re plans for extension

[divingmoose]

Hi,
Can someone tell me if an architect would be able to work out steel work etc required for an extension. We want to knock rear walls down of the house and make a bigger kitchen etc. The walls are holding the rear of the house in place and wondered if they do this within the plans they draw or is it someone else i would not as well.
Thanks Lee

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Not as such, depends on the openings etc really, an architect is not usually qualified to calculate steel beam sizes, however if the jobs fairly simple he may be happy to spec. some steels/lintels given past experience of similar projects etc although I doubt his PI would cover it if something should go wrong. I'm not suggesting it will, merely pointing out the architects legal position and obligations. If not he'll have to enlist the services of an eng who will need to do a drawing/calcs for inclusion in the building regs submission should'nt be much say £200 or thereabouts. For an extension you don't need an architect, it'll likely be cheaper if you enlist the services of an architectural technician. whoever you appoint you should get them to liaise with the engineer direct which they should be happy to do so. ps you'll have to pay for the engineers fee.

 

[divingmoose]

Thanks for the info,

Just to clarify who is it that you would normaly get to draw plans up for submission to the council for planning, is this the architectural technicioun or someone else.
Lee

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Employing an architectural technician (they have their own section in the yellow pages) will be all that is necessary to draw up planning and building regs submissions unless the extension is particularly contentious and is likely to be difficult to get through planning in which case it may be preferable to use an architect who may have a bit more flair for the design and influence with the planners. But to re-confirm, if its a standard extension use a techy.

 

[divingmoose]

Thanks again mate

 

[gelcoat]

I have just had the same thing and it is a structural engineer you need as they have to work out all the loadings

 

[^woody^]

The guy selling veg down the market can do steel work calculations ... the only criteria is that whoever does them, knows what they are doing

 

[peca27]

it may be preferable to use an architect who may have a bit more flair for the design and influence with the planners.

Excuse my french, but what a load of bo**ocks........I'm an Architectural Technician and have gained many approvals on difficult applications.

What's all this influence with the planners? Is that what Architects do with the extra £££'s they earn?

In my exp. if you play by the rules the planners are more than happy to deal with a low brow technician.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

it may be preferable to use an architect who may have a bit more flair for the design and influence with the planners.

Excuse my french, but what a load of bo**ocks........I'm an Architectural Technician and have gained many approvals on difficult applications.

What's all this influence with the planners? Is that what Architects do with the extra £££'s they earn?

In my exp. if you play by the rules the planners are more than happy to deal with a low brow technician.

Whoa, whoa, whoa peca27, take your time before you jump down my throat, I think you need to re-read the threads in the Building Regs section from the last few days including my own comments within them, you'll find I'm actually on your side, aside from which does my post not say

it may be preferable to use an architect who may have a bit more flair for the design and influence with the planners.

In fact a commercial practice may (there's that word again) have a lot more influence with the planners and may get an easier ride getting something through and to be fair, some architects are bloody good at design just as some technicians are rubbish. Don't take things too literally.
Jeez!

 

[peca27]

Fair enough........I have a tendancy to jump the gun sometimes.

I just wish all Technicians were as talented as me

 

[Shytalkz]

Pass the popcorn and take your seat for the techy b itchfight