Architect’s scope of services in Kenya

The architect’s scope of services in Kenya is defined by law — and most clients have no idea just how broad it is. If you have ever wondered why architects charge what they charge, the answer lies in these seven stages of professional service.

Kenya’s construction sector is growing fast. Demand for housing, commercial spaces, and infrastructure is driving more people into the building process. Yet a persistent gap remains: clients often engage architects without a clear understanding of what those architects are supposed to deliver — or what they are legally required to charge.

That gap leads to bad contracts, project failures, and expensive disputes. This guide closes it.

What Is an Architect’s Scope of Services?

The scope of services refers to the complete range of professional duties an architect is expected to perform on a construction project. It is not merely designing a building. The scope covers consulting, designing, coordinating consultants, obtaining approvals, managing the tender process, and supervising construction on site — right through to the final handover.

In Kenya, this scope is formally defined under the Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act, CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya. The Act, administered by the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS), sets out the minimum services clients can expect and the minimum fees architects must charge for providing them.

Understanding this scope is not just useful for clients. Architects, architectural students, and construction professionals benefit equally from knowing exactly what each stage entails — and what percentage of the overall fee it attracts.

Who Regulates Architects in Kenya?

BORAQS — the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors — is the statutory body established under CAP 525 to regulate the professions of architecture and quantity surveying in Kenya. It was founded in 1934. Every architect practicing legally in Kenya must be registered with BORAQS and hold a valid practising certificate.

The Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) is a separate professional membership body representing architects. AAK advocates for the profession, sets standards, and engages government on policy matters. While BORAQS handles statutory registration, AAK is the professional voice of architects. You can confirm an architect’s registration directly through the BORAQS official portal.

Working with only licensed and registered professionals in Kenya is not optional. It is a legal requirement that protects both the client and the built environment.

The Seven Stages of an Architect’s Scope of Services in Kenya

CAP 525 breaks the architect’s work into seven progressive stages. Each stage builds on the last. Each attracts a specific percentage of the total architectural fee. Here is what each stage involves and what it costs you.

“The process of undertaking a building project is accretive — each stage builds upon the other until the project is completed on the ground. Shortcutting any stage does not eliminate the cost. It defers it — usually at a much higher price.” David Chola Architects — Kenyan Architecture Blog

Architect’s Fee Structure Under CAP 525 — Kenya

The minimum fee an architect in Kenya must charge is set by law, not left to negotiation. CAP 525 prescribes a minimum of 6% of the total construction cost for new buildings, plus 16% VAT. For renovations and rehabilitations to existing structures, the minimum rises to 10% of the total renovation cost plus VAT.

The fee percentage is distributed across the stages, ensuring that when a client terminates services early, the architect is compensated proportionately for work done up to that point.

How to Calculate Your Architect’s Fee in Kenya

The calculation is straightforward once you understand the formula. Take your total estimated construction cost. Multiply it by 6% (for a new building). That is your architect’s fee before VAT. Then add 16% VAT on the fee.

Example: If your building costs KES 10,000,000 to construct:

Architect’s fee = 10,000,000 × 6% = KES 600,000
VAT on fee = 600,000 × 16% = KES 96,000
Total payable = KES 696,000

This fee is paid in installments aligned to the stages above. After Stage B (outline proposals), 15% of the total fee is due. After Stage C (scheme design), a further 20% is due, and so on. This protects both parties — the architect gets paid as work progresses, and the client does not pay for work not yet done.

What About Hourly and Lump Sum Fees?

Not all architectural work is priced as a percentage. CAP 525 also provides for time-based fees, particularly for government projects, World Bank-funded projects, and advisory work where construction cost cannot be determined in advance. In these cases, the architect submits a rate per hour, per day, or per man-month, based on the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) of Kenya guidelines.

Lump sum fees are also permissible where the scope of work is clearly defined from the outset and both parties agree in writing. For straightforward residential projects in counties like Nakuru, Eldoret, or Kisumu, some architects negotiate a fixed lump sum rather than a percentage, though this must remain at or above the CAP 525 minimum.

Fees for Work Outside Nairobi and Major Cities

The CAP 525 fee structure applies nationally. Whether you are building in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, or a remote county, the minimum fee percentages remain the same. However, for sites located more than 50 kilometres from the architect’s office, additional travelling time charges apply, as well as disbursements for site visits.

This is important for developers working in satellite towns or peri-urban areas. An architect based in Nairobi supervising a project in Kajiado or Machakos will legitimately charge travel costs over and above the percentage fee. Factor this into your project budget from the start.

Categories of Buildings and How They Affect Architect Fees

CAP 525 classifies buildings into four categories — from the simplest to the most complex. The category determines whether a multiplying factor applies to the base fee percentage.

For most residential and standard commercial projects in Kenya, Category II or III applies. A four-bedroom house in a Nairobi suburb falls under Category II or III depending on its complexity and finish level. A boutique hotel or a hospital would be Category III or IV, attracting a higher effective fee rate.

If you are working on a high-rise project in Nairobi, you should also be aware of the specific tests required for high-rise building construction in Kenya, which add to the overall project complexity and scope.

Additional and Special Architectural Services in Kenya

The seven-stage scope under CAP 525 covers what is known as basic services. But architects in Kenya also provide a range of additional and special services that fall outside the standard fee structure and are billed separately.

Interior Design Services

Interior design is a distinct professional service. While architects in Kenya are trained in spatial design and can provide interior design as part of their scope, dedicated interior designers bring specialised skills in materials, finishes, furniture, lighting, and user experience. For high-end residential and hospitality projects, commissioning a specialist interior designer in addition to the architect is common practice.

Interior design fees in Kenya are typically charged as a percentage of the interior fit-out cost or as a lump sum, depending on the project. They are not included in the standard 6% architectural fee unless explicitly agreed upon. Nairobi’s growing hospitality and residential luxury market has driven demand for sophisticated interior design, drawing on trends explored in resources like urban apartment design trends in Nairobi.

Landscape Architecture

A landscape architect designs external features — gardens, gazebos, walkways, footbridges, fountains, fishponds, swimming pools, and paved vehicular circulation. The architect can provide landscape design competently, but specialist landscape architects bring deeper expertise. Their fees are guided by the Institute of Landscape Architects and are still based on CAP 525 principles as a percentage of construction cost.

Building Energy Efficiency Review

Increasingly, Kenyan clients and developers are requesting energy performance assessments as part of the design process. The architect reviews heating systems, lighting, insulation, and building envelope performance to assess energy consumption and recommend improvements. This is particularly relevant for commercial buildings targeting green building certification.

Project Management

Some architects in Kenya offer full project management services — taking on the role of contract administrator and project manager in addition to designer. This is common on large commercial and institutional projects where the client lacks the internal capacity to manage a complex construction process. Project management fees are charged separately, typically as a percentage of construction cost or a monthly retainer.

Space Planning and Feasibility Studies

Before committing to a full design, clients often commission space planning studies or feasibility assessments. The architect analyses the site, applicable zoning regulations, and the client’s requirements to determine what can be built and whether the project makes financial sense. This service is particularly valuable for developers evaluating land acquisitions in Nairobi and other urban centres.

Renovation and Alteration Projects

Architectural services for renovation, alteration, and extension of existing buildings attract higher fees — a minimum of 10% of construction costs — because existing structures introduce complications that new builds do not have. Hidden structural conditions, outdated building systems, and the need to work around live occupancies make renovation design more demanding. If you are planning a renovation project, renovation and demolition services in Kenya require careful professional management from the outset.

The Architect’s Role vs. Other Construction Professionals in Kenya

The construction team for any project of significant size in Kenya includes multiple professionals, each with a distinct scope. Understanding how the architect’s role relates to — and differs from — other key players prevents scope gaps and avoids paying for duplicated effort.

The architect coordinates all these professionals. On a standard residential project, the architect engages the structural engineer directly, ensures the engineer’s drawings are integrated into the architectural set, and takes responsibility for the overall coherence of the design.

For a deeper understanding of how the structural engineer operates within this team framework, see structural engineers’ responsibilities in Kenyan construction projects.

Does the Architect Supervise the Contractor?

Yes — and this is non-negotiable under the standard building contract used in Kenya. The architect acts as the contract administrator during construction. They inspect the works at agreed intervals, issue instructions when variations from drawings occur, certify interim payment applications submitted by the contractor, and issue the practical completion certificate at the end of the project.

Clients who retain an architect only for drawings and then manage the contractor themselves are taking on significant legal and financial risk. Without an architect’s supervision, contract disputes become almost impossible to resolve because there is no independent professional certifying what was or was not built to specification.

Local Authority Approvals — The Architect’s Critical Role

One of the most misunderstood aspects of the architect’s scope in Kenya is the building approval process. No building can be legally constructed in Kenya without an approved building plan from the relevant county government or authority. The architect is the professional responsible for preparing, submitting, and following up these applications.

What Do Building Approvals Cover in Kenya?

Building approvals in Kenya cover multiple layers of regulatory compliance. The architect must ensure drawings meet the requirements of:

The Physical and Land Use Planning Act governs land use and development control. The Public Health Act sets standards for sanitation, ventilation, and habitability. The Building Code sets structural, fire, and safety standards. The National Construction Authority Act requires contractor registration before construction commences. County-specific bylaws add further local requirements that vary from Nairobi to Mombasa to Kisumu.

Navigating all of these simultaneously requires professional competence. An architect who is unfamiliar with county-level approval procedures can delay a project by months — costing the developer money in holding costs, bridging finance, and opportunity costs. The National Construction Authority regulations in Kenya are particularly important to understand for contractors working alongside the architect.

What Happens If You Build Without Approved Plans?

Building without an approved plan in Kenya is illegal. County governments have the power to issue stop orders halting construction, impose fines, and in extreme cases, order demolition of unauthorised structures. The financial and reputational damage of building without approved plans far exceeds the cost of getting the approvals done correctly from the outset.

The architect’s fee includes the professional service of preparing these drawings and managing the approval process. It does not typically include the government levies and fees payable to county authorities — those are additional disbursements paid directly by the client or reimbursed to the architect.

Choosing the Right Architect in Kenya — What to Look For

The Kenyan market has a wide range of architectural practitioners — from sole practitioners to large multidisciplinary firms. Choosing the right one for your project involves more than comparing fee quotes. Here are the attributes that distinguish a competent, trustworthy architect from one who will cause you problems.

Registration and Licensing

This is non-negotiable. Your architect must be registered with BORAQS and hold a valid current practising certificate. Ask to see it. A practising certificate that has lapsed renders the architect unqualified to sign drawings for submission to county authorities. Any drawings signed by an unregistered architect are invalid and will be rejected. You can verify registration at boraqs.or.ke.

Experience and Specialisation

Architecture encompasses a wide range of building types. An architect with deep experience in residential design may not be the best choice for a hospital or a commercial complex. Ask for a portfolio of completed projects similar to yours. Check references. Visit completed buildings if possible. The best architects are proud to show you their work.

Communication and Responsiveness

Poor communication is the single most common complaint clients make about architects in Kenya. A design process that takes six months instead of two — because the architect is unresponsive to review comments — has a real financial cost. Assess how an architect communicates from your very first interaction. Slow responses at inception predict slow responses throughout the project.

Use of Technology

Leading architectural firms in Kenya are now using BIM (Building Information Modelling), 3D rendering, and digital project management tools. These technologies improve design accuracy, reduce errors during construction, and give clients a clearer picture of what they are getting. An architect still producing hand-drafted 2D drawings in 2025 is a potential risk, particularly for complex projects. The top AI tools in the construction industry are increasingly becoming part of how forward-thinking professionals in Kenya manage design and project delivery.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

A registered architect in Kenya should carry professional indemnity insurance. This protects you as a client if a design error causes financial loss or structural failure. Not all practitioners voluntarily carry this insurance, but for large projects, requiring evidence of coverage is a reasonable and prudent demand. This is closely related to understanding construction insurance types in Kenya and how they interact with professional liability.

Why Clients in Kenya Try to Avoid Paying Full Architectural Fees — And Why They’re Wrong

The debate about architectural fees in Kenya has been going on for decades. The former president Mwai Kibaki reportedly described construction professional fees as prohibitive. Many developers — especially those building speculative housing — view the 6% architectural fee as an overhead to be minimised rather than a value-adding investment.

This perspective misunderstands how architectural fees function. Consider that on a KES 20,000,000 building, the architect’s fee is KES 1,200,000. That fee covers the entire design, coordination, approval, tender, and supervision process. A single design error caught during supervision — rather than discovered after the slab is poured — can save ten times that amount.

“You always get what you pay for. If you choose to save costs by working with an unregistered practitioner, you can expect services of the same proportion in value. Your contractor and workers will be shooting in the dark.” Integrum Construction — Kenya

The real cost of a bad architect is not the difference in fee percentage. It is the cost of defective construction, failed building approvals, contractor disputes without proper contract documentation, and ultimately, a building that does not perform as intended. The current trends in Kenya’s construction industry show that quality expectations from both regulators and end-users are rising rapidly. Cutting corners on professional services is a strategy that belongs to the past.

The “Cheap Drawing” Problem

A growing problem in Kenya’s residential construction market is the proliferation of cheap drawing services — often marketed by draughtsmen, technicians, or unregistered practitioners offering house plans for as little as KES 15,000 to 30,000. These plans may look superficially similar to properly prepared architectural drawings, but they typically lack structural detail, MEP coordination, specification notes, and the professional sign-off required by county authorities.

A contractor building from cheap, incomplete drawings will make assumptions wherever information is missing. Those assumptions compound into defects. Defects compound into disputes. Disputes compound into costs that dwarf the “savings” made at the design stage.

Architect’s Scope for Diaspora Clients Building in Kenya

A significant and growing segment of Kenya’s construction market involves diaspora clients — Kenyans based in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and elsewhere who want to build homes or investment properties in Kenya. Managing a construction project from abroad presents unique challenges that make the architect’s scope of services even more critical.

For diaspora clients, the architect effectively becomes the primary eyes, ears, and professional representative on the ground. Their site supervision role is intensified. Regular site visit reports with photographic evidence become essential deliverables. Clear communication protocols must be established to bridge time zones and ensure the client remains informed without being overwhelmed.

Structrum Limited has developed specific expertise in serving as a trusted construction partner for Kenyans in the diaspora. The architect’s scope for diaspora projects often includes additional services like handling utility connections, managing county liaisons, and providing more frequent supervision reports than a standard engagement.

For diaspora clients, verifying that your architect is registered with BORAQS is even more critical. With physical distance making it impossible to personally monitor progress, the architect’s professional accountability is your primary safeguard.

Sustainable Design and Green Building — An Expanding Scope

Kenya’s construction sector is increasingly engaging with sustainable design principles and green building standards. While still emerging in the Kenyan mainstream, green building is growing in significance for commercial developers, institutional clients, and the hospitality sector.

An architect’s scope in sustainable design includes passive design strategies — orientation, natural ventilation, daylighting — that reduce energy consumption without requiring expensive mechanical systems. It includes material selection that minimises embodied carbon and environmental impact. It includes water efficiency design — rainwater harvesting systems, greywater recycling, and water-efficient fixtures.

For clients interested in integrating renewable energy into their buildings, architects are increasingly coordinating with specialists in solar technology. The adoption of solar roofing technologies in Kenya is one example of how architectural design and energy efficiency are converging in practice.

Smart home integration is another emerging aspect of the architect’s expanded scope. Smart home technologies available in Kenya require design coordination from the earliest stages to ensure infrastructure is properly embedded in the building fabric rather than retrofitted expensively later.

How to Engage an Architect in Kenya — Step by Step

Knowing the process makes it easier to enter into a productive professional relationship with your architect. Here is a practical step-by-step guide to engaging architectural services in Kenya correctly.

Step 1: Prepare Your Project Brief

Before approaching an architect, prepare a clear brief. This should include the type of building you want, the number of rooms or functional spaces, your site location and size, your budget range, and your target completion timeline. The more specific your brief, the more useful the inception conversation will be.

Step 2: Verify the Architect’s Registration

Check the architect’s registration with BORAQS before signing anything. Request their BORAQS registration number and confirm it. This takes five minutes and protects you significantly.

Step 3: Request Proposals and Fee Quotations

Ask two or three architects for proposals. Evaluate not just the fee but the proposed scope of services, the team’s experience, and the quality of their past work. The cheapest fee is rarely the best value.

Step 4: Sign a Formal Engagement Letter

Never engage an architect — or any professional — on a verbal agreement. A formal engagement letter or conditions of engagement document should clearly state the scope of services, fee structure, payment schedule, and dispute resolution mechanism. CAP 525 provides the standard conditions of engagement, and any deviation should be explicitly negotiated and documented.

Step 5: Participate Actively in the Design Process

Your architect can only design what you communicate. Attend review meetings. Provide feedback promptly. If something in the design does not meet your needs, say so before the stage is concluded — not after. Changes become exponentially more costly as the project advances.

Step 6: Pay on Time

Architectural fees are payable at the completion of each stage. Delaying payment causes delays in the project. The architect cannot proceed to the next stage if payment for the current stage has not been received. Budget for professional fees as seriously as you budget for materials and labour. For reference on labour and other construction costs, labour rates for construction workers in Kenya in 2025 provide useful comparative context for your overall project budgeting.

Frequently Asked Questions — Architect’s Scope of Services in Kenya