Building Control Inspections

Hi I am a self builder looking to build a loft extension.

Can a Building Control office ever refuse to inspect a site ?

I have planning and BC plans approved
I have a party wall award in place.
I have submitted a BC commencement notice.

I have had a few questions (by email and a meeting) so far for the BC officer, and he has been fine, replying to most without issue.

I have fallen out with my architect for various reasons, namely he thought I shouldn't be tackling such a project, despite 'self build' being part of my brief to him.
All through relations he has been quite aggressive towards me in this respect (yes and I was paying him).

Needless to say, I am left feeling a bit withdrawn about asking too many questions - and that appies to my BC officer.

To crown it, a steel supplier has some how relayed some information that I was looking into having 'reclaimed' steel supplied (for the floor) to my architect - who has in turn contacted my BC officer and neighbour to tell them I was looking to use substandard materials, something I consider malicious, and hindering my progress (if you want to get into legal prose).

I can only think my architect took umbridge at me asking for a copy of his professional indemnity insurance (which he has not sent through, depsite being asked twice now), he probably doesn't have any - as he's not very professional.

Obviously that may jaundice the view of my BC officer, and am now worried he might think I'm not up to the job and exersice some right to not allow me to proceed.
New steels to standard will be used by the way.

Am I being over alarmist.

Your BCO will have had to work with all manner of standard good and bad. As you are paying his bills he should be loyal to you and know one else. If you are open and honest with him as most genuine self-builders are you should have no issues. Don't worry about it. Your arch sounds like a muppet, but then there is clearly a whole lot more that has not been revealed to us.

Thanks, yes so far he has seemed fine - guess I just lack experience to know what to expect from him.

Umm, his volume calcs on my plans are out by 20%, see this thread:
//www.diynot.com/forums/floors-stairs-lofts/discrepencies-in-volume-calcs.326602/
and this
//www.diynot.com/forums/building/rogue-architect.328162/

So maybe he's trying to blackmail me from reapproaching him to get the plans redrawn, he knows I dont get on with my neighbour.
Do I go to all the hassle of court action etc, or simply sketch out something for a Cert. of Lawfullness, pay the Local Council £75 fee and move on.

What ever it is, it seems very unprofessional, I replied to an add in the local paper for 'loft plans' - simple, little did I know what a hassle he would turn out to be to deal with, I really wished their was a way I could make others aware of the hassle I have had with this particular person.

Is he an architectural tech or a fully qualified architect? (I know.. a contradiction in terms). I doubt a tech would need or have any indemnity insurance. I would have thought that the person who would need indemnity insurance would be the structural engineer to qualify the calcs.

Hi is neither, in terms of have any accreditation, but I guess you could call him an architectural technician.

Whilst getting quotes for Self Build Site Insurance to cover against losses that maybe caused by the build - the insurer asked for this Indemnity Insurance, they stated that they would not settle any claims where the 'design' was at fault, obviously the biggest issue would be structural - so yes the structural engineer would most likely have this insurance, but why the architect got so uptight about me asking for a copy of his insurance - I can only draw one conclusion - he has none - he called it a 'silly request'.

As my plans are wrong (volumes out, and have now discovered the design of the roof is wrong) I will not be building exactly as per his plans, so I dont know where that would leave me if a claim had to be made.

Frank, may I ask why you want to selfbuild? Is it to save money or because it's a hobby?

Thanks

Hi Indus,

Its a bit of both, I'm self employed so I can juggle the hours I work.

I cant borrow any money on my mortgage, and I dont want to borrow at 25% interest on a high street loan, I like building, and hate sitting at a desk for too long (which is part of my day job).

I also like a challenge, its quite a big job, even getting to this stage its been quite a feat, so much to learn - so many trades, but I feel I'm ready.

Once all the steels are in - I'll feel like I'm on my way, just waiting for the mortgage company to give their blessing.

frank999 said:

Hi is neither, in terms of have any accreditation, but I guess you could call him an architectural technician.

Click to expand...

In that case, a good question would be "how did he advertise himself ?" If he advertised in such a way as to give the impression of having any accreditation/qualifications which he doesn't hold then you should report him to trading standards.

If you can demonstrate that his work was not to an acceptable standard (which it sounds like it wasn't) then you should not pay him for the substandard work. He will probably get all aggro with you, but I suspect it would all be bluff as he'd not want to get the bad publicity of going to court and having his deficiencies aired in public.

As to insurance, you probably need to discuss this with your insurers and see what they insist on. If it means you have to pay for proper plans and calcs from someone with qualifications and professional insurance then that's what you'll need to do if you want your insurance to continue. What I guess they'll be looking at is this ... you do the work and the house falls down, they have to pay out, can they claim against someone else (eg architects PI if they got calcs wrong) to recover their losses ?

He smiled when he first took my money, but how he has changed - there are plenty of other people who were willing to work with a self builder, cant see what the problem with him is. Wished I'd never met the man.

I responded to a small display advert in the back of the local paper advertising 'Loft plans - for planning and Building Control Submissions' or something along those lines, I went ot his house, he laid out lots of plans he said he had done (I had on idea what a set of full plans should or shouldn't contain - he is a professional - I leave that to him) - so it was just what I was looking for - or so I thought.

I've many other threads running here about this con artist, I mean he cant even calculate volumes correctly.

I am now in a no mans land - I'm having to build off plan, which has taken an almighty effort mentally, then when it is built I will have to redraw and resubmit to Planning - pay the Local Council charge, only £75, plus my time to do the drawing - I should really take him to court for that - but firstly give him the opportunity to put that right (but only after its built - as I dont want to wait another 2 months + how ever long he would take). Frankly though I'd just rather have nothing to do with him.

I think it is others who will have similar experiences I feel sorry for.

I have spoken to Trading Standards who were very keen to get him noted down on a database and assist me in chasing a case - so I have that up my sleeve if I decide to act.

But wrong has been done ... do you go through all the legal hassle to put it right, or just move on and learn from experience.

I'm sure there are many others out there who are not 'Architects' or Technicians, and are nice people, know there stuff and do a good job, just bad luck on my behalf to have chosen a rogue, and I should just view it as such and move on.

Regarding insurance, the structural engineers work out of a glossy office uptown, so I assume they have PI insurance, but I'm dropping one of the beams as it seems totally unnecessary (it support a 1 metre joist length that bears onto the back wall - all openings will be trimmed with doubled joists) - dont see why that should void any insurance if its provable engineering - ie by following span tables and Building Regs on trimming, but that's if the Structural Engineers would forward a copy of the insurance cert., which I doubt now.

Seems a mad situation - to pay an 'a'rchitect - who on the outset is given the brief that I am a self builder and there will be questions - but then as the job progresses - he tries to talk me out of it, and when he realises I am not for turning - turns nasty, what does he have to fear ?

I can't think of any reason why your designer would be bothered about whether you self build or not. Of the projects I design I probably get involved in less than 30% at build stage. Once I do my bit, get paid and hand it over, I'm not much bothered about what happens after that. Very occasionally I get a call from a client to say the builder says a ridge beam is over the top and it would be cheaper in timber - or some other nonsense. I tell them to do whatever the builder says as long as they make sure they have the appropriate qualifications and get a copy of their PI insurance first.

On your general situation; If the project down the road was confirmed to be permitted development and your situation is exactly the same, what's the point of making further applications to planning? Why don't you just follow the same pattern and get on with it.

Aye, there is still more 'conflict' that occurred in the relationship between the OP and his agent that the OP has not furnished us with (that's not an invitation to do so frank999 btw) that has led to such a seemingly odd situation.

This will be my last post regarding this bloke, when I've taken him to court I'll repost, but just to outline:
Yes maybe its an unusual situation.
But its quite simple.
Most scenarios are as you say, architect designs plans, seeks approval, builder builds from plans, if he has any questions I assume the architect answers them.

I think where my 'agent' has got a strop on - is - he thinks my questions are 'silly and insignificant', but not to me they aren't - as I have no experience I will have questions.
If I employ someone and they keep asking questions it gets tiring - I know, but this is not that situation - I am paying the agent, and his brief at the start was clear 'I am a self builder, there will be many questions - I wont drive you mad - but there will be questions, are you happy to do the job' he answered yes and took my money.
As soon as he'd taken my money and delivered plans - I then started asking questions, but he got really uptight, almost telling me to F'off.
I am really considering taking him to court over this, especially his last long long letter - bashed out with terrible grammatical and spelling errors - like he was fuming.
Sometimes in life though you meet some people who are just not on the level - maybe he is one.
I watched rogue traders the other night ... and it made me realise the bottom end of the building trade is fraught with nightmares, all the rules and Regs are subject to interpretation - there is no one correct route, builders and architects alike, either through stupidity or lack of information misinterpret - what a nightmare for the poor customer, duped by there own lack of knowledge and experience of what to expect.
I wonder how many other customers are receiving the same poor service and lack of professional conduct from this man.
We are wise after the event, unfortunately - caveat emptor !

I will have to re-apply for a cert of lawfulness as the plans I have at present are drawn with incorrect volume calculations, a most basic requirement I would have thought.
Due to my lack of prior experience at building a loft it has caused me no end of lost time and effort to understand what I need to do to put it right, if he's simply drawn them correct then maybe I would not have had so many questions.

Anyways - the sun is shining outside ! rant over ...

PS I am considering cancelling my Local Council Building Regs inspections contract (a brick hasn't yet been laid) and going private, they seem more open to the questions my 'agent' should have answered.

Maybe the architect does not know the answer to your questions especially if they are related to the practical (hands-on) side of building.

Also, if the questions are very basic like - "where do i put the scaffold" or "how do i dig this hole" or "do i lay frog up or frog down" then yes it will be tiring.

If the questions are related to design issues and your query is valid then he will be obligated to answer.

I've studied for five years ...
Asking to see a copy of his Professional Indemnity Insurance sent him right off on one ..

He sadly felt no further obligation once he'd sweatily grabbed my bundle of cash ...

Its still sunny outside ...

A BCO is under no obligation to answer questions of design.