Architect - taken 12 months to get extension agreed

lucylou32

And what about the fact, that we discussed certain services, like the design of a seperate house and a new driveway, but these were never provided? We didn't need them in the end, he never spent any time on drawing them, but said he wouldn't refund the cost of doing them that had been charged, because they were things we'd agreed he would do. So, even though he didn't, that didn't actually matter.

Doozergirl

If it were me, I'd write, disengaging him.

Refer to your previous emails and tell him you have run out of patience.

Tell him you will not be paying for services that should take an architect a matter of weeks to produce correctly first time, not months to produce with errors and omissions.

He has also already been paid for services not rendered and so you feel that he still owes you for that, or that agreement should least have been made for the payment on account to go towards something else.

And also tell him that you were absolutely of the impression that he was a qualified architect and feel utterly misled.

Then engage someone to deal
With things in a timely manner leave it with him.

If you end up in small claims with him, I think you should counter claim for the other work not received. Although stressful, I'd feel quite comfortable that this person has failed you.

Anyone of worth would have this dealt with and the walls up by now! I wouldn't have the gall to go to small claims if I were him.

MisterBaxter

If you told him that you wanted him to take you right through to a builder starting then he should have priced for, and done the work necessary to get you to that point. The only thing I could see him coming back for extra costs on is the build-over agreement with the water authority as that would more than likely have been an unknown at the time of pricing. He hasn't delivered the services discussed so don't pay him.

As for the other works that were requested and that you have decided not to proceed with. If he hasn't done any work on it at all then I wouldn't expect to have to pay. If he did some abortive work then he should be able to provide you with details of the work that was actually done and put his fee proposal forward for that abortive work. If you are holding back payments then payments for the works associated with the works that haven't been done should be held back as well.

It is very difficult to give you constructive advice this late on in the process as you have gone so far in to the project with this person and you may have to just see the rest of the job through until you are ready to hand to a builder who will hopefully provide you with a better experience.

If you are going to hold back on payments put in writing and state you exact reasons for withholding money; if he did decide to pursue the matter through the Courts there would at least be some evidence along with your emails to him informing him of your dissatisfaction.

At some point you will have to agree some form of payment as he has done some of the work, albeit in a less than satisfactory manner; how you arrive at a figure is going to be down to a degree of negotiation but make sure you take account of any actual losses you have suffered as a result.

Your expectations at the outset may have been unrealistic but again that is something that should have been explained to you and was part of his job to do; you are a layperson, he is purporting to be a professional.

Doozergirl

re: buildover agreements. That is basic. It should not be an unforseen. When you design an extension, you look for drainage, not only to check how it might affect wall positioning, but to check where basic services will run to and from, once an extension is built. Design should be influenced by existing features if value for money is to be obtained.

I've ordered a CCTV drainage survey on a house for a client where the extension isn't even designed yet. I know it will need a buildover agreement.

System

how much cheaper was he than the other 4 you interviewed?

Sounds like there is all sorts of confusion over the scope of works and service to be provided here - what does the appointment say?
i.e. was it to do a number of options for feasibility and a planning application, was it to look at the options for a detached house and extension?
Was it just to provide design up to a specific stage?

Sounds like a far from professional service but at the same time, we are completely unaware of the scope of services they have were appointed to carry out.

Did his appointment letter seem similar to what the others were saying, did the others include things you thought were unnecessary or expensive, did you interview any registered architects and were their fees significantly higher?

lucylou32

Doozergirl wrote: »

re: buildover agreements. That is basic. It should not be an unforseen. When you design an extension, you look for drainage, not only to check how it might affect wall positioning, but to check where basic services will run to and from, once an extension is built. Design should be influenced by existing features if value for money is to be obtained.

I've ordered a CCTV drainage survey on a house for a client where the extension isn't even designed yet. I know it will need a buildover agreement.

Thank you ! Even as a layperson I couldn't understand why he'd wait till August to let me know, I'd need to complete a form for southern water. When he gave me that form, I could only complete my details, none of the build details, so I had to call him back anyway, when he came to collect the 10% completed form, he tried to complete the rest on the spot, but he didn't know the answers either. I got the impression, he'd never completed one of those forms before.

lucylou32

the_r_sole wrote: »

how much cheaper was he than the other 4 you interviewed?

Sounds like there is all sorts of confusion over the scope of works and service to be provided here - what does the appointment say?
i.e. was it to do a number of options for feasibility and a planning application, was it to look at the options for a detached house and extension?
Was it just to provide design up to a specific stage?

Sounds like a far from professional service but at the same time, we are completely unaware of the scope of services they have were appointed to carry out.

Did his appointment letter seem similar to what the others were saying, did the others include things you thought were unnecessary or expensive, did you interview any registered architects and were their fees significantly higher?

Every quoted within £200 of each other, no one was less than £1,000 so we based our decision on personality, picked someone we thought would be a good communicator and hand-holder.

lucylou32

His first invoice was for £950 plus VAT he provided this in January. We paid the invoice in April, when the 2nd drawing arrived, we did point out it still didn't match our requirements, but that we wanted no further delays.

Further to our meeting, please find attached my fee proposal for the following services:

· Undertake a measured survey

· Develop driveway layout (not done)

· Undertake a site survey and take levels through site

· Undertake a drain inspection determine drain position (excluding CCTV)

· Develop a design for a two storey extension

· Develop an indicative design for a new 2nd house and issue to Tonbridge & Malling Council (to review against council policy) (not done)

My fee allows for submitting the application for a two storey side and single storey rear extension under a full plans submission.

When we appointed Owen on 14th February, we told him at the same time, the 2nd house design was no longer required, because we'd discovered we were pregnant and therefore, we'd stick with the extension. Therefore, there's no way he would have spent even a second on it.

lucylou32

The 2nd invoice arrived in August, for £1,050 plus VAT for:

Building Control submission completed.

We have refused to pay this, until building control have confirmed the latest design submitted is showing everything they need. The first drawing they received in Septemeber was lacking a lot of detail.

System

I don't understand why you would let him proceed if the design didn't meet your requirements? - Are you intending on building something that doesn't suit you just to do it quickly?
His job was to design to your brief - you should have stopped his services at this point as it clearly wasn't working, sometimes the initial design stage can take a while to get just right, but you don't proceed until you have something that meets the brief (and/or the budget)

Also why did it take two months to pay the invoice? - Indications here are that the relationship was on a downward course already

Just as an aside - building control drawings are never complete at the initial submission, the local authority will always find something that requires clarification.