I need to have full plans for my extension, due to building near a
public sewer. I also want to be able to fully budget before starting,
and dont want hassles with revising plans etc. Is it a good idea to
not-very-diy employ an architect ? If not, whats the best way of
producing good plans in the high level of detail required ?
If architect, any recommended. I don't want much advice on the layout
etc, just the regs/drawings.
Simon.

wrote:
I need to have full plans for my extension, due to building near a
public sewer. I also want to be able to fully budget before starting,
and dont want hassles with revising plans etc.

Not quite clear from your post but it looks like you intend to do drawing
work yourself.
Having just gone through this excercise, I would recommend the following:
Submit outline of your plans to council with "Do I need planning
Permission?" form.
If "Yes" then put in formal application.
If "No" then keep their written response as proof of this decision.

Produce drawings in as much detail as possible, then find trust worthy
builder who you would like to do the job, to fill in the details you don't
understand.
It may be worth offering a consultancy fee - say £50 for their guidance that
will get them interested in doing the job proper maybe.
This process saves paying £200-£300 for others to do the drawing work
(incorrectly in my case) and the to-and-fro getting changes made etc.

Once you are happy that you have covered the majority of details, submit for
building regs approval, highlighting issues you are not clear on.
They will advise the best way to resolve these. Building close to or over a
drain/sewer does require additional works for foundations but usually
depends how close.

HTH

Phil

On 26 Sep 2005 04:55:47 -0700, wrote:

I need to have full plans for my extension, due to building near a
public sewer. I also want to be able to fully budget before starting,
and dont want hassles with revising plans etc. Is it a good idea to
not-very-diy employ an architect ? If not, whats the best way of
producing good plans in the high level of detail required ?
If architect, any recommended. I don't want much advice on the layout
etc, just the regs/drawings.
Simon.

Your the same guy that was asking about digging foundations by hand.

To get a rough price, get a copy of homebuilding and reovationg
magazine, the have a price caculator in the back. As they say you need
to add extra for problems - like your drain - and the wife changing
her mind several times.

You need an architect. Thease come in a variety of guises, from the
arty farty grand designs no one in the right mind can afford to build
- upside down roof types, to the down to earth, do a good job at a
good price type. Get a few round, show them your sketches, and get
some quotes out of them. There are so many things that you can not
know about, but the architect should put all the building details on
the building regs plans. Mine knew I was self building my project, and
gave a price for an "on site advice session" where he comes out, and
sorts out my latest bunch of issues.

I had a simple test for mine, I told them the site was muddy, any that
did not bring wellies were written off. The one I chose did his
measured survey on the day of the first chat, and quoted for his whole
job at the same time.

If you still plan to dig your foundations by hand, choose a guy thats
not over 50, and has no plans of moving, and is in good heath. You
need him to still be there in 5 years time. I told mine I had a 10
year project plan.


Rick

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

I need to have full plans for my extension, due to building near a
public sewer. I also want to be able to fully budget before starting,
and dont want hassles with revising plans etc. Is it a good idea to
not-very-diy employ an architect ? If not, whats the best way of
producing good plans in the high level of detail required ?
If architect, any recommended. I don't want much advice on the layout
etc, just the regs/drawings.
Simon.

Are you talking about plans for Building Regs purposes - or do you need them
for Planning Permission as well? If you need both, they can be done at the
same time by the same person - even though they're different. The planning
permission ones only need to show what it will look like and be used for.
The building regs plans are much more detailed and need to cover structural
items, insulation, and drainage details - to name but a few.

Who you get to do them depends on how much ongoing support you want. An
architect will advise on design options, do the plans, get them approved,
get building quotes - and supervise the building work if that's what you
want. But it will cost you! If you know what you want and simply want the
plans done in a form which is acceptable to the planners and BCOs, it will
be much cheaper to employ an architectural technician rather than a
architect.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:10:56 +0100, "Set Square"
wrote:

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

I need to have full plans for my extension, due to building near a
public sewer. I also want to be able to fully budget before starting,
and dont want hassles with revising plans etc. Is it a good idea to
not-very-diy employ an architect ? If not, whats the best way of
producing good plans in the high level of detail required ?
If architect, any recommended. I don't want much advice on the layout
etc, just the regs/drawings.
Simon.

Are you talking about plans for Building Regs purposes - or do you need them
for Planning Permission as well? If you need both, they can be done at the
same time by the same person - even though they're different. The planning
permission ones only need to show what it will look like and be used for.
The building regs plans are much more detailed and need to cover structural
items, insulation, and drainage details - to name but a few.

Who you get to do them depends on how much ongoing support you want. An
architect will advise on design options, do the plans, get them approved,
get building quotes - and supervise the building work if that's what you
want. But it will cost you! If you know what you want and simply want the
plans done in a form which is acceptable to the planners and BCOs, it will
be much cheaper to employ an architectural technician rather than a
architect.

One slight thing with planning permission, they will happly grant
planning permission on stuff that can't possibly ever meet building
regulations, so you need to do a good bit of the building regs work
before you fall into this trap. Oh and of cource you can get both
planning and building regs right for something you can never afford to
build :-)

Rick

Are you talking about plans for Building Regs purposes - or do you need them for Planning Permission as well?
I need them for both. I was expecting to get both, although the
plannings ones are easy and I could do them myself. I also want advice
about feasibility, such as "oh, if you want that big window, you'll
need to do such and such ..."
Simon.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

Are you talking about plans for Building Regs purposes - or do you
need them for Planning Permission as well?
I need them for both. I was expecting to get both, although the
plannings ones are easy and I could do them myself. I also want advice
about feasibility, such as "oh, if you want that big window, you'll
need to do such and such ..."
Simon.

A decent architectural technician should be able to do all that - inlcuding
the feasibility bit. The likely issues with a big window a
* adequate brickwork pillars either side
* adequate lintel to support whatever's above
* heat losses/effect on Part-L compliance

It also pays to take your draft plans and bounce them off a BCO before you
get too far. They will advise you what they're looking for - thus making it
much less likely that your final plans will get rejected when you sumit them
formally.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

A decent architectural technician should be able to do all that
Where do I find one of those, as opposed to an "architect" ?
Simon.

A decent architectural technician should be able to do all that
Where do I find one of those, as opposed to an "architect" ?


Yellow pages then ask for references.


Peter Crosland