How much are architectural and engineering fees for commercial construction?

A/E fees typically run 5–12% of hard construction costs. Architecture: 4–8%. Structural engineering: 1–2.5%. MEP engineering: 1.5–3.5%. Civil engineering: 0.5–1.5%. Specialty consultants add 0.5–2%. Total soft costs including A/E fees, permitting, and other non-construction costs run 15–30% of total development cost.

What are soft costs in commercial construction?

Soft costs are all non-construction expenses in a development budget: A/E fees, permitting, impact fees, insurance, legal, financing costs, project management, testing/inspections, furniture/fixtures, and pre-opening expenses. They typically represent 15–30% of total project cost.

How can I reduce A/E fees on my project?

Design-build delivery reduces A/E fees by 10–15% by shortening the design iteration cycle and eliminating redesign. Early GC engagement during preconstruction provides real-time cost feedback that prevents over-design. Reusing proven building prototypes also reduces design hours.

Do A/E fees vary by building type?

Yes. Simple buildings (warehouses, self-storage) command lower fees at 5–7%. Complex buildings (healthcare, restaurants, laboratories) command 8–12%+ due to specialized engineering, code compliance, and equipment coordination requirements.

TCG.ai

Instant AI Construction Estimate

Describe your project and get an instant construction cost estimate using our proprietary AI engine for FREE.

Try the Estimator Schedule a Call

Construction Industry Trends

TCG Intelligence Library

Cost benchmarks, delivery playbooks, and field-tested guidance for commercial real estate developers, owners, and operators.

Eighty-plus articles spanning cost-per-square-foot data, building system selection, delivery method tradeoffs, and vertical-specific construction guidance — drawn from active project work across all 50 states.

Pillar Guides

Cost Benchmarks

Commercial Construction Costs

Cost-per-square-foot data across every major commercial building type — by region, format, and finish level. The master reference for project budgeting.

Explore the cost library

Process & Delivery

Project Delivery Guide

Design-build vs. design-bid-build, GMP vs. cost-plus, preconstruction strategy, permitting timelines — how to actually deliver a commercial project on time and on budget.

Read the delivery guide

Building Systems

Specialty Trade & Building Systems

IMP installation, PEMB, commercial roofing, polyaspartic flooring, MEP, equipment procurement — the specialty scopes that drive envelope and operational performance.

See system guides

Finance & Owner Advisory

Soft costs, A/E fees, contingency planning, lender requirements, owner's rep value — the financial framework owners and developers need before breaking ground.

Read the owner playbook

Featured Reading

Cold Storage

Cost to Build a Cold Storage Facility (2026)

Refrigerated, frozen, and blast-freeze cost benchmarks. Tenant improvement vs. ground-up by region — what owners actually pay.

Read the breakdown

Pre-engineered metal building cost per square foot

PEMB

PEMB Cost Per Square Foot (2026)

Three pricing tiers, regional variation, finished cost by building type, and the five mistakes that blow PEMB budgets.

See the tiers

QSR & Restaurant

Cost to Build a QSR Coffee Shop (2026)

Drive-thru, walk-up, hybrid, and walk-in formats — total project cost ranges by format and region, including the drive-thru premium.

Read the format guide

IMP & Envelope

Best IMP Manufacturers Compared (2026)

Kingspan, Metl-Span, CENTRIA, AWIP, PermaTherm, FALK, UPI, MBCI, and Arch Solar — core chemistry, lead times, and where each panel fits.

Compare manufacturers

Soft Costs

A/E Fees & Soft Costs (2026)

Architectural and engineering fee benchmarks by facility type and region — plus the soft cost categories that quietly inflate project budgets.

See fee benchmarks

Roofing

Commercial Roofing Cost Per SF (2026)

Six commercial roofing systems compared, the six factors driving cost, and replace-vs-restore economics for owners.

Read the system guide

Browse by Vertical

Cold Storage & Warehouse Cannabis Hotel, Restaurant & QSR Healthcare & MOB Data Centers Industrial & Manufacturing Self-Storage Grocery & Retail Urgent Care Veterinary CEA Life Sciences Tenant Improvement Adaptive Reuse

Get a Number on Your Project

Skip the back-and-forth

Free AI estimates. Real conversations. No sales pressure.

TCG.ai Construction Estimator

Get an estimate

IMP Install Estimator

Price the panels

Schedule a 30-min call

Book with Will

William Goodin 4/24/26 William Goodin 4/24/26

Embodied Carbon in Commercial Buildings (2026): What It Is, How It's Priced, and What to Actually Specify

How does embodied carbon measured, reported, and priced into commercial construction in 2026? EPDs, LEED credits, low-carbon steel and concrete, and the spec language that matters.

William Goodin 4/24/26 William Goodin 4/24/26

Construction Lien Waiver Types (2026): Conditional, Unconditional, and the Ones Owners Get Wrong

What is the difference between conditional vs unconditional lien waivers? Partial vs final? State-specific forms? How lien waivers actually protect owners — and which ones don't.

William Goodin 4/24/26 William Goodin 4/24/26

Commercial Construction Costs in Sheridan, WY (2026)

What does commercial construction actually cost in Sheridan, Wyoming in 2026? Mobilization premiums, wind and snow loads, labor rates, and regional benchmarks.

William Goodin 4/23/26 William Goodin 4/23/26

Cannabis Facility Construction Requirements (2026): What State Licensing Actually Wants to See

The industrial process requirements that separate a licensed cannabis cultivation facility from a rejected application — HVAC tonnage, 1,200A+ service, state-specific security specs, FM-rated envelope.

William Goodin 4/22/26 William Goodin 4/22/26

Commercial Construction Contingency by Project Type (2026): What to Actually Reserve

Owner contingency by project type in 2026 — tenant improvement 5–8%, ground-up 8–11%, cold storage 10–15%, data center 12–18%. Why 10% blanket reserves are how projects blow their pro forma.

William Goodin 4/22/26 William Goodin 4/22/26

Construction Labor Shortage 2026: What It's Actually Costing Your Project

The 2026 construction labor shortage isn't a headline — it's a line item. What skilled-trade scarcity is costing commercial projects across all 50 states.