Plans drawn up in Liverpool

jkgray

I am looking for have some plans drawn up for a single storey rear extension to a mid terraced house in Liverpool 15.

Extension size would be about 6.5 metres wide, with a projection of at least 3 m (up to 5 m if planning permission could be gained).

I had someone recommeded to me (think he is an architectural technician rather than an architect) who has quoted £500 for the planning stage and another £350 - 400 for the building regulation stage - I have emailed around today for some other quotes and they all seem a lot cheaper around £350 for both sets.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Planning Stage

Quotation based on production of 1- 2 design alternatives for a single storey rear extension, 1 design at 3.0m
and another close to 4.0m with 1 additional floor plan alternative for providing a suitable utility space with
minimal internal alterations I quote for the work as follows:-

• a full measured survey of your property, fully drawn up on autoCAD
• production of 2 number design alternatives for your approval
• completion of suitable planning package
• purchase and completion of location plan (£5 charge to client)
• online application submission for householder planning permission

Building Regulation Drawing Package

To produce a full concise set of drawings suitable for building control approval, including for general
specification, liaison with required sub-contractors (structural engineer) and online submission to the local
authority based on an the approved planning drawings.

System

what are the cheaper guys calling themselves? do any of them have any insurance or are they just preparing the drawings and nothing else? are the others offering any actual design work or are they just going to draw what you tell them? would you prefer to use someone recommended to you or take a punt on a cheaper one that you have no knowledge of?
I would be wary of rough email quotes from people that don't know the scope of the job, get some formal quotes from people that have visited the site and talked the job through, or get photos and some rough ideas then ask for the quotes

bobthedambuilder

IMO £350 seems ridiculously cheap for the service you want, involving discussion / alternative designs, planning application, BReg drawings and calcs from structural engineer. You'd probably only get a set of drawings for that - no serious discussion of alternatives, no engineering, no walking the application through the planning stages.

I take it that the 2 listings in the OP came from your recommended "architect", and that looks to me like a sensible, thought out approach to your requirements. Plus, you know from the recommendation that he's competent to do the job.

You get what you pay for. You're going to be spending upwards of £20K on the work - £900 for the design and planning is not overpriced.

jkgray

I thought £900 for the design and planning seemed reasonable but just thought a quick and easy way to get some comparable quotes was to send the original quote minus prices to a varierty of other 'providers' and see what prices came back. I thought if they were comparable I would probably just go with the bloke recommended or maybe get say one more out to have a look at the job before deciding who to go with. I was therefore surprised that the comparable quotes were all so cheap.

Just had a quote back though for £2000.

panchenlama

why do you need plans for that? single storey square etension? Get your ruler out....

bobthedambuilder

panchenlama wrote: »

why do you need plans for that? single storey square etension? Get your ruler out....

That kind of comment could only come from someone who services his own CH boiler, does his own electrical wiring, knocks out walls in his own house etc. and thinks there's no need for trained engineers and technicians who can certify as to the safety and sufficiency of a job.

Seriously, do you think the average man in the street can do the calculations to determine the size of lintel/support beam where the extension joins the main house, knows all the building techniques to ensure the building work is waterproof, damp-free and stable, and can satisfy the requirements of the qualified checkers in the council planning dept who will examine the plans for compliance with the Building Regulations?

Nah, do it yourself and shrug your shoulders when the extension and house fall round your ears - if it ever gets built that is.

unclebulgaria

bobthedambuilder wrote: »

That kind of comment could only come from someone who services his own CH boiler, does his own electrical wiring, knocks out walls in his own house etc. and thinks there's no need for trained engineers and technicians who can certify as to the safety and sufficiency of a job.

Seriously, do you think the average man in the street can do the calculations to determine the size of lintel/support beam where the extension joins the main house, knows all the building techniques to ensure the building work is waterproof, damp-free and stable, and can satisfy the requirements of the qualified checkers in the council planning dept who will examine the plans for compliance with the Building Regulations?

Nah, do it yourself and shrug your shoulders when the extension and house fall round your ears - if it ever gets built that is.

here here. :T

panchenlama

you are so elequent it is sweet

panchenlama

Hmmmm womble. Good name

unclebulgaria

Eloquent! And the names not Womble its unclebulgaria.

panchenlama

?!?.................