Who to hire when, and what they charge

1. Land surveyor and architect, before design begins.
2. Soil-testing lab, before the structure is designed.
3. Structural engineer, alongside the architect.
4. MEP consultant, during design, if the house is large or complex.
5. Contractor, once drawings are ready to price.
6. Interior designer, by the plaster stage at the latest.
7. Landscape architect and lighting designer, during working drawings.
8. An independent site engineer, through construction, if you can't be on site often.

The architect takes you from concept to working drawings, gets the plan sanctioned, visits the site and helps with the occupancy certificate. Hire one who is independent of your builder, so they work for you.

The Council of Architecture's scale suggests 7.5% of the cost of works for an individual house. Treat this as a reference, not a binding rule. Market fees run about 4–12%: around 4–6% in smaller cities, and higher for premium work in large cities. Some architects also offer design-only packages priced per sq ft.

A soil test, usually 2 to 4 boreholes, tells the engineer what the ground can carry. It costs roughly ₹5,000 to ₹20,000, depending on city and depth. The structural engineer then designs the foundation, columns, beams and slabs.

Structural fees are usually about ₹3–15 per sq ft, or 0.5–2% of construction cost. In large cities they run higher: about ₹10–18 in Bengaluru, ₹12–22 in Delhi NCR and ₹15–25 in Mumbai.

An MEP consultant plans the electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. Most small houses manage without one. It becomes worthwhile above about 3,000 sq ft, or if you plan central air-conditioning, a pool or a lift. Fees run about ₹5–20 per sq ft, and ₹5–12 for most homes.

You can hire a contractor in three broad ways. Labour-only contractors supply workers while you buy materials, at about ₹250–500 per sq ft. Item-rate contractors supply against a bill of quantities. Turnkey contractors handle labour and materials together, at about ₹1,800–3,500 per sq ft all-in. Our guide to contractor models covers the trade-offs.

Take a 2,000 sq ft house costing about ₹40 lakh to build. An architect at 4–12% would charge roughly ₹1.6 lakh to ₹4.8 lakh. A structural engineer at ₹3–15 per sq ft would charge roughly ₹6,000 to ₹30,000, and in Mumbai, at ₹15–25 per sq ft, about ₹30,000 to ₹50,000. A soil test adds about ₹5,000 to ₹20,000.

These sums are small next to the cost of a wrong foundation or a plan that fails sanction. Ask each professional exactly what is included: number of site visits, revisions, and help with approvals and the occupancy certificate.

Owners who have built before often say the same thing: be involved, or have someone on site who works for you. An independent site engineer or project manager checks work at each stage before you pay. Fees are usually a monthly retainer, so ask for quotes.