Offering my CAD skills for planning/building regulations or estimating

[HawkEye244]

Thought I would post this here as some of you are likely to need planning/building regulations drawn up as part of your jobs.

I've been in construction since I was 20, now 30. I've a good theory and practical knowledge and I want to improve my CAD skills to help gain employment as a technician/technologist. I've spent years reading and quantifying drawings and schedules as part of my old job.

Looked into training courses which are expensive, and to be honest a computer and access to technical knowledge via an internet connection is mostly all you need to build skill and confidence.

I'm versed in schedules, bills of quantities, CVRs and most contract documents involved in million pound + builds where these are commonly used. Most of you will only need planning and building regs drawings on smaller jobs, so it would suit someone that doesn't want to pay to have plans drafted but is competent in doing their own walk around survey/measurements, which they will send to me and I'll draft a proper set of plans out of.

Second option, if you've already got plans and you want a job priced up (within reason) I can provide services as an estimator. If you've got trade discounts you'll need to let me know for me to price materials, as well as day rates for your labourers.

So, if you want something drawn up or priced, PM me or post in the thread and I'll see what I can do for you, no questions asked and no fees.

Bored to be honest and a better use of my time than watching youtube.

 

[nortonj]

Im interested in getting some rough drawings done for a loft conversion.
What do you need?
Floor plan of existing 1st floor and measurements of loft?
Not very good on computer drawings but could get some measurements down and forward them on.

 

[HawkEye244]

Hi Norton. What council does the property fall under? I can look and see what kind of layout they want for submissions.

Usually the council want elevations of each side of the building and then floor plans of each level so there's quite a lot of measurements to take.

Here are some good sources of info for site measurement; the tools needed etc.

http://www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/measured-survey-how-to-measure-a-building/

The more measurements you take the more accurate I can be with the CAD software.

I'm really not fused about how neat they are written down just so long as they are there.

Are you ok with scanning and then sending them via e-mail? What's your timeline? How long have I got ?

 

[nortonj]

Hi bradford council. Timeline of at least a year maybe more.
Yes i can scan email etc.
Thanks for the links i will have a look.

 

[HawkEye244]

Will do my best, just send me a PM when you're ready

 

[^woody^]

Do you actually know how to design, or just draw?

 

[HawkEye244]

Do you actually know how to design, or just draw?

If you wanted drawings for, i.e. a single or two storey extension, loft conversion, etc I don't think it would be too difficult. Funky and expensive nuvo riche style designs with huge amounts of glazing and curving walls, probably not. The good thing about CAD is though nothing is ruled out, so you can build up a profile for components and implement them accordingly. Say you wanted floor to ceiling glazed sliding doors in a rear conservatory, so long as I have the specification, I can implement that within the drawings easily enough.

I've a pretty good knowledge of steels/load bearing walls, head heights, party walls, building regulations, planning restrictions, etc.

If I don't know or I'm not sure research will tell me.

What were you thinking you wanted designing ?

 

[^woody^]

What were you thinking you wanted designing ?

Nothing. That's its part of my job.

The thing is with extensions or building, it's not just a case of drawing things with CAD or by hand. Drawing is just one small part of the whole design process. Designing economically, with buildability and knowing when it is better to use one material or construction method instead of another is fundamental.

I see too many plans pass my desk from plan drawers who only do enough to pass building regs, and don't give a second thought to how many more thousands of pounds the client is going to pay as a result of poor design and bad specification.

So its not just about drawing

 

[HawkEye244]

Nothing. That's its part of my job.

The thing is with extensions or building, it's not just a case of drawing things with CAD or by hand. Drawing is just one small part of the whole design process. Designing economically, with buildability and knowing when it is better to use one material or construction method instead of another is fundamental.

I see too many plans pass my desk from plan drawers who only do enough to pass building regs, and don't give a second thought to how many more thousands of pounds the client is going to pay as a result of poor design and bad specification.

So its not just about drawing

I worked on the contractor side, estimating packages sent out (often blindly) by architects wanting a price back ASAP. I know about cost.

What do you do for a living then woody? Sounds interesting.

 

[^woody^]

I'm a surveya, twisted surveya.

 

[HawkEye244]

I'm a surveya, twisted surveya.

In that case if have any jobs you are pricing I would be pleased to have a look at them. You would be doing me a favour tbh.

Is it mainly residential,.. or ?