My architect doesn't seem to be providing much imagination or commentary - is this normal?

the_midnight_Wolfboy

We bought a [relatively] inexpensive house with the plan of doing a two storey extension - before costs went up 4000% post pandemic.

We've asked an architect to help us design the house plan - given the large scale of the project.

We had an initial conversation stating we wanted a:

1) kitchen diner,

2) utility and

3) four bedrooms upstairs

- they've sent across two designs with no commentary, one with a loft extension.

Do any floorplan wizards have any advice or comments on the two ideas they've proposed ? Very happy to pay in 5CL alcohol bottles I have left over from my old job.

Section62

Theres lots to be said... it looks like they are proposing removing most of the rear of the house, so you need to understand how expensive and disruptive that will be.  Are you able to move out of the house while they do the work?

One specific on the first ground floor plan - they have shown a 'T' shaped steel beam arrangement above the kitchen to support the first floor + first floor walls. The side-to-side beam appears to be approx 8m long.  You need the architect to explain how expensive structural steel is at the current time, and just how much of it you need to support that amount of structure over an 8m span.  It will be one of the largest costs in your project.

I'd also like to hear how the architect was proposing to support that 8m beam (and all the load it is carrying) at the right-hand end.  Unless I'm misreading the plan, that end of the beam appears to be above a window opening.  A structural engineer could probably come up with a solution to that problem, but it will add to your costs, and is a strange approach to design, IMV.

Have you got a fixed budget?  People will need an idea of what you can afford to give you good ideas.

Doozergirl

The obvious thing is that both designs are double storey, so going up into the loft and starting what is effectively yet another structural project is going to cost a great deal more than just going as big as you can with two storeys.  

How much bigger is option 2?   What does the budget look like for this project for you? 

What is normal I guess depends on who you are dealing with.  Some are going to be more interested in involving you in the process than others, which probably makes it important to ask what you're getting for your money at the offset, but they also need to understand their brief.  

Not talking you through reasoning for certain elements is a bit odd to me as I'd always want to explain why I was recommending a certain design.  It's also natural that I end up with my own favourite as I work through options! 

There will be elements that are interchangeable between designs - certainly the ground floor, so can use the ideas presented to discuss what you like and what you don't.  

You say you've asked for a kitchen diner - you've been given kitchen/diner/snug.  Is that what you want?  

A three storey house makes more sense when you don't need as much space downstairs as you've been given but want more upstairs.  Is that the case?  Do you need two dining rooms, two lounges and potentially a storage room/office?  

All of this hinges off the budget.  I can design Buckingham Palace and it will achieve your aims.  There's usually some compromise... 

There's quite a lot of house coming down to achieve these plans and a huge amount of jigging about inside.  Not a lot of value engineering has taken place.  

theoretica

The larger of the two current bedrooms becomes the smallest in the new plans.  If you don't need that much space/cost could they square up the existing property footprint?  Playroom = new kitchen, with existing link to dining room. Old kitchen = utility - store still to play with.  Upstairs, bedroom, hall, bedroom at front of house and bedroom/bath/bedroom at back - with space taken out for ensuite if you choose.  Not relevant, of course, if you did want to double the footprint of the property.

Doozergirl

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

ka7e

I would definitely query the ground floor toilet being placed on the opposite side of existing foul drainage. Both proposed plans have upstairs bathrooms to the front and left-hand side, presumably picking up on current drainage. It would appear more economical to have bathrooms/toilet/utility/kitchen sink all sited on the same side.

Section62

Doozergirl said:

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

The stairs are being moved, I guessed the front extension was to create additional hallway space to allow for the repositioned stairs, and it has just expanded across the dining room.

That said, where has the front door gone?

Doozergirl

Section62 said:

Doozergirl said:

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

The stairs are being moved, I guessed the front extension was to create additional hallway space to allow for the repositioned stairs, and it has just expanded across the dining room.

That said, where has the front door gone?

Well spotted. 

I think it would almost be cheaper to
build a new house than option 2,
once you consider the VAT savings and the fact that you could engineer something simpler.
 

Doozergirl

Section62 said:

Doozergirl said:

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

That said, where has the front door gone?

Same place as the doors for the loft and bed 2? And almost all windows.  

Section62

Doozergirl said:

Section62 said:

Doozergirl said:

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

That said, where has the front door gone?

Same place as the doors for the loft and bed 2? And almost all windows.  

Sometimes you see one half-decent option and one terrible option, and you think the architect has just done the second one really badly to steer the client to their one 'favourite' option.

In this case they both look bad - and without guidance to the client about what the project involves (you're right, it is borderline demolition and rebuild) how can the client make an informed decision?

I saw something similar recently 'offline'. My advice to the client in that case was to get a different architect.  Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, but multiple errors and an architect who just 'does' rather than discussing the client's needs isn't someone I'd want to entrust my home and hundreds of £k to.

TELLIT01

Doozergirl said:

I'm really confused by the front extension on option 2. 

  What practical purpose is that serving?  

That front extension is 'interesting'.  I originally thought it was for a porch to prevent heat loss but, not only is there no internal door, there is no external door either.  There would appear to be no access to the front of the house at all.  If an architect can't even get some that basic correct, I'd have severe doubts about other elements, as have been raised by others.