No, the Millennium bridge is a good example of Architectural design
and also a good example of engineering ineptitude. So don't let that
engineer design the extension!

You don't need an Architect, nor an engineer just a "designer". I
would recommend a local building surveyor or architectural technician
(MBAIT) - these tend to be a bit of both architectural and engineering
worlds rather than one or the other.

Incidentally, I recently surveyed a brand new flat in a new 16 storey
city centre apartment block. Lovely architecturally designed 4ft x 4ft
windows - "very contemporary and assimilating the internal and
external functions .." - so says the brochure.
I asked where was the restrictor to prevent children opening the
windows wide and falling out. "Children?" said the sales rep.
"What about this then?" I asked as I opened the window and watched as
the breeze blew the window open and the handle dented the plaster.
"Oh, we might have to look into that" came the reply.

Architects - if only their common sense matched their design skills.

dg


"Alan Holmes" wrote in message ...
"parish" parish_AT_ntlworld.com wrote in message
...
Mark G wrote:
Hi all,

Not sure if this is OT or not! I'm planning a single-story, single-room
extension (10ftx20ft approx) on the back of my house & am after an
architect
(or similar) to draw up some plans for planning permission & building
regs
purposes. There seem to be quite a few in the area (Swindon, Wilts), &
a
relative has recently had a bad experience with their architect so I'm
hoping someone local might be able to recommend someone good (& not too
expensive!)

I would avoid architects like the plague, all the buildings I've been
assosiated with which jave been designed by architects have been unusable
for their purpose and have had to be drastically altered to be able to use.

You should approach a good buiding company and make use of their engineers,
why will have much more practical experience of the use and assembly of
buildings.

I have only to point you to the Millenium Bridge as an example of the
stupidity of architects!

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk