Do I need an architect for planning variation?

EachPenny

LisaBrown366 wrote: »

Thanks for this! Have posted some further questions below - I would really appreciate any thoughts you have given your expertise!!

Who is dealing with the building regulations aspects of your project? This is really important.

Newuser1987

Im not going to go through and respond to each of EachPennys points as its not helping the OP questions.

With regards to a way forward for the OP.

I would first check if you have permitted development rights. If you do, you more than likely do not need to do a planning application at all. You also can do this under a Building Notice. So in this scenario you do not need to get your architect involved at all. Confirm with your builder that they are happy to agree what is required with your Building Control officer and ask your BCO if they need any structural calculations for any of the work. Unlikely that they will but if they do ask your engineer for this not your architect.

If you do not have permitted development rights then I would advise contacting a different architect to do the amendment for you. You could do this yourself but there may be questions on the application that may not appear straight forward. The application you need if you do require one would be a 'removal/variation of a condition'. You then need to apply to vary the condition that references you current drawings with your new drawings. You may be able to do this under a non-material amendment which is cheaper and quicker but each council take different views on what is classed as minor/non-material. So give your planning department a call to ask this. With this scenario the Building Regulation points would be the same as the above.

With regards to Copyright - All you need to do is ensure your current architect has been paid and confirm with your architect you have licence to use the drawings for your project (it probably says in your contract that you do). Then just ask your new architect to confirm copyright if you need a new one.

I do agree with all the previous posters that this might not be something straight forward but for an architect/builder/engineer it is. So the fact they are proposing fees like that for something that would take a couple of hours even with full building regulation drawings frustrates me.

stator

Newuser1987 wrote: »

The OP hasnt said thats whats been asked of the architect. Converting a garage can be done under a building notice so doesnt require an architect to do Building Reg drawings as well.

But if you want it done properly the builders have to work from something. Unless you want the builders to just make it up as they go along, which might not meet building regs.

Newuser1987

stator wrote: »

But if you want it done properly the builders have to work from something. Unless you want the builders to just make it up as they go along, which might not meet building regs.

I said in my post to "Confirm with your builder that they are happy to agree what is required with your Building Control officer". Most garage conversion are done without a Full Plans application.

Suggesting that it can't be done properly without an architect isn't correct. Most builders know the regulations better than most of my peers!

stator

I didn't say it can't be done. But if you ask an architect to amend his plans for a garage to a habitable state, he's obviously going to assume you want the new plans to be fully compliant with building regs etc.
I doubt you will get many architects who will just change a garage door window and door and just leave a note saying "tell the building to make it building reg compliant"

Newuser1987

stator wrote: »

I doubt you will get many architects who will just change a garage door window and door and just leave a note saying "tell the building to make it building reg compliant"

I doubt you would get any architect that would do that and thats certainly not what I would do. All I am suggesting is that an architect is not needed at all. If they are instructed then I would expect that it would be done properly.

However my point all along has been that the original architect is overcharging for something that is one of the most basic things an architect could work on.

If you broke it down a bit more an architects average charge out rate in London is £80, rural £67. The proposed £1000 would work out at approx 12.5 hours for a London Architect, 15 hours for a Rural Architect. I would expect less than half that if it was doing planning + Full construction drawings for a garage conversion.

Maybe I work too quickly and I am undercharging!