How to fund garage conversion?

cannugec5

If I knew I had responsibility in the process, I wouldn't be posting here. 

I feel like the promise of free labour was driving this project yet the builder appears to have been leading you on a merry dance. 

It is absolutely the case that it was driven by free labour. That offer will never be available again. It was now or never. The builder stayed with us for the 4 months, worked every day except Christmas Day and did many additional jobs about the house - putting up shelves etc etc. 

I have never hidden from the planning department. They know about our intentions. We couldn’t find an alternative architect and this guy was introduced to us by a retired colleague of his and friend of my husband. 

Another friend actually said from the beginning that the easiest route is to do the conversion then apply retrospectively as that is what he did when installing en suite bathrooms in his own home. 

Retrospective applications are not treated any less favourably than other applications. 

Edit: 
I am not looking for sympathy with any of this. Just venting my utter frustration. I am normally one who follows rules religiously. 

Section62

cannugec5 said:

...

Another friend actually said from the beginning that the easiest route is to do the conversion then apply retrospectively as that is what he did when installing en suite bathrooms in his own home. 

Retrospective applications are not treated any less favourably than other applications. 

That was really bad advice.  Even if retrospective applications are treated equally (I think there often is bias against the applicants by LA staff - unofficially of course) then the consequences of having problems with a retrospective appliction are much more serious.  Having to remove/modify work already done - whether to allow inspection or to conform to requirements - is an expensive waste of money.

If someone knows they will be applying retrospectively then it isn't like they are saving on the fees.

weeg

That sounds like a nightmare. Your architect doesn't deserve paying if he didn't deliver what he was commissioned to do in an acceptable timeframe 

Because work is done under warrants in Scotland, building control tends to be a bit more hands off about visiting sites .

That said, did your builder take photos as he went? If you can demonstrate through receipts what spec of materials was purchased, and through photographs that it was installed correctly it makes getting a retrospective permission easier.

You will need decent plans though that reflect what was done. There's quite a lot of companies that are just architectural plans, not architects. Look for one of those? You might also need a structural engineer to inspect/ report. Findanengeer.com will help there.

I'd also add that your difficulty varies massively accross different councils (Argyll and Bute, East Renfrewshire are helpful. Glasgow are a nightmare).

Fwiw I'm a structural engineer who works in Scotland so I am pretty up to speed.

cannugec5

weeg said:

That sounds like a nightmare. Your architect doesn't deserve paying if he didn't deliver what he was commissioned to do in an acceptable timeframe 

Because work is done under warrants in Scotland, building control tends to be a bit more hands off about visiting sites .

That said, did your builder take photos as he went? If you can demonstrate through receipts what spec of materials was purchased, and through photographs that it was installed correctly it makes getting a retrospective permission easier.

You will need decent plans though that reflect what was done. There's quite a lot of companies that are just architectural plans, not architects. Look for one of those? You might also need a structural engineer to inspect/ report. Findanengeer.com will help there.

I'd also add that your difficulty varies massively accross different councils (Argyll and Bute, East Renfrewshire are helpful. Glasgow are a nightmare).

Fwiw I'm a structural engineer who works in Scotland so I am pretty up to speed.

Thank you. 

That is all very helpful. 

Yes we have multiple photographs and I know the builder took many more. I have filed all the receipts for items purchased both by us and by the builder.