Architects: Worth the money? £££

[StillWatchingNetflix]

We've just bought an 1850s house (not listed!!). We're not looking to do an extension but we do want to move things around internally (knock down a few walls, change the plumbing around, swap a flat roof to pitched with exposed beams, under floor heating, solar panels etc.) We have an idea of how we want it but we're open to ideas.

However neither of us is any good at DIY and we have no knowledge of the trades.

Has anyone done similar and hired an architect? Was it worth it? Do you feel you saved money/got your money's worth?

We're really looking for someone who can help with planning permission, navigate the trades and tell us which jobs to do first.

We're in Exeter and we have £30,000 to spend. Once we remortgage in a year, we could have another £40,000. This will be our home for at least 20 years so though we've not got millions (until we win the lottery!) I'm willing to play the long game and save so that we can do it well. 🙂

My experience of independent architects and seeing friends use independent architects is that the independent architects are blue sky thinkers with no budget restrictions and will come back with suggestions that cost £££ even if you give them a budget. They also try to sell project manager services to manage the builder and are absolutely rubbish as they don't understand materials or building control regulations.

I've completed two large extensions and after getting quotes from both independent architects and the builders own architect, the builders own architects have been much more realistic in designing according to regulation and within budget.

Thanks! So you hired the builder who then put you in touch with whoever they use to draw the plans, is that how it worked?

What are you hoping that £40,000 will cover? It won’t cover all you have listed, far from it. I’m an architect and I don’t think you need one here. For walls you need the advice of a structural engineer (and the builders can do the services). For small things like this, the builder will usually have an architect on hand to help with any planning you might need, and building control sign off. The exposed pitched roof could be expensive as you will need proper insulation for building control sign off. The builders can give you advice and will be advised by their architect in terms of material suitability, fire regs, building control etc.

You don't necessarily need an Architect, you could also use an Architectural Technologist who will generally be a bit more technically-minded and more realistic than most Architects.

@Furlane I should have said, I'll have about £70k after remortgaging.

A good architect makes you think of what you need but didn't realise. understands how house flows and also helps future proof it. you don't just want a square box added with it not working out how it will flow or walls taken down and rooms just become corridors or no room to have peace and quiet. they also tell you about building regs etc. Once you go in with a clear brief and a budget they will stick to it. get three quotes as you would do with eveything then you will see. remember no one lives like your family does it must work for you.

Whether you use an architect or not if more than one contractor will be involved - and it sounds like this will be the case - you need a principal contractor/designer to manage in accordance with health & safety regs - google CDM. This can be a good builder. If the builder says this is unnecessary don't use them.

Yes exactly that. Got quotes from three building companies and each had their own in house architect that had dealt with my exact build for the same local council countless times. They knew the regulation and the architect designed to the cost specification of the builder, plans submitted to the council and all approved.

My neighbour put in planning permission and used an independent architect. Their plan was rejected as the architect proposed a design not inline with council requirements so they had to start from scratch and pay for design again.

@roses2, the builders I’ve approached (for a kitchen reno including moving s structural wall), all want me to get drawings done before they can quote. Did you get quotes without drawings?

Yes that's right, I got quotes without drawings. Mine was a standard side return extension and a standard loft extension so very common in my area and what I was looking for was what the builder specialised in and was more or less a carbon copy of the majority of their previous jobs.

I had the two extensions at two different points in time with two different builders.

@roses2 thanks, part of what I would need them for is to not waste loads of time on planning getting rejected so I'll defo be careful on that one

Have you got any friends who are good at art/design? My next door neighbour designed my refurb by scribbling on the floor plan from right move. Or an architect drawing will be a good investment it’s not so much - £1500

We work with an architectural technician. She's absolutely fab, very affordable and has never told us to knock down the only functioning bit of the (listed) house like all the architects we interviewed did.

How did you find one Jenny? We’re struggling to find one, or at least one who will return our messages!

@JennyForeigner can I ask what sort of things your technical architect does? Do you come up with what you want to do and then they draw the plans, give a budget and let you know exactly what materials you will use?

I will just say we used an architectural technician and they were absolutely awful. Didn’t do half of what they promised and didn’t come up with any designs that improved the flow of the house (we were knocking down several walls, adding two extensions, and moving/adding bathrooms and kitchens). They just drew out the design we’d suggested.

In fact, two years on, we have thought of solutions that would have been better than what we ended up with. The architectural technician never considered these options or suggested them to us. We’re happy with what we have but I wish we’d had the chance to consider alternatives.

In the end, we used them simply to get the changes through planning and didn’t use them for anything else. If you’re in the southwest, beware an architectural technician called Nigel!!