We are doing condo kitchen remodeling, which involves removing 1 non-bearing wall. We need to submit a plan to the city to obtain a permit. Today, we just got quoted $1.7k for just the blueprint. It sounds really expensive to me. We are not doing anything revolutionary, just removing a non-bearing wall so that the kitchen becomes open. We are not moving any plumbing, sink etc. How much does this usually cost? How can we bring the cost down?
If it’s not load bearing, consider hiring a contractor directly. Architect and rubber seal for something that minor is not worth it.
We have a general contractor but we need a blueprint to submit to the city. We cannot draw the blueprint ourselves 😂
Why do you need a blue print for something that minor? You should save your money for blue prints when you do real remodeling, change pipes, etc. This is peanuts.
Over 9 million.
Typical architect fee is about $1/sq ft for design and blueprint. But for Bay Area it is likely to be more. Also small jobs can cost relatively high
Whoa, our kitchen is just 400 sq feet at most (even with the wall removed and open). How do we get charged $1.7k?
It’s a racket. You pay up for an inspector to become a third member of your household
1. It’s 1.7k. No one is getting rich from this, CTFD. 2. Your contractor asked for a blueprint for the permit, not an architect. You associated that with architect. I know this because I do RE full time. A draftsman will cost less. 3. Since you reside in the property, you can draft the blue-print yourself if you know how.
Where can I find a draftsman?
Google draftsmen. You should get structural engineering firms in the result set besides architects.
Yeah I would go with a draftsman
Search for draftsman in SF all results in architect firms
Try Nextdoor. There should be some retired guys who can be your draftmen for affordable price. Mostly they don't have websites or something. You can find them only via word of mouth.
I've been through this in a lower cost of living area, and 1.7K sounds about right. Architects charge between 75-150 per hour. 10 to 20 hours of work for a kitchen remodel permit doesn't seem too bad. However, you might want to call the city to find out how the permit process works. Some cities allow over the counter permits with less stringent requirements if there is no structural work involved. If you are willing to take responsibility for the permitting process, you could have the architect draw some quick sketches and bring it to a draftsman.
Welcome to the Bay Area.