The word “architect” is protected by law in the UK, only someone registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) can use the title.1 But that does not mean you always need one. For a significant proportion of domestic renovation and extension projects, an architectural technologist, a draughtsman, or even a specialist design-and-build firm will produce drawings that are equally fit for planning and building control purposes at considerably lower cost.

This guide explains what each professional does, what their drawings actually include, when you genuinely need a registered architect, and what you can expect to pay.

What an Architect Does

A registered architect is trained in the full lifecycle of a building project: concept design, planning strategy, technical design, specification writing, contract administration, and site inspection. To register with ARB, they must hold prescribed qualifications and have completed at least 24 months of practical experience under the direct supervision of a professional working in the construction industry.2 The usual route, from a first degree to the final Part 3 examination, takes around seven years.

For a homeowner, an architect’s key value propositions are:

  • Design quality, particularly for complex, unusual, or design-led projects where spatial creativity genuinely matters
  • Planning strategy, understanding what a particular LPA is likely to approve and how to frame a scheme to maximise its chances
  • Full project management, administering the building contract, certifying payments, and managing the contractor on your behalf

For straightforward extensions and loft conversions, however, the design problem is often not particularly complex, and many homeowners find that a competent architectural technologist delivers what they need.

Architect vs Architectural Technologist vs Draughtsman

Registered ArchitectArchitectural TechnologistDraughtsman
Protected titleYes (ARB)No (MCIAT and TCIAT are CIAT membership grades)No
TrainingUsually around 7 yearsTypically a degree plus professional experienceVariable
Design inputFull spatial designTechnical design focusPrimarily drafting
Planning drawingsYesYesYes
Building control drawingsYesYesSometimes
Contract administrationYesSomeRarely
Typical fee (extension project)8–15% of build cost or £3,000–£12,000£1,500–£5,000£600–£2,000

MCIAT is the designation of a Chartered Architectural Technologist, a member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT).3 The HomeOwners Alliance puts typical UK architect fees at 3–15% of total construction cost, depending on the project’s size and complexity and how involved the architect is.4 The 8–15% in the table assumes a full service through to completion.

When to choose an architect

  • The project is design-led (unusual site, conservation area, listed building, contemporary self-build)
  • You want contract administration, someone to manage the builder formally on your behalf
  • Your LPA has a reputation for design scrutiny and you need a strong design narrative for planning
  • The project value exceeds roughly £150,000 and you want a professional accountable under contract

When an architectural technologist is usually enough

  • Straightforward rear extension or loft conversion following known typologies
  • Permitted development projects where the design parameters are already fixed by regulation
  • Budget-conscious projects where the saving of £2,000–£6,000 on professional fees is meaningful
  • You are willing to manage the builder yourself

When a draughtsman suffices

  • Planning drawings for a simple permitted development project where no building control drawings are needed immediately
  • Amendments to existing approved schemes
  • Small outbuildings or garage conversions where building control drawings are straightforward

RIBA Plan of Work: The Stages That Matter for Homeowners

The RIBA Plan of Work divides a project into eight stages (0–7).5 For a domestic extension, the stages you will pay for are:

StageNameWhat happensTypical fee proportion
0Strategic definitionFeasibility, brief, budget checkIncluded in Stage 1 or free
1Preparation & briefingSurveys, outline design options10–15%
2Concept designScheme design, planning application drawings20–30%
3Spatial coordinationTechnical design, structural coordination20–25%
4Technical designBuilding control drawings, specification20–25%
5Manufacturing & constructionSite inspections, contract administration20–25%
6HandoverSnagging, O&M manuals5%

Many homeowners instruct only up to Stage 4 (getting to building control drawings) and then manage the build themselves. This is perfectly reasonable for straightforward projects and reduces fees significantly.

Fee splits vary between practices. The HomeOwners Alliance gives a typical full-service split of 35% of the fee up to the planning application, 35% for technical design and tender, and 30% for construction to handover.4

Drawings for Planning Permission

A planning application for a householder extension requires:

  • Location plan based on an up-to-date map at a standard scale, typically 1:1250 or 1:2500, which you can buy through the Planning Portal’s accredited supplier6
  • Site plan (also called a block plan) at 1:200 or 1:500 showing the existing property footprint, boundary, and proposed extension footprint6
  • Existing and proposed floor plans. The national requirement is only that a plan is drawn to an identified scale; 1:50 and 1:100 are the conventional choices and what most councils’ validation lists ask for7
  • Existing and proposed elevations, which must also be drawn to an identified scale (again conventionally 1:50 or 1:100)7

These are not technically demanding drawings. A capable draughtsman or architectural technologist can produce them to a perfectly acceptable standard. The value an architect adds at planning stage is primarily in design quality and planning strategy, not in the drawings themselves.

Drawings for Building Control

Building control drawings are more technically demanding than planning drawings. They must show:

  • Foundation details (depth, width, formation)
  • Wall construction and U-values (insulation details)
  • Structural information (beam sizes, connection details)
  • Drainage connections
  • Fire compartmentation and means of escape
  • Ventilation and energy performance data

Your architect or architectural technologist produces these drawings in coordination with the structural engineer. Building control then reviews them before approving work on site. An architectural technologist is often more comfortable in this technical environment than a traditional architect whose strength is design.

How to Get a Quote

When seeking quotes, ask specifically what is included:

  1. How many design revisions are included before additional fees apply?
  2. Does the fee include dealing with planning queries and resubmissions?
  3. Are structural coordination and liaison with the structural engineer included?
  4. Does the fee include building control drawings, or only planning drawings?
  5. Is VAT included?

Always get quotes from three professionals and ask to see examples of their recent work on similar projects. Check that they carry professional indemnity (PI) insurance: ARB expects a registered architect to hold at least £250,000 of cover, on an each and every claim basis.8

Key Points

  • “Architect” is a protected title; “designer” and “draughtsman” are not.1 This does not mean unregistered professionals produce inferior drawings, many do excellent work.
  • For a straightforward extension or loft conversion, an architectural technologist (MCIAT) typically delivers everything a homeowner needs for considerably less than a full architect’s fee.
  • The fee split matters: instruct up to building control stage only if you are confident managing the build yourself.
  • Always agree in writing what is included, what triggers additional fees, and who owns the intellectual property in the drawings (this matters if you later switch professionals).

The rules in this note are those that apply in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own building standards and permitted development rights.

References (8)

Figures in this note were checked against the sources below on 30 September 2026. Superscript numbers in the text point to them. Every source the site cites, by topic.

  1. 1technicalvery strongThe National Archives (legislation.gov.uk), legislation.RN-8Z5K1WSection 20(1) prohibits practising or carrying on business under any name, style or title containing the word 'architect' unless the person is registered with ARB. Section 20(2) preserves the designations 'naval architect', 'landscape architect' and 'golf-course architect'. Section 20(3) lets a company, firm or partnership trade under a name containing 'architect' only where the architecture side of the business is under the control and management of a registered person who does not act in that capacity for another business at the same time, and where the work is carried on by or under the supervision of a registered person at every premises. Section 20(6) makes clear that being employed by another person does not stop someone from practising, section 20(7) defines business to include any undertaking carried on for gain or where services are not provided free, and section 20(8) preserves the validity of building contracts in customary form. This is why an architectural technologist or designer may lawfully do the same drawings but not use the protected title.
  2. 2technicalstrongArchitects Registration Board, guidance.RN-VHE789ARB's frequently asked questions on the practical training a Part 3 candidate must complete before registering as an architect, under rule 15.3(b) of the Board's General Rules. Explains what counts as recorded practical experience and how it is supervised. Relevant to a homeowner only in one respect: it is the evidence that 'architect' is a protected, examined title, unlike 'architectural designer'.
  3. 3technicalgoodChartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), guidance.RN-NCQ9QNCIAT's home page, which lists qualifying as a Chartered Architectural Technologist (MCIAT) among its membership routes. It settles what the MCIAT letters denote.
  4. 4costfairHomeOwners Alliance, guidance.RN-FTIV36A price, true at 2026-09. HomeOwners Alliance on architect fees, giving a range of roughly 3% to 15% of construction cost and explaining what moves it: the RIBA work stages taken on, whether the architect runs the build, and the size of the job. Useful for the shape of the fee, because a percentage quoted without saying which stages it covers is not comparable with another percentage.
  5. 5technicalstrongRoyal Institute of British Architects, guidance.RN-QBL5CWRIBA describes the Plan of Work as the definitive model for the design and construction process of buildings, organising briefing, designing, constructing and operating a project into eight stages and setting out the stage outcomes, core tasks and information exchanges required at each stage. The current version is the RIBA Plan of Work 2020, whose Overview is a free download and is based on nearly seven years of feedback from the construction industry, including a full glossary and a comparison with international plan of work equivalents. Nine core project strategies run through the stages: Conservation, Cost, Fire Safety, Health and Safety, Inclusive Design, Planning, Plan for Use, Procurement and Sustainability. RIBA also publishes an A4 printer friendly overview, a Plan of Work 2020 Template and a Toolbox containing a Design Responsibility Matrix, plus dated overlays including DfMA (November 2021), Passivhaus (February 2023), Security (April 2023), Inclusive Design (July 2023), Engagement (January 2024) and Smart Building (February 2024). This is the source for what an architect means by 'RIBA Stage 3' in a fee proposal.
  6. 6technicalvery strongPlanning Portal, guidance.RN-7915A5The Planning Portal on location plans and site plans, also called block plans. Most applications need both: the location plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 showing the property in its surroundings with the site outlined in red, and the site plan at 1:500 or 1:200 showing the proposal on the plot. Getting the scale or the red line wrong is one of the ordinary reasons an application is made invalid before it is even considered.
  7. 7technicalvery strongMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, guidance.RN-G5VBDSPlanning Practice Guidance on making a planning application: what a valid application must contain, the national and local validation requirements, pre-application advice, and what happens when a council says an application is invalid. The source for why an application can sit for weeks without the clock starting.
  8. 8technicalstrongArchitects Registration Board, guidance.RN-GIF8CWThe Architects Registration Board's guidance on professional indemnity insurance. Sets out that a registered architect must hold adequate and appropriate cover for their liabilities, what the Board expects the policy to cover, and run-off cover after a practice closes. This is what to check before engaging an architect, and the reason an architect's fee carries an insurance cost a draughtsman's does not.

  1. Architects Act 1997, Section 20: Use of title “architect”, legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 September 2026. legislation.gov.uk

  2. Practical Training Guidelines – Frequently Asked Questions, Architects Registration Board, accessed 7 September 2026. arb.org.uk

  3. Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), accessed 30 September 2026. ciat.org.uk

  4. Architect Fees - And How To Cut Them In 2026, HomeOwners Alliance, accessed 30 September 2026. Priced at 2026-09 and left there. hoa.org.uk

  5. RIBA Plan of Work, Royal Institute of British Architects, accessed 30 September 2026. architecture.com

  6. What is the difference between a location plan and a site plan?, Planning Portal, accessed 7 September 2026. planningportal.co.uk

  7. Making an application, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, accessed 7 September 2026. gov.uk

  8. PII Guidance, Architects Registration Board, accessed 7 September 2026. arb.org.uk