Architect Fees & the Design Process in Ghana (2026)
What does an architect cost in Ghana, and how does the design process actually work? The honest answer: the architect's fee is normally a percentage of the construction cost or a staged fee — separate from the building cost, which comes from a Bill of Quantities. Plus the work stages and the building-permit process, explained. Architects Afrique, since 1984. Book a consultation.
“What does an architect cost in Ghana, and how does the process work?” is one of the most-searched questions in the sector — and almost no firm answers it honestly. Here is the honest answer. A registered, process-led practice since 1984. Book a consultation: +233 23 063 0038.
What an Architect’s Fee Actually Is
An architect’s fee is for the design service — the thinking, the drawings, the coordination, and getting the project approvable and buildable. It is normally agreed in one of two ways:
- A percentage of the construction cost — the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) publishes a fee scale as guidance for this, and the architect’s fee is set as a percentage of what the building costs to construct.
- A staged fee — a fee for the work, broken across the stages: concept, developed design, permit drawings, and construction documentation, so you pay as each stage is done and approved.
We agree the scope and the basis with you up front, so the design service is a known cost before you commit. We do not publish a single percentage or a per-square-metre number on this page — the honest figure depends on your project’s size, complexity, and scope, and we agree it with you directly rather than guess.
The Fee Is Separate From the Building Cost
This is the part most people get wrong. The architect’s fee and the building cost are two different things:
| What it is | How it’s set | |
|---|---|---|
| Architect’s fee | The cost of the design service | % of construction cost (GIA scale as guidance) or a staged fee |
| Building cost | The cost to construct the building | A Bill of Quantities (BoQ) prepared once the design is set |
The building cost is not a per-square-metre rate you can read off a blog — those figures circulate online but disagree several-fold and cite no survey authority. Real project cost comes from a Bill of Quantities measured by a quantity surveyor (within the Ghana Institution of Surveyors / GhIS framework) once the design is set. That is why we give you a real BoQ, not a guessed number.
The Design Process — Work Stages Adapted to Ghana
We follow RIBA-style work stages adapted to Ghana, so the project moves in clear, approvable steps:
- Brief & feasibility — what you want, the site, and what the budget can realistically deliver.
- Concept design — the spatial idea and form, before it is detailed.
- Developed design — coordinated with the engineer into a buildable design.
- Permit drawings — the set submitted for the building permit.
- Construction documentation — the detailed set a contractor builds and prices from, and a quantity surveyor measures into a BoQ.
- Construction — built by your contractor, or delivered by us as design-build under one team.
At each stage you see and approve the work before the next begins — so you always know where the project is, what you are approving, and what it costs.
The Building-Permit Process in Ghana
Before construction can lawfully start, a project needs a building (development) permit. In Ghana this runs through the local assembly and the Lands Commission:
- Lands Commission — a site plan approved by the Survey & Mapping Division, plus your land title/indenture and a land-search report, are prerequisites.
- Building / development permit — applied for at the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assembly (MMDA), with drawings prepared by a licensed architect; reviewed by the assembly’s technical committee. The permit is valid for 5 years under L.I. 1630.
- EPA environmental permit — under the Environmental Assessment Regulations 1999 (L.I. 1652), larger or special projects must register with the EPA and obtain a permit before construction (it does not apply to every small residential build).
We prepare the drawings and handle the permit process as part of the service, so your project is approvable from the start.
Togo — Architect Fees & the Permit in Lomé
In Togo, the same honesty applies: the architect’s fee is agreed up front as a fee for the design work, separate from the building cost, which comes from quantities once the design is set. The building permit there — the permis de construire — is run by the local authorities and is fully online in Grand Lomé, and the application must be submitted by an architect registered with ONATO (Ordre National des Architectes du Togo). We carry the design and the permit for Togo projects as part of the service.
Registered & Accountable
- Works within the Architects Act 1969 (NLCD 357) and the Architects Registration Council / Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA)
- Registered engineering input (GhIE) where required; BoQ within the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) framework
- Designs to L.I. 1630 and the Ghana Building Code (GS 1207:2018); permit drawings and EPA permitting (L.I. 1652) handled as part of the service
- Established 1984 — a real practice with a portfolio, shared on request
Designing Across Greater Accra & Beyond
We work across East Legon, Airport Residential, Cantonments, Trasacco, Ridge, Labone, Spintex, and Tema — plus Kumasi, Takoradi, and Lomé, Togo. Diaspora clients design and build with us remotely with full reporting.
Areas We Serve
Architects Afrique works across Greater Accra — East Legon, Airport Residential, Cantonments, Trasacco, Ridge, Labone, Spintex, Tema — plus Kumasi, Takoradi, and Lomé, Togo.
Related Services
- Architects in Ghana — design and design-build, end to end
- Design-Build Services — design and construction under one team
- Architectural & Construction Integration — design through to build
- Decade-Warranty Architecture — long-term stewardship after handover
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an architect cost in Ghana? Normally a percentage of the construction cost (the GIA publishes a fee scale as guidance) or a staged fee, agreed up front so it is a known cost — separate from the building, whose cost comes from a BoQ once the design is set. We agree the exact basis with you rather than guess a number.
Is the architect’s fee part of the building cost? No — the fee is for the design service; the building cost comes separately from a Bill of Quantities once the design is set.
How does the design process work? RIBA-style work stages adapted to Ghana: brief and feasibility, concept, developed design, permit drawings, construction documentation, then construction — each approved before the next begins.
How long does the building permit take? Typically in the order of one to three months once a complete application is in, including a Lands Commission-approved site plan; we handle it as part of the service.