Questions Architects
 

Hi,

I need to employ an architect to draw up plans for conversion of a
four storey house into three or four flats.

My partner in this venture is a an experienced builder and we are
hoping to find someone who will do the plans, then leave us to get on
with it, thereby hopefully avoiding paying upto 10% of the build cost
to an architect which I understand is the going rate.
Is this type of service available and if so what are the cost savings,
if any?

Alternatively would we be very unwise not to have an architect holding
our hand every step of the way?

Your thought's, feeling's and experiences would be very appreciated.

P.S We are based in North Kent, perhaps someone can recommend a good
architect.

Chris

Questions Architects
 

In article ,
BigWallop wrote:
In my experience, it is worth having an architect involved, for
many reasons. You can have your own plans drawn-up by any
technical drawing company, of which there are many, but your
architect can have all the proper information detailed on them,
which most of us amateurs can't.

This is a good argument for using someone with professional
knowledge but an architect may not be the most appropriate person
- especially if there's no real architectural input required,
just setting out on paper the work to be done in a manner that
will satisfy building control.

When I was a BCO some of the best people at doing this sort of
work were not qualified to call themselves architects and so
traded as Architectural Consultants or Architectural Technicians
(it is a criminal offence to style yourself as an Architect if
you are not registered as such) and many Building Surveyors would
do this sort of work too - what you need is a sound knowledge of
building, regs requirements and an ability to draw comprehensible
plans. If you are churning out several sets of plans a week for
(typically) 4% of the cost of the works you probably get to have
a better understanding of the regs than the person working on
many fewer jobs for higher fees.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser
http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

Questions Architects
 

On 28 Jul 2003 05:50:58 -0700,
(ChrisD) wrote:

Hi,

I need to employ an architect to draw up plans for conversion of a
four storey house into three or four flats.

My partner in this venture is a an experienced builder and we are
hoping to find someone who will do the plans, then leave us to get on
with it, thereby hopefully avoiding paying upto 10% of the build cost
to an architect which I understand is the going rate.
Is this type of service available and if so what are the cost savings,
if any?

Have a look at "The RIBA Plan of Work Stages 1999" on
http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/Member/Practice_306.html
These work stages should be recognised by any architects you talk to.
It is probably stage E or F you are thinking about stopping at.
Unfortunately, RIBA seem to have withdrawn their client's guidance
booklet that should give indications of fees for the different stages,
with a new version due out in the autumn. Architects you talk to may
have copy though.

--
John