Architect quote

Chickereeeee

..for double hight extension onto existing 1920s house. Extension will be 5m x 5m flooer plan, and will contain a lounge/garden room to ground floor, and bedroom+ensuite to first floor. Also e tend roof.
Quote is £7300+ vat to design, provide plans, nec. legal work, 3D walkthrough etc. Does not include digital survey/scan.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

darrend2812

That is ridiculously expensive... 
Our architect charged 700 for building control drawings and 650 for planning permission drawings for a single story side extension. 
I would shop around - either through a builders recommendation OR Google. 

Chickereeeee

darrend2812 said:

That is ridiculously expensive... 
Our architect charged 700 for building control drawings and 650 for planning permission drawings for a single story side extension. 
I would shop around - either through a builders recommendation OR Google. 

It was a builder's recommendation.....

ComicGeek

Depends on what level of involvement you want from them in terms of managing contracts with the builder, site inspects, valuations during build etc. What RIBA Work Stages are they including, as that breaks down the project stages from brief, to planning, to technical design, construction and handover.

We had an extension built last year with some internal alterations as well. The architect undertook concept design, planning submission, technical package production for building regs submission, tendering process for contractors, drew up contracts for selected contractor, site visits, valuations each month, final sign off, end of defects inspection after 6 months.

Tota fee was £6250 + vat, which I thought was good to cover everything. It meant that all changes and variations were documented, invoicing kept in pace with the work completed etc.

If you want someone to do just basic planning and building reg drawings then yes you can get it cheaper - but it's the tendering and contract elements that I think are just as important. 

Chickereeeee

Thanks. Yes, it's fairly comprehensive, but you have mentioned things that they didn't, so I will check into that. They propose to use their prefered builder, so no tendering....

ComicGeek

Chickereeeee said:

Thanks. Yes, it's fairly comprehensive, but you have mentioned things that they didn't, so I will check into that. They propose to use their prefered builder, so no tendering....

That's just making their lives easier, not necessarily giving you the best option. How do you know that their preferred builder is any good, that they are providing a competitive price, that the contract (there is going to be a contract, right?) is fair to both parties, that you're not paying the builder extra for a 'referral fee' to be handed back to the architect...

I don't trust any architect who is locked into using just one builder, unless it can be proved that they are the best option. The only real way to do that is to go out for competitive tenders to a few people.

Chickereeeee

Yes, i have my suspicions. The builder has done a number of properties around here of a similar type, and the results are good. But is it better to go with a team that have worked together, and maybe get fewer foul-ups, or an unknown combination at a lower price? I guess it depends on the premium. So I will compare quotes. Thanks.