To think I can design my garage extension without hiring an architect

[Pavementworrier]

Or am I kidding myself

I'm sure architects didn't used to be a thing normal people ever had to hire

I think you can draw out what you want but you need to get an expert to do the finer details and legalities.

I just assumed the builder would make the garage into a room sans drawings.

Yes, this exactly!! The guy who is going to make it exist is surely best placed to be the guy who plans it.

Use ChatGPT for design ideas

you do need an engineer for the measurements if your builder can’t do it

Do you have the required skills to provide the necessary information to the council for a building warrant etc.? Are you knocking down walls or adding windows? If so you may need a structural engineer as well as an architect to make sure you aren't removing a load bearing wall without adding any additional steel support that may be required.

Have you found a builder and asked whether they would be happy to proceed without an architect's plan? What will you do if something goes tits up and there is no professional liability cover for design issues?

See this is precisely the energy I can't be faffed with

Just build my extension damnit

I’d never use an architect for something like a garage extension or conversion. Completely unnecessary. You don’t even need drawings if you do it on a building notice. You might need structural plans and calculations if you’re having structural steelwork, but that’s all if you have a competent builder.

We converted a garage into living space and a shower room. Didn’t use an architect, just chatted to the builder who knew what needed to be done. He liased with building control at the council.

It was an easy conversion though - created a doorway through from the hall, blocked up the garage door, added a small window and replaced an existing one, put up stud walls, added electrics and plumbing. Builder was very experienced and knew his stuff.

I paid an architect about £750 to design it and Apply for planning because it seemed easiest at the time but now I'd 100% do it all myself with ChatGPT. My builder would have fudged it without plans but he's a friend and it was a very simple design, it was just easiest to follow the agreed plans that building regs had approved (though we moved the vent from one end to the other and lowered the window a bit with no issues)

An architectural technician can do the drawings but is much cheaper than an architect

It depends on the builder really. I had an architect do my high level drawings and then my builder does the next level planning without needing the detailed drawings. However you need to be on hand constantly to answer questions like do you want the plugs here or there? And you have to accept that some stuff may end up costing more because things were not anticipated or thought through. If it's a very simple conversion then I'd say go for it

Well quite. Clue is in their title.
i think for a garage conversion you can do it yourself, but architects are def worth their fees for bigger projects for obvious reasons

How will your builder know what to build. They won’t accept a plan written by you.

Yes, they will. A competent builder needs only a rough idea - the size and openings, for example.

If you’re going to build it yourself, no. But know that if you don’t have an architect you’ll need to let your builder make architectural decisions. For a bog standard extension that’s fine but if you want to incorporate decisions they’re unfamiliar with you may need to be really careful.

We did exactly this too without an architect, 6 years ago, no problems at all at the time of conversion or since.

That’s not my experience and over the years we’ve converted a garage and built two extensions. I accept that might not be the case for all builders though.

I think it’s still worth bearing in mind that it isn’t a given.

When family converted their garage they used an architect to provide drawings to send to building control as there are specific insulation revaluations you need to meet. A good builder maybe able to do this but it’s not the norm

you will also be expected to arrange visits with building control at certain stages for them to come out and inspect at the end you get a certificate to confirm everything meets regs which you will need if you ever want to sell your house

If it's relatively straightforward then that's something the builder will typically do. Our builder dealt with all the planning side of things and also the water company where we built over a sewer drain.

I’m doing a loft conversion and single storey kitchen extension later this year. Builder said I’d have to get an architect to do the plans. Then a structural engineer had to do the calculations for the steel beams needed.

I did ask the builder (whom I’ve used before) if he couldn’t just draw up plans and he said no.

We did a rear extension to our lounge and my husband did the drawings and that was ok for planning .