School feasibility study cost (UK 2026)
A sortable benchmark of feasibility study fees, banded by RIBA stage span, school type and team composition. Numbers are built from day-rate x scope-day, BCIS-factored, cross-checked against the two published consultant anchors.
| Scope | Low (£) | High (£) | Median (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 0 only, primary, architect-led | £3,500 | £7,500 | £5,500 |
| Stage 0-1, primary, architect + QS | £8,500 | £16,000 | £12,250 |
| Stage 0-2, primary expansion (1FE-2FE), multidisciplinary | £18,500 | £32,500 | £25,500 |
| Stage 0-2, secondary refurbishment, multidisciplinary | £22,000 | £38,500 | £30,250 |
| Stage 0-2, SEN unit (60 places), multidisciplinary + acoustics | £24,500 | £41,500 | £33,000 |
| Stage 0-2, net-zero retrofit, secondary, multidisciplinary + sustainability | £28,500 | £47,500 | £38,000 |
| Stage 0-3, secondary rebuild (SRP scope) where trust appoints | £42,000 | £78,000 | £60,000 |
Primary, secondary, SEN, sixth-form, nursery.
Stage 0 only through Stage 0-3.
Architect-only through full multidisciplinary.
Five-year fee history, BCIS-indexed.
Where each band comes from
Each band is built up by summing day-rate x scope-day allocations for a representative team. The low end of every band uses junior or framework rate cards; the high end uses chartered day rates for project director and chartered specialist consultants. A BCIS regional factor is then applied. The Extension Architecture published small-scale rate of £1,200-£4,800 sets the floor for any architect-only Stage 0 engagement. Extension Architecture rate 19 of 21 consultants surveyed do not publish a fee; the bands are not vendor-by-vendor leaderboards and we say so plainly. BCIS
What is excluded
- LA planning pre-application fees (£500-£8,000 depending on LPA)
- Specialist surveys: topographical, intrusive condition, R&D2 asbestos, ground investigation
- Independent peer review, where governors require one
- VAT, contingency, expenses (most consultants quote nett of these)