Not to pay the architect?

[1400spincycle]

We are trying to start building an extension. We are still trying to get drawings so that we can apply for planning permission get quotes etc. So very early days.

We have asked an architect/engineer to draw up plans. He has made 1 visit to site and we have had a zoom meeting with him. So far he has submitted one sketch.

The issue is that this has now taken over 1 month. After the last meeting 10 days ago he promised revised, proper drawings by the following day. Following each meeting/ visit he has ignored multiple emails/attempts to contact him.

For this reason we are very concerned about taking this project further with him (it is him personally not part of a larger company). We are worried that should any issues arise further down the line we could incur very costly delays.

If we decide to cancel our agreement - on the grounds he has not supplied what was agreed - do we need to pay him for the work he has done so far (which has given us no benefit as we have no drawings?) Or do we only need to pay for services we have received?

You don’t need an architect just to build an extension. Architectural technologists are legally qualified and can create drawings for extensions. An engineer is completely different and saying that you can be a mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or water engineer etc...

We are having an extension built on the back on the house, small singe story.

I have a builder, my daughter's boyfriend, but he said we needed some drawings and it to be submitted to planning.

Anyway contacted Architect and a week later he came out and measured up.

A few days later we have our first drawings, paid the fee £575 And he submitted them to planning, paid them £235.

Now have to wait for a notice to go up for 28 days.

Seemed all very straightforward

You're welcome, OP.

Well it completely depends what your contact says.

Definitely dch him if you aren’t happy, we stayed with ours dapite feeling concerned and his crappy work eventually caused thousands of pounds of surprise expense during the build.

@Feckmesideways

You don’t need an architect just to build an extension. Architectural technologists are legally qualified and can create drawings for extensions. An engineer is completely different and saying that you can be a mechanical, electrical, structural, civil or water engineer etc...

Exactly this. DH was an architectural technician in a previous life, the job is basically to do all the drawings and the architect signs off and gets the credit 😂

He's moved out From that now but can and does still occasionally do drawings for friends and family, as he's still in development he keeps up with current regs.
If he needs calculations for steel beams etc he uses a structural engineer to do those.