all visible.
Draughtsmen
Quote architectural drawings by deliverable stage: site survey, concept, council submission, working drawings.
Quantity Surveyors
Quote BOQ preparation, cost reports, contract administration, and final accounts with stages and deliverables itemised.
Land Surveyors
Stop writing quotes after hours.
Town Planners
Stop writing quotes after hours.
Building Inspectors
Quote pre-purchase inspections, building condition reports, and ongoing compliance audits with photo reports, follow-ups, and recurring contracts all visible.
Bim Consultants
Stop writing quotes after hours.
Common design and surveying engagements
What kind of project are you proposing?
From a single-family house to a council submission to an interiors fitout, jump to the trade page that fits the engagement on the table.
Architectural appointment
Multi-stage fee from concept through construction, with deliverables per stage.
See Architects
Interior design or fitout
Design fee, FF&E procurement, project oversight, and on-site coordination on one PDF.
See Interior Designers
Survey or measurement
Land survey, building survey, or quantity take-off with disbursements itemised.
See Land Surveyors
Council or planning work
Town planning submission, council plans, BIM modelling with stage payments.
See Town Planners
Side-by-side pricing
Compare Architecture & Design at a glance
Typical starting prices and sample-quote totals across every trade in this hub. Click a row for the full breakdown.
| Trade | From | |
|---|---|---|
| Architects | $ 280 | |
| Interior Designers | $ 280 | |
| Draughtsmen | $ 450 | |
| Quantity Surveyors | $ 280 | |
| Land Surveyors | $150 | |
| Town Planners | $150 | |
| Building Inspectors | $ 280 | |
| Bim Consultants | $150 |
Ranges shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Actual prices vary significantly by country, region, currency, scope, and after-hours timing. Every trade page has the full breakdown and an itemised sample quote.
Why architects and design firms use QuoteGenio
Design fees are about clarity. A fee proposal that lists every stage, every deliverable, and every disbursement wins against a lump-sum competitor every time. QuoteGenio gives you unlimited line items so you can break a project down into stages with the fee for each stage on its own line.
Add the deliverable for each stage in the description (concept package, planning drawings, tender pack, construction drawings, snagging list) and the client knows exactly what triggers the next invoice. Disbursements (planning fees, printing, courier, site travel) sit on their own lines with a clear pass-through note, so there is no confusion when they appear on a later invoice. Variations come out as a new fee proposal linked to the original, which protects you when the brief grows.
When the client signs off a stage, one click turns the accepted line into an invoice, with the rest of the project still queued.
FAQ
Common questions
Everything Architecture & Design businesses ask before getting started.
List each stage as its own line: concept, developed design, technical design, construction, handover. Show the deliverable for each stage in the description and the percentage or fixed fee on the right. The client agrees to the full project at acceptance, but you only invoice each stage as it is signed off. This is the cleanest way to show value and protect cash flow.
Yes. For percentage-based work (typically 6 to 12 percent of construction cost depending on scope), list the basis on the proposal: 'Fee 8 percent of estimated construction cost of $ 1.4 m'. For fixed fees, just state the number. Most firms run hybrid quotes where some stages are percentage-based and others are fixed; QuoteGenio handles either with no special configuration.
Add them as separate lines marked 'Disbursement, billed at cost'. Examples: planning application fee, council printing, site travel beyond 30 km, specialist consultant fees. Show them on the original proposal as estimated, then invoice the actual amount when incurred. This is standard practice and prevents disputes about what is and isn't included in the design fee.
Yes. Most architects and interior designers take 10 to 25 percent of stage 1 at signature, or a fixed concept fee paid upfront. State it on the proposal so the client commits to the engagement when they accept, then invoice immediately. The deposit covers the discovery and concept work that gets done before any other invoice can be raised.
Issue a variation proposal as a new quote, referencing the original project number. List the additional scope, the additional fee, and the impact on programme. Get it signed before doing the work. Without a written variation, scope creep on a design project is the single biggest cause of margin loss and end-of-project disputes.
Quote each design stage (feasibility, concept, planning, technical design, tender, construction) as its own deliverable with its own fee. Each stage is a milestone invoice on handover. Bundling into architectural fees makes the deliverable invisible and invites endless revision.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Browse all
Other trade categories
Construction & Building
Create quotes and invoices for builders, tilers, roofers, and the trades that physically put up and finish buildings.
Electrical & Energy
Quoting tools for electricians, solar installers, and the energy and low-voltage trades.
Plumbing & Water
Create quotes and invoices for plumbers, drainage specialists, geyser installers, and water services trades.
HVAC & Refrigeration
Quoting tools for HVAC technicians, aircon installers, and refrigeration specialists.
Mechanical & Automotive
Create quotes and invoices for mechanics, auto electricians, panel beaters, and vehicle service businesses.
Glass, Aluminium & Installations
Quoting tools for glaziers, aluminium installers, and door, window, and blind fitters.
Property & Maintenance
Create quotes and invoices for handymen, property maintenance teams, and facility managers.
Outdoor & Landscaping
Quoting tools for landscapers, garden services, and tree felling trades.
Cleaning Services
Create quotes and invoices for cleaning companies, carpet cleaners, and post-construction cleaning.
Security & Access
Quoting tools for security companies, armed response, and gate and intercom installers.
Specialist Trades
Create quotes and invoices for welders, cabinet makers, shopfitters, and specialist finishing trades.
Commercial & Business Services
Quoting tools for commercial contractors, office fitout teams, and project managers.
Industrial & Technical
Create quotes and invoices for industrial electricians, machine repair, hydraulics, and rigging.
Fire & Safety
Quoting tools for fire protection, sprinkler installers, and fire equipment servicing.
Events & Hospitality
Create quotes and invoices for event setup crews, caterers, food trucks, DJs, wedding planners, and hospitality services.
Pest Control & Environmental
Create quotes and invoices for pest control operators, fumigators, termite specialists, and environmental remediation services.
Telecommunications & Data
Quoting tools for fibre installers, network cabling contractors, satellite and antenna technicians.
Fencing & Boundaries
Create quotes and invoices for fencing contractors, palisade installers, boundary wall builders, and balustrade specialists.
Waste Management & Skips
Quoting tools for skip hire, rubble removal, waste collection, recycling, and hazardous waste services.
Roofing & Waterproofing
Create quotes and invoices for roofers, gutter installers, waterproofers, thatch specialists, and roof restoration trades.
Flooring & Tiling
Quoting tools for tilers, carpet fitters, vinyl installers, floor sanders, and all flooring trades.
Photography & Media Services
Create quotes and invoices for wedding photographers, event videographers, drone operators, real estate photographers, and commercial photo & video businesses.
Beauty, Wellness & Personal Care
Quoting tools for mobile beauticians, bridal makeup artists, hair stylists, massage therapists, tattoo artists, and personal-care businesses.
Pet & Animal Services
Create quotes and invoices for pet groomers, dog walkers, mobile vets, dog trainers, and animal care professionals.
Appliance & Equipment Repair
Quoting tools for appliance repair technicians handling washing machines, fridges, TVs, ovens, and small domestic equipment.
Marine Services
Create quotes and invoices for boat repair, antifouling, marine electronics, hull cleaning, and outboard motor technicians.
Professional Services
Create quotes and invoices for bookkeepers, tax consultants, translators, tutors, music teachers, funeral directors, and wedding officiants.
Digital & Tech
Create quotes and invoices for web designers, app developers, IT support, computer and phone repair, embroidery, and 3D printing services.
Health & Wellness
Create quotes and invoices for personal trainers, yoga and pilates instructors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and nutritionists.
Removals, Logistics & Storage
Create quotes and invoices for moving companies, courier and last-mile delivery teams, and self-storage businesses.
Marketing & Advertising
Create quotes and invoices for SEO and digital marketing agencies, social media managers, copywriters, and creative studios.
Pool & Spa Services
Quoting tools for pool builders, pool maintenance, hot tub installers, sauna installers, and pool repair specialists.
Agriculture & Rural Services
Create quotes and invoices for farm services, agricultural machinery, livestock infrastructure, and rural water and feed installers.
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"Everything is in one place now. Quotes, invoices, and payments. I do not have to chase paperwork anymore, which saves me a lot of time."
Liam Smith
Builder · New York City
"Steel fabrication quotes are technical. Clients appreciate when line items are clear and VAT is shown properly. Feels more like dealing with a real business."
Matthias Schulz
Steel Fabricator · Hamburg
"Simple, fast, and easy to use. I can create and send quotes in minutes without overcomplicating things."
Sophie Williams
Freelancer · Glasgow
Guides for Architecture & Design
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
Free forever plan
Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.
Create professional quotes in minutes, send instantly, and stay on top of your work without the admin slowing you down.
Free to start. No credit card required.