Real Life MMD: Should I let bro-in-law do the architecture?

System

Gattemelata wrote: »

Depends on how big the extension is, and how easy it is to get work. My father's an architect and charges about £15 an hour because it's all people will pay, and in fact will work more hours than he charges for because he's a perfectionist. He does small extensions and the like now because he's semi-retired, and if he charged more he wouldn't be able to get the work. It doesn't mean he's crap (he's had decades of experience in his own firm, doing town halls, magistrates courts and the like), just that ordinary people wanting small jobs don't have the money.

Incidentally, he's doing a small extension for us, for free. But because I know him well (he's my dad!), and because I've seen many examples of his work over the years, I know he'll get it right. The brother-in-law presumably doesn't have this kind of experience, so I certainly wouldn't be paying full price for it. Otherwise, what's the point? Go for a firm with experience (dealing with planning etc) and insurance.

So he's fully registered and insured? - but also semi retired and willing to work for a very low hourly rate, presumably because he has worked for years charging a bit more than £15 per hour - the op's bil is in a completely different position as they maybe need money to survive rather than to top up their pension, in the construction industry technology changes very fast, regulations change constantly also, just because someone is young doesn't make them less capable than a semi retired father - every architect under the sun will put in more hours than they fee for, that's not unusual...
and at no point did i say anyone was "crap" all i was questioning is whether a fully registered architect could/would provide services for an extension (even the very smallest single room) for as little as £450 - that figure is miles away from what the previous fee tables would recommend and i would suggest it's a fair bit off an hourly rate - even at your fathers rate that is only allowing 3.75 days for a whole project?! (1 day to survey inspect existing foundations and draw a full set of existing drawings, 1 day to design and submit planning, 2 days for building regs?)

My_Digital_Self

Just to add that prior to registering I'd had plenty of experience in a small practice that churned out these types of things... as well as experience in another practice that spent years at a time on mammoth projects - do check his type of experience, if you're still considering using him!

My_Digital_Self

Just another thought...
Has he deliberately quoted high because he is under family pressure to offer his services, but doesn't actually want the work, hoping that you won't take him up because of the high quote?

Katie-Kat-Kins

Does he have appropriate professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance? If the answer is no then run for the hills, it is simply not worth the risk. If he is not yet qualified and doing this as a family favour there is a chance he isn't covered by appropriate insurance and this is a great way to say no without offending.

If he does then consider it, but bear in mind that it makes any dispute or complaint much more difficult when family feelings are involved.

I would be inclined to say no on the basis that you don't want to risk souring family relationships with the stress of the home improvements but maybe ask him for a referral to a friend or colleague who he rates. With a bit of luck this will be a win win situation as you will get a good deal as a friend of a friend and your relation gets the goodwill and maybe some reciprocal referrals.

bennett2kuk

I personally would tell him where to get off. Charging the full rate for a family member and when he's not actually qualified yet. Err, no thanks.

Janjel

I would say no also - my ex brother in law interferred so much in our house drawings that it contributed to my ex and I splitting up - he kept changing size of house, putting in extras we did not want - made house smaller than we wanted etc etc. Turned into a nightmare!!

Maat

Why, oh why do humans, who pride ourselves on our depth of communication which no other species matches (so far as we know, although I don't know any other species who need so much conflict resolution) have so much trouble talking to each other?

Get your brother-in-law on the sofa and tell him that actual qualified architects have quoted less than him and that his quote is actually the upper limit of quotes for already qualified people. Invite his comments on this. Ask him why he's quoting so much when he's not qualified and when it's a family job - only don't ask him, tell him you're puzzled by it. Invite him to discuss the whole thing with you as friends. You don't say if he's your wife's (or husband's) brother or your sister's (or brother's) partner but surely the significant other in this relationship might have a say in it.

Be open about your feelings and invite his. Be compassionate and not judging, tell him how you feel and what you're looking for. The rest is then up to him. And if you're still not happy then go elsewhere. There's no guarantee you'd be happy with a cheaper qualified architect than you would be with your brother-in-law.

But for goodness sake talk. With compassion, about your feelings rather than putting him down, but do talk. This can be resolved and without causing family friction so long as you boil it down to what you want and what you feel and leave it up to your b-i-l to say what he wants and what he feels. Honesty with compassion, that's the key.

Good luck, I hope you get done the work you really want and maintain friendly relations.

shoi

Never employ a friend (or relative). Ever.

Sooler

There’s no such thing as ‘nearly’ qualified, you either are or you aren’t – as BIL has failed to grasp the difference that makes to the value of the services he can currently provide you must doubt if he ever will be J

heuristic_abyss

I'm in my final year of a Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying degree. I've already had a family friend asking me questions, though more in the field of Building Surveying (completely different to QSing). As a result I didn't charge anything (not qualified and would go against the RICS), I pointed out several times that in no way am I an expert (again, QS not building) and that in order to see the mistakes in the house in question she should employ the services of a fully qualified Building Surveyor.

Basically until I'm qualified I won't be offering my services for a fee and neither should the B-I-L. Hope that helps.