advice on an architect

[ollyta]

hi, i hope this is the right place for this question, if not, obviously let me know.

we are looking to put a single story extension at the back of the house, we are aware that the amount of glass allowed is 25% plus any doors or windows we take out at the back of the house.

we have hired an architect(although we have no contract signed with him, just verbal?) the architect has done one draft drawing and is adamant the rule is 'only 25% glass', he won't take into account the removed glass areas(which are large) and says he will charge extra for plans with the extra glass.

we haven't paid him anything yet as he say we pay upon submission, if we change architects, do i need to pay him for this initial draft and for his time spent on it?

the draft itself isn't even the same as what we discussed when he came around and took measurements anyway!

cheers in advance.

olly

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Doing this under Permitted Development or does it need planning or is he just doing the building Regs drawings?

Well firstly if he has started work under your instruction then yes you will need to pay him for his work completed to date, how much will be open to negotiation, but at least he will be able to hand over any work that he has produced for you to date ie the existing plans/elevations etc.

You can have more than 25% glass area but you need to have SAP calcs done to prove the compliance with Building Regulations, If you need further clarification on the 25% rule and SAP calcs have a read here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1924936#1924936 Very few architects do this themselves and he would likely employ a SAP engineer to assess the extension (ie do SAP calcs). Obviously he would have to then pass this charge on to you for this or get the SAP engineer to invoice you directly.

Any decent architect will expect to have to do some amendments to get the drawings just right unless the client is extremely clear on what they require and the fee would then reflect this.

Don't take this the wrong way, I don't know who is leading who up the garden path here but it doesn't sound like the two of you are going to have a particularly harmonious working relationship so maybe its best to cut your losses now .....

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Forgot the answer to your 25% query, for clarity the limit of glazing is 25% of the floor area of the extension + any existing openings that are no longer used (blocked up). There is a very clear description of this in the appropriate Regulation http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADL1B_2010_old.pdf page 17 (of the PDF) section 4.2

Even if you exceed the limit some inspectors will be more lapse about things than others.

 

[^woody^]

the architect has done one draft drawing and is adamant the rule is 'only 25% glass', he won't take into account the removed glass areas(which are large) and says he will charge extra for plans with the extra glass.

There are a few issues with that

The Architect should be designing to your instruction and requirements, not his. So you tell him what you want and he does as many drawings as needed to get to a final draft ready for submission. He should not charge extra for more drawings because he should have got the design right in the first place if he was any good

FMT has explained the situation with regards to openings and the 25% rule. If you want more openings then a SAP calculation (about £100) is normally required to prove that the extension will be no worse than a normal extension ... typically this may mean increasing insulation elsewhere to compensate for heat lost through extra glazing

My view is that he should change the drawings at no further cost, if he has not done as you instructed. If you have just changed your mind, then he will be entitled to charge

This will raise the question as to what happens if planning or building control want some changes .... will he charge you for those too? He should not

 

[ollyta]

cheers guys,

he has said now he will draw the plans with more glass, and he won't charge us to re-draw if the council send them back, or we can pay £150 for his time so far and use someone else.

I may just cancel and use another firm.its all a pain in the arse really!