Architectural service costs depend on your project and location. Check with a local pro for your specific job.
Drafting professional blueprints for your upcoming residential construction or home remodeling project in Chicago, IL, costs $717 on average.
The total number of rooms and the overall architectural complexity of your new home design will increase your price.
Expect to pay between $415 and $2,590 to make necessary alterations to pre-drawn home plans before building begins.
Hiring an architect in Chicago, IL provides reliable help with custom blueprints and saves you significant time and effort.
This article was created using automation technology and thoroughly fact-checked and edited by an Angi Editor in accordance with our AI policy.
Drafting blueprints in Chicago, IL, costs $717 on average, and ranges from $660 to $774. Your total price depends heavily on the project's overall complexity, the square footage of your home, and the specific rates of local architects or drafters. Before starting your upcoming remodel or new build, understanding these exact costs helps you plan a successful project that fits perfectly within your budget.
When planning a construction project in Chicago, IL, hiring a local architect or draftsperson is a critical step to ensure your design is safe and up to code. The total price you pay depends on several distinct factors, including the square footage of your build, the complexity of the layout, and the specific professional you hire.
The total square footage of your planned building or addition dictates the amount of time and detail required to draft the plans, directly impacting the price. In Chicago, IL, larger homes require more extensive structural calculations to withstand the frigid, windy, snowy, and brutal winters. For a smaller project, a 500-square-foot plan costs between $260 and $5,180, while a massive 2,500-square-foot custom build runs from $1,300 to $25,900. The overall project averages $717, but most homeowners spend between $660 and $774 for standard drafting services.
| Square Footage | Local Average Blueprint Cost Range | National Average Blueprint Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | $260–$5,180 | $250–$5,000 |
| 1500 | $780–$15,600 | $750–$15,000 |
| 2000 | $1,040–$20,800 | $1,000–$20,000 |
| 2500 | $1,300–$25,900 | $1,250–$25,000 |
Complex designs with intricate rooflines, custom features, or unique materials demand more specialized drafting work, which increases the overall price. Building a new custom home in Chicago, IL, requires careful planning for the heavy snow loads typical of the local climate, bringing costs to between $5,180 and $20,800 or more. Conversely, simpler projects like removing a load-bearing wall cost between $210 and $1,040. If you are planning a broader renovation, you must also factor the home addition cost into your total budget.
| Project | Local Cost of Blueprints | National Cost of Blueprints |
|---|---|---|
| Building a new custom home | $5,180-$20,800+ | $5,000-$20,000+ |
| Building an add-on for your existing home | $520-$2,080 | $500-$2,000 |
| Making alterations to pre-drawn home plans | $415-$2,590 | $400-$2,500 |
| Removing a load-bearing wall | $210-$1,040 | $200-$1,000 |
Each additional room in your floor plan requires extra partitions, electrical layouts, and HVAC considerations, driving up the drafting expenses. Designing a home in Chicago, IL, with multiple enclosed rooms helps manage heating efficiency during the very cold snowy winters, but it adds to the drafting workload. A six-room layout with three bedrooms costs $1,560, whereas a larger nine-room layout with up to six bedrooms costs $3,110.
| Number of Rooms | Local Typical Cost for Blueprints | National Typical Cost for Blueprints |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (3 bedrooms) | $1,560 | $1,500 |
| 7 (3-4 bedrooms) | $2,080 | $2,000 |
| 8 (3-5 bedrooms) | $2,590 | $2,500 |
| 9 (3-6 bedrooms) | $3,110 | $3,000 |
Keep in mind that bathrooms and below-grade spaces also require detailed planning, even if they do not count toward the official room total.
Requesting changes to existing or approved plans requires the professional to revise calculations and redraw sections, which adds to your final bill. In Chicago, IL, you will need alterations if you decide to change the layout to better insulate against the hot summers and freezing winters after the initial drafts are complete. Making alterations to pre-drawn home plans costs between $415 and $2,590, depending on the extent of the revisions. Working with the original architect costs less than hiring a new professional to modify unfamiliar drawings.
Commercial blueprints and high-end custom residential plans require more comprehensive detailing than standard floor plans, resulting in higher prices. If you are renovating an older property in Chicago, IL, you need as-built blueprints to document the existing structure before making changes to withstand the harsh weather. Full construction blueprints represent the highest tier of drafting, while basic layouts for interior design projects require a smaller investment. Factoring in interior design costs early in the process ensures your layout accommodates all your desired finishes and furnishings.
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software allows professionals to create precise, construction-ready documents, and the licensing fees for these programs are built into the drafting rates. Architects in Chicago, IL, rely on this advanced software to accurately model how a structure will perform during the region's frigid, windy, snowy, and brutal seasons. While annual subscriptions for CAD software represent a significant overhead expense, architectural firms and draftspeople include this cost in their hourly or per-project fees rather than charging you a separate line item.
Physical copies of your plans are necessary for contractors and permit offices, and the material you choose for printing affects the price per sheet. Job sites in Chicago, IL, expose documents to very cold snowy winters and hot summers, making durable printing materials a necessity. Printing on plain paper costs less upfront, but these easily tear or degrade in the elements. Upgrading to weather-resistant Tyvek sheets increases the price per sheet, ensuring the plans remain readable in all conditions.
The specific qualifications and expertise of the professional you hire dictate their rate and the total labor expense. In Chicago, IL, a structural engineer is essential for ensuring your new home or addition can safely support heavy snow accumulations and extreme weather. A draftsperson is ideal for creating 3D renderings from existing plans, while an architect can draw plans for building permit approval. The scope of the work for your project will determine which professional you need.
| Draftsperson | Architect | Structural Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Uses existing plans to create 3D renderings | Ideal for standard construction projects | Ensures home can stand up to extreme weather and soil movement |
| Can sometimes create plans from scratch | Can draw for building permit approval | Can create detailed plans for safe construction |
Hiring the right expert prevents costly delays and ensures your project meets all local building codes. You must also coordinate this work with other professionals to manage your overall structural engineering cost effectively.
Hiring a professional to draft your plans in Chicago, IL, ensures your home can withstand the frigid, snowy climate. The exact price depends on the expert you hire for your project. A draftsperson charges between $75 and $125 per hour to create 3D renderings from existing plans. For standard construction and building design, an architect costs between $100 and $200 per hour. If you need a structural engineer for complex builds, expect to pay $150 to $250 per hour.
Hiring an architect in Chicago, IL ensures your home project remains structurally safe, saves you countless hours of planning, and adds immense long-term value to your property.
Professionals navigate local Chicago building codes and zoning laws to secure your permits without delays.
Experts translate your rough ideas into precise, actionable floor plans for contractors to follow.
An experienced pro identifies potential design flaws early, preventing expensive revisions during construction.
They utilize advanced drafting software to provide realistic 3D renderings of your future space.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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State Builders LLCMandy Velus from VeLUS Interiors did the design work for our major kitchen renovation. She was great to work with and we are beyond happy with the result. So much so that we have engaged her again for our living room project.
VeLUS INTERIORSWent great Hired architect to ensure wall removal and designed were at spec. Started job and finished in 3 1/2 weeks. Very happy with kitchen renovation. Excellent craftsmanship and detail.
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123 RemodelingWe ended up meeting with him but not going with him. We had a little trouble getting together with vacations and everything. We never did get 3D renderings, all we got were some drafted drawings. It was not clear on Angie's List that he was not only an architect but a design build, which...
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Rich is a by-the-book professional and his final drawings were very good. The only criticism I would have, is that instead of making three trips out to my condo, he probably only really needed to make one trip. Having not worked with an architect before, I did not know that architects do...
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