Getting plans / schedule of works drawn up - advice needed

[Aparki]

Grateful for some help here; we have just bought a 1960s 3 bed detached house that has had nothing done to it since it was built. I would like to remodel the interior to make better use of the space - move a staircase and move bedroom walls upstairs. Several questions:

- Should I get plans made and if so by who. I want to be able to give a builder the details of what I want so he can accurately cost and do the work whilst I am away.

- I don't have a massive budget. Will I need a separate bloke to say which walls are load bearing because I figure if I take out non-load bearing walls myself I can drive down the costs

Many thanks...

 

[stef99]

erm.. don;t even bohter trying to do that much work on a budget.

It will always spiral out of control when a builder is involved.
(unless you know a really good one).

I would speak with a builder and ask him to give you a quote before you go drawing plans up.

You will be very surprised how much that sort of work is going to cost.

your looking into the 1000's just to move the staircase.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A good builder will not even bother giving you a guesstimate without some plans to follow otherwise he won't know what he's doing and no matter how many times you walk him round your house or explain that this wall or that wall or that the stair is being relocated here or there he will forget all manor of items and he will either guess high to cover himself or will add more extras than you've had hot dinners, either way you lose. Suck it up and get some plans drawn up, use an architectural technician he will be able to establish what is and isn't loadbearing and can sort out any SE involvement if required. Though you should be able to get proper quotes before any SE involvement is required.

I'm intrigued as to why though, if you're happy doing structural work why you don't do the rest as it's often the structural stuff that DIYers look to avoid.

But if you're budget really is tiny you're prolly on a highway to nowhere. What is your budget?