Drawings?

[Georgie73]

Hi

We want to do a single story side extension on our house. I've discovered we don't need planning permission but we do have to get building regs approval.

I haven't a clue how I go about this. Do I have to get a professional drawing with exact measurements on it done?

If so, who do I speak to and any idea how much I should pay? Its going to be a simple garage to the front and on the back divided into a downstairs toilet/shower room and a utility room.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[nickjb]

There are two options. You either go full plans, in which case you need full plans professionally drawn up then submitted to building control for approval or you do it on a building notice; you tell building control what you are going to do and they pop round at various stages to check up. These cost the same with my local authority (plus the cost of getting the plans drawn up for full plans). You generally do full plans for bigger jobs and a notice for smaller jobs, I'd say this was on the border of the two. If you go for full plans then you know what you are will be getting and it will be much easier to get a builder to accurately quote. TBH if you really 'haven't a clue' then getting professionally drawn up plans is probably a good idea.

 

[tony1851]

Building Notice is OK as long as your builder knows what he is doing - and some don't, particularly when it comes to things like insulation thickness.

Also, although having plans drawn is an additional cost, it tells the builder exactly what you want, which is necessary for accurate pricing. Otherwise, it gives the builder an opportunity to say 'oh, we didn't know you wanted X, Y and Z, and they will cost more'.

 

[Georgie73]

Thanks for the replies.

I will definitely get full drawings done - who do I contact and is there a rough idea of how much I would expect to pay?

Many thanks for the help.

 

[StevieV1]

Search Google for 'Buuilding Control drawings' for people that do them. Also try Yellow Pages. I paid £475 for mine, but one firm quoted me £2000.

 

[tony1851]

but one firm quoted me £2000.

 

[DevilDamo]

Where are you located?

 

[tony1851]

Where are you located?

At that price, hopefully not too far from Manchester!!!

 

[Georgie73]

Hi

I'm in Kent, not too far from the Dartford River Crossing. I'll have a look in Yellow pages.

Many thanks for all your help.

 

[DevilDamo]

Ok, bit too far for me to get involved.

 

[StevieV1]

I dont know if you were asking above where I am re the £2000 drawings quote. That quote was provided by an architects firm in Billericay, Essex. The quote I went with of £475 was a friend of a friend who is an architectual techinician, but does it privately in his spare time.

 

[cjard]

architectural technicians are usually familiar enough with buildings regs that they can draw these, doesn't need to be a full blown expensive architect. you can also draw them yourself, and you don't have to use the local authority building control. interestingly I recently fund out that you CAN ask the neighbouring local authority to draw your plans if you want your authority to sign off on them - I've a building project on in Lancaster and my BCO from Blackburn, fantastic guy, said though he couldn't be the BCO for the job, he could draw the plans for submission to Lancaster

As it was, I've taken on a private firm who are keen to work with me, and are happy to accept drawings on the back of a fag packet, or a written description of stuff like "I will construct my floor as 50mm sand blinding, radon gas barrier taped at the seams with X, 150mm of C20 concrete, 150mm kingspan insulation and a floating wooden floor"

It doesn't have to be complex and youre certainly free to ring up a few approved inspectors and ask them what they would want. find them here: http://approvedinspectors.org.uk/ or ask friends for recommendations