Architects fees .........
 

Currently have planning permission for a 2 storey extension to the front of my house, the only problem being that the ridge height is lower than the current house and having asked the council about getting the ridge height increased to the same level (an increase of 300mm) and an existing window made bigger - they have been encouraging and told us to submit an application for a modification.

Therefore I need to effectively reapply for planning with some new drawings, the issue is that we are to start the build early Jan and therefore need to apply quickly and correctly hence I am probably going to use an architect to modify the existing plans and submit everything.

The council fee is £165, best guess for some revised diagrams? - the architect has suggested 2 or 3 hours to put the application in so what I am after is anybodys feelings on the total cost before he gets back to me so I can brace myself !!

Thanks

Currently going through the same process with a one storey extention. Architects are charging around £1000-£1200!! So I've taken advice from the planning office, looked at what the minimum they are expecting for the drawing. They are looking for floorplan and elevation views in a scale of either 1:50 or 1:100. Having looked at their examples, I'm doing the drawings myself to save the money. I've so far done the floorplan views before and after to a scale of 1:100 which will give more margin for error. But it complies with their minimum requirement. Doing the drawings is by no means easy, you'll need to be handly with a fine pencil/pen and ruler and accurate with your measurements. Would definitely recommend using a setsquare.

If it's an electronic drawing (CAD) those revisions would take a maximum of 30 mins to do. Then all he has to do is fill in a form from the council, another 20 mins... 2-3 hours my arse!

Normally we would charge on an hourly rate basis for minor amendments (currently circa £75-00 / hour which I think is quite reasonable!), but a lot of the time, if it's a good Client who hasn't been making amendments every other day through the design process :rolleyes: , we'd do minor amendments for free :thumb:

Dave :cool:

The planners charge a fee for processing the application and the Architect will charge a separate fee for preparing the drawings.

If the admendments are minor and the drawings are on CAD they shouldn't take to long to do and the Architect might do them for a £100-200 (which includes wages and the cost of paper and prints e.t.c.)
and this is assuming you're using the same Architect.

If you're using a different Architect then they may have to start from scratch which would involve measuring up for some new drawings and it might cost a grand or so.

Has the planning department told you that the changers you want to make are acceptable otherwise you could be paying out for something that gets rejected.

I would stay with the current Architect as they know the job and I won't be surprised if any stress calc's need re-doing do to the fact your raising the roof.

Thanks guys for the comments, the drawings are old skool i.e. by hand on paper. I agree it would have been cheaper if they had been done by CAD.

All the stress/loads are the same so it really is just the drawings.

The council have said and I quote

"However, having regard to the character and the appearance of this part of xxxxxxxx Road, I do not consider the works to increase the ridge height of the front extension to be sufficiently harmful to justify the refusal of planning permission"

now I am taking that as a come on to just apply and you'll get it. The roofline is already agreed at over 5m and all we are doing is increasing the height by 300mm upto the height of the current roofline so I would be very very very annoyed if they then turned us down.

How long ago did you get the approved plans through - you can usually re-apply within 12 months without charge.

TBH - increasing ridge height and amending a window then demanding new drawings is taking the urine, you shouls be able to modify them yourself with a black pen and bottle of tippex, believe me - councils get a lot worse than that.

alter them yourself - photocopies/tipex and black pen (easy enough!)