For homeowners and developers starting a design
How to Choose an Architect in London: Get the Design Priced Before You Fall in Love With It
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 5 min read
The short answer
To choose an architect in London, check the ARB register, see completed work like yours, meet the person who will do the work, and ask how they will keep the design to your budget.
- 'Architect' is a protected title in the UK; 'interior designer' is not.
- The design decides most of the build cost before any builder sees it.
- Ask every designer how and when the design will be priced, and by whom.
- Compare a design team route with design and build before you appoint anyone.
Most clients spend weeks choosing a builder and an afternoon choosing a designer. It should be the other way round. By the time a builder sees the drawings, the design has already decided most of what the job will cost.
This guide explains how to choose an architect in London from a builder's point of view. It also covers interior designers and design and build firms.
As builders, we have priced several designs drawn by other firms. Some arrive buildable and within budget, and some don't. Starting a design? Book a site visit and we will show you how cost can be planned in from day one.
Architect, interior designer, design and build: who does what
The three titles overlap, which is why clients get confused. Here is the plain difference.
| Architect | Interior designer | Design and build firm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What they design | The building: layout, structure, extensions, planning drawings | Interiors: finishes, lighting, joinery, furniture | Both, depending on the firm's team |
| Protected title | Yes, ARB registration required | No | No |
| Who builds | A builder you appoint separately | A builder you appoint separately | The same firm |
| Who carries design risk | The architect, for its design | The designer, for its design | The firm, for design and build |
| Who prices the design | Usually a builder at tender, or a cost consultant | Usually a builder at tender | The firm, as the design develops |
None of these is the right answer for every project. The point is to know which route you are choosing, and what it leaves you to manage.
How to choose an architect in London: the checks
Start with the checks that protect you, then look at the work.
- Registration. RIBA states that the title "architect" is protected by law. Every architect must be on the register kept by the Architects Registration Board (ARB). Check it online.
- Similar work. Ask for completed projects like yours: same type, size and budget. Photos of finished work, not renders.
- Past clients. Speak to two or three. Ask how close the final build cost was to the first budget.
- The person. Meet the person who will do your drawings, not only the partner who wins the work.
- Insurance. Ask for professional indemnity insurance suited to your project.
RIBA also runs a free "Find an Architect" directory of more than 4,100 accredited firms, and a referral service. Its own advice is to meet several practices and see completed work.
Checks for an interior designer
The title "interior designer" is not legally protected, according to the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID). Anyone can use it, so check membership, visit finished work and ask how their design is turned into something a builder can price.
Our guide to choosing a high-end interior design and build firm covers the interior side in more depth.
The budget question nobody asks a designer
Here is the uncomfortable insider view. On the traditional route, most designers are paid to design what you want. They are rarely paid to design what you can afford. And nobody prices the design properly until it goes to tender.
That is the moment many projects meet reality. Several builders price the finished drawings, and every quote is far above the budget. Now you either cut the design or find more money. Both cost time and fees. It is a major root of the overrun we explain in why construction projects go over budget.
So ask every designer these questions before you appoint them:
- When will the design first be priced, and by whom?
- Will you design to a fixed budget, and what happens if the price comes in over it?
- Do you work with a cost consultant or a builder during design?
- How many of your last projects came in close to the first budget?
A good designer will welcome the questions. Be wary of anyone who says cost is "for the builder to worry about".
Fees and appointments: what to ask
Design fees vary with the size, complexity and stage of the work. We don't quote figures here, because they depend on each project. What matters is what the fee buys.
Watch one detail in particular. A fee set as a percentage of build cost rises as the build gets dearer. That doesn't mean anyone will push the cost up. But it means nobody in the design team is paid to bring it down.
Design team route vs design and build
On the design team route, you appoint the designers and tender the finished design. You keep control, but you manage the gap between design and price. With design and build, one firm designs and builds, and the price is tested as the design develops. Our guide to design and build vs traditional procurement compares them in detail.
We are a design and build firm, so we have a view. Our team covers architecture, interior design and construction, so the design is priced as it develops. See our high-end residential architects service.
One office client wrote in a Google review:
"They also did excellent value engineering on the MEP design proposed by others, allowing us to save around £50K. The quality and speed were outstanding we finished two weeks ahead of schedule."
A five-step selection
- Write a brief. What you need, what you want and your all-in budget, including fees and VAT.
- Shortlist three. Use the ARB register, the RIBA directory, BIID or recommendations. Check each one.
- Meet and visit. See finished work in person. Speak to past clients about cost as well as design.
- Ask the budget question. How and when will the design be priced? Compare the answers.
- Agree the appointment. Scope, stages, fee, insurance and copyright in writing, before work starts.
Before you start, read our list of luxury home planning mistakes to avoid. Most of them are decided at the design stage.
The right designer saves you more than their fee. The wrong one can cost you the project. If you want design and cost planned together from the first sketch, book a site visit and we will show you how we work.
Put these in the appointment
- The scope: which work stages are included, from brief to completion.
- The fee basis: fixed, percentage of build cost, or hourly, and what changes it.
- What is excluded: surveys, structural engineer, planning consultant, party wall.
- Who produces the technical drawings a builder needs to price and build.
- Their role during construction, if any, and what it costs.
- Professional indemnity insurance level.
- Copyright: your right to use the design if you change designer or builder.
