How Much Does an Architect Cost in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

It is the question everyone asks and few firms answer publicly. We can't give you a number without a brief, but we can explain how fees work.

How are architectural fees calculated?

Common models in the region:

• Percentage of construction cost — traditional for larger projects.
• Fixed lump sum — common for villas and defined scopes.
• Per square metre — often used for residential and repetitive building types.
• Stage-based — separate fees for concept, design development, detailed design and supervision.

What affects the fee?

Size and complexity, number of design options, level of detail, interior design inclusion, MEP and structural scope, authority approvals involved and whether site supervision is required.

What should be included?

A clear scope: which stages, which drawings, how many revisions, which disciplines, and who handles submission. Cheap fees often exclude something you'll pay for later.

Why can a design-only model reduce cost?

Because you pay for design where design is done efficiently, and for local submission where it is done locally — without paying one firm to duplicate both.

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