Learning to walk before I run

powerspowers

@edinburgher how are things going with the architects etc? 

edinburgher

@powerspowers - I am underwhelmed with the architect. I asked him to proceed to complete the building warrant package a little over a month ago, liaising with the structural engineer as necessary. I wasn't a hardass and didn't insist upon specific timelines, although I did ask him for an indicative timeline, which he has never provided. He agreed to complete the building warrant package and advised that he would provide updates. Since then, he has provided exactly zero updates. I emailed the other day to ask for one and miraculously he called me advising that the forms would likely be completed on the same day (yesterday) and shared with me for approval. Unsurprisingly he did not send these on for review.

To be honest, I'd ditch him if it wasn't for the fact that he has already maybe started and if it wasn't so damn awkward. Next time I'll vet architects with the enthusiasm with which I vetted builders!

powerspowers

How frustrating!! 

Suffolk_lass

Do you need the Building Warrant in Scotland prior to obtaining full planning consent? It is usually afterwards in England with any building conditions set out in the consent (so you don't have to get the warrant twice) - things like construction method options (such as how deep concrete piles need to be for a platform versus foundations, and whether archaeological investigations need to be undertaken first)  and materials can often be conditions of permission here (eg wooden window frames in conservation areas)

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - we shouldn't require planning permission for anything that we have planned.

Suffolk_lass

If you are not going to need PP why are you engaging an architect? I know it is different up there but normally some basic plans for the builder are all that is needed for permitted development

Just to add, the architect liaises with the planning department to test what they will support ahead of submitting the plans. If you don't have to do this, why do you need that (expensive) expertise?

LadyWithAPlan

Your budget is getting leaner by the month
Due to this builders shortage I have stopped looking at flats to buy, I will no doubt buy something which needs work doing so.. It seems  a lot of patience is needed with all these delays.

edinburgher

@Suffolk_lass - you have to bear in mind that this is the first time we've needed to convert or extend a property. Don't let my chatty demanour fool you, I have no idea how these things work! We didn't have a trusted contractor lined up, we didn't have a clear view of what we wanted and to quote one website, we wanted "the security of knowing we were creating a safe and legal addition to our home". Also, everyone we know who has had an extension up here has used one and most building firms won't even talk to you without architect's plans. Considering the cost of the architect's professional erm, expertise, I don't think it's a horrific expense. We're looking at spending £100k+, his fees would seem reasonable on that basis.

In any case, his ears must have been burning, as he has finished the documentation and is now ready to submit the application for a building warrant. I believe that there are still a couple of documents to be produced by the structural engineer, but we are now in the position where the cooncil can give us some (hopefully) rubber stamps

edinburgher

I had actually misread the last email from the architect - he already has the structural engineer's plans and will submit the warrant package today

DD has had a fever and a horrible cough for a few days (I don't think it's Covid, we've all completed 2 negative lateral flow tests). As a consequence, nobody has been out of the house much. Mrs E went to our local out of town shopping mall this morning, but I drew the short straw in having some time off this afternoon. I'm not convinced that a walk in the ******* rain really lifts the spirits all that much!

I am using what's left of my time "off" to rebalance Mrs E's workplace pension, which was modelled on Vanguard Target Retirement 2045, but has a small flaw in how it's set up.

Suffolk_lass

I'm sorry if my email sounded like I was having a go, I was not, I just did not want you paying out thousands of pounds for drawings that a competent builder or draughtsman could do. From the fee level it sounds to me like he is a draughtsman, primarily.

My DH has done this a few times (he was a draughtsman/design engineer/teacher) and drew up the plans for some friends to enable them to engage a builder to install a half octagon en-suite shower room in the corner of their spare room. The had never considered flipping the room round at 90 degrees so the window now runs alongside the bed and the head is on the other internal wall, with built-in wardrobes along the long wall facing the bottom of the bed and adjoining the ensuite. It's weird but the room has more space and the depth of the built in wardrobes makes for brilliant storage of their stuff (with just a small wardrobe space for short-stay visitors).

He also did some design work for some friends that wanted a balcony on a sunny bedroom wall and designed an outdoor kitchen for some friends in France, and worked as a kitchen designer while re-training as a teacher. I'm not trying to sell his services, just demonstrate that a bit of experience does suffice.

It's things like knowing the materials (whether brick or block or timber frame) so that the dimensions are for whole construction units - this means the builders don't spend all their time cutting the ends off things. So bricks are traditionally 8 inches long and 4 inches wide and deep and mortar is typically 1 cm deep between them. It is worth knowing what your man has predicated the plans on. Plaster board and insulation board comes in in 1200x2400mm sheets - breeze blocks (if you are going to render the outside) are 440x215x100mm. Just note it is harder, messier and more time consuming if they are cutting the construction blocks or bricks