Advice on architect and planning process please

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TullioK

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Hello,

I'm currently working out which of several development options are worthwhile and we can afford. Some would definitely require planning permission and some may not. We are considering: full width rear dormer, seperate rear dormers, small front dormer and side extension.

I have been advised that decent architect's drawings will cost around £1000 and then another £400 or so to submit a planning application.

My question is: how much am I likely to get from the architect for my £1000 and is it worth submitting all of the aforementioned ideas to the planning office even if I don't intend to go ahead with them all? Should I approach these different development options seperatly or in one go?

I'm very unlikely to do all three of these but I want to keep my options open and avoid spending money twice.

Thanks in advance
 
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Most provide a free consultation. Meet with 3 or 4. One of them will offer up something sensible, and if they don't... well you can always pop back here.
 
An architectural technician is ideal for your project.

Of course you can get somebody to planning drawings for half that price, but they are unlikely to give you the sound design advice to provide you with the best solution for your needs.

You will find a decent architect / architectural technician will be able to clarify and simplify your options during the initial site visit. Basically you need to understand the liklehood of permission and the cost for each option.

Dont forget planning needs 2 sets of drawings: existing and proposed. So once the existing ones are done, you can play around with the proposed options.
 
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You need a better understanding of the process.

What should happen is that you instruct a designer and tell then what you need, or want - nothing else. Part of the initial discussion are the options, but try and narrow down what you hope to achieve first, and this will avoid the "can I have this, or can I have that" situation. Decide what you want.

The designer then interprets this into a design. He will take account of any planning or technical constraints, and if you advise the budget you have, that too is included into what you can achieve. He will also tell you if planning permission is actually required or not.

Then you get an initial design. That is either tweaked or confirmed, and that goes into planning for approval, or if permitted development then you only need building regulation approval and so there is no need and no cost for the planning permission stage.

The designer should only be submitting a design that is likely to be approved, and his costs should be inclusive for getting the approval and amending the design if need be to get the approval.

You certainly don't want to be submitting several planning applications "to keep your options open".
 
@op; to develop your design to the building stage, your architect/tech. will also advise on the need for a stuctural engineer to size the main beams - this is particularly so for loft conversions.
You will also have Building Control fees to take into account.
 
Whatever timescale you have in your mind for getting planning/building regs approval, double it . It's taken me a year but probably 3-4 months of that was my own indecision.

I pad 1175 for a an architect to do full planning drawings and building regs, I ended up paying an additional 300 as we redesigned the whole thing before getting planning permission. This gave me a few concept ideas, a planning submission, a redesign, planning submission and then building regs drawings. He was not VAT registered so a small saving there.

I then paid a structural engineer 990 inc vat to do all the structural work and building warrant drawings.

Council fees were 202 for planning and 782 for building regs. (project valued at 60k)

That's £3,500 before digging a hole.

Architect quotes varied from 1175 - 5000, we picked the cheapest as he was the friendliest, least salesperson like and most convincing that he was capable of the 4 we had out and had the bonus of loosing the least money if we then decided to try again with someone else.

edit: I should add that was a two storey extension, kitchen utility and wc downstairs, bedroom bathroom and dressing room upstairs.
 
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I got an architect to draw up and submit plans for 2 x 1 bed flats on a plot of land I owned. She said it was likely I wouldn’t get it and advised me to go for a 3 bed house. She quoted me £1800 and I said go for the flats. They were refused. She then changed the plans and I got permission for a 3 bed house. That was a couple of years ago and since then I’ve done....**** all! Had a good price for the land with pp but as I’m not in need of it at the moment, I’ll just sit on it until I do. I suppose I can always make a start to keep the pp valid.
 
I paid £450 for a single storey extension planning drawings.
£226 for submission inc block map.

£595 for building regs inc calcs.
£299 TW Buildover Agreement.
£660 Building Control.

London.

Planner found on gumtree, bulding regs person was a bit of a headache but got there in the end.
 
Nakajo said:
FWIW, I think £1175 is an absolute bargain. Poor architect must be starving to death.
Click to expand...

Yes I thought it sounded on the low side.

Ive used various different people to do planning applications over the years, mostly for simple conservatory / orangery / garden room type jobs and Ive found pricing to be around the £600 to £1000 range generally (excludes planning fee and I provide the design with dimensions). But those prices are kind of trade -because there is no client liason in terms of design.


A planning application generally needs:
Client meeting
Measured survey
Drawing of existing elevations
Drawing of proposed with design time
Re designs as needed to clients approval
Location and block plan
Online submission -which could invlove additional work....

I would think that would add up to a few days work, so £1175 would be quite fair for the planning part alone.

Id guess building regs ould be similar money again as its a fair bit of work.
 
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