How much does an architect cost in Morocco? Fees and fee scale

Architect fees in Morocco are calculated as a percentage of the cost of works (indicative scale of the National Order of Architects, CNOA), generally around 5%. The amount depends on the floor area, the finish level and the scope of the assignment.

How are the fees calculated?

The basis is the estimated cost of works. The rate (about 5%) is applied to it. For a villa whose construction is estimated at 1,000,000 DH, allow on the order of 50,000 DH in architect's fees, to be adjusted according to the assignment chosen (design only, design plus site supervision, turnkey).

Because the basis is the cost of works, it pays to know that cost early. For a 150 m² two-storey house in mid-range finish in Kénitra, the CITURBAREA cost estimator gives 839,190 DH of works including VAT, and 66,335 DH including VAT for all fees together: a full architect's assignment, the engineering consultancy (BET), the soil survey, the surveyor and the laboratory. The price per m² for your project is detailed in our guide on house construction cost per m².

What do the fees cover?

• Design (sketch, preliminary design, final drawings)
• Preparing and filing the building permit application
• Depending on the assignment: construction documents, tendering to contractors, site supervision, handover

On top of this, and separately, come the BET (structure and building services, about 2%) and, depending on the case, the geotechnical engineer, the land surveyor, the inspection office (bureau de contrôle) and the laboratory.

Is the architect mandatory?

Yes in most cases. In urban communes, delimited centres and their peripheral zones, using an architect registered with the Order is a condition for obtaining the building permit (law 12-90, art. 50). For a building of 150 m² of floor area or less, the architect is only mandatory for the design (art. 54). A copy of the architect's contract is part of the permit file when the architect is mandatory (joint order no. 337-20). See our guide on the building permit in Morocco.

What does the site-supervision phase involve?

In urban communes and their peripheral zones, the legal assignment of the architect includes following the works and checking their compliance "until the occupancy permit or certificate of compliance is issued" (art. 53 of law 12-90). In practice, the architect:

• signs the site-opening declaration filed with the commune (art. 54-1);
• keeps the site logbook (cahier de chantier) (art. 54-2);
• checks the work against the approved drawings and validates the contractor's progress claims;
• signs the certificate of compliance that replaces the inspection visit for the occupancy permit (permis d'habiter).

That certificate commits the architect's liability: a serious architect will not sign it if the building departs from the approved drawings. Under article 78 of law 12-90, the architect who does not report a violation within 48 hours of learning of it is treated as a co-offender. Check in your contract that the fees cover this phase.

Paying in stages

Fees are generally spread according to progress: design, permit, construction documents, site works. This lets you commit to the first phases, for example a feasibility check based on the zoning information certificate, before deciding on the whole project.

How to estimate your budget

1. Estimate the cost of works with the free cost estimator.
2. Apply about 5% for the architect and about 2% for the BET, depending on the assignment.
3. Add the soil survey, the surveyor and the permit fees and taxes.
4. Agree the scope of the assignment in writing before signing.

CITURBAREA, an architect's practice registered with the Order in Kénitra, works on design, permits and site supervision in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, including remote follow-up for Moroccans living abroad. Tell us about your project.

Frequently asked questions