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Original poster

Unfinished architect job

11 replies

twinkydink · 17/09/2015 18:25

Hi,

Looking for a bit of advice please.

We recently instructed an architect ti complete some drawings and as he has now been taken ill he is unable to complete them.

His family has sent what he has done so far which is a scaled drawing of the current house but nothing of the actual extension as far as we are aware this was never started. Today we have received a refund for 1/4 of the fee we paid.

Do you think this seems fair? Obviously he has done work that we would want to pay for but surely the biggest chunk of work should be the actual design of the extension not the drawings of the current house.

We were more of the opinion that we would be refunded 3/4 of the price. What do others think?

Thanks!

OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 17/09/2015 18:27

How difficult.

It seems that they are being unrealistic, but I suppose they're under a lot of pressure.

Maybe ask them if the extension drawings are available, as that is the major part of the work you had commissioned?

Original poster
twinkydink · 17/09/2015 18:42

It's such an awkward position! Obviously we don't want to make a stressful time worse for them but we are going to have to pay a new architect the full amount!

They say they have sent all that has been done so I'm assuming the extension hasn't been!

OP posts:
RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 17/09/2015 19:10

It does seem a little unrealistic, but guess it might depend on the size of your house/work involved in the scale drawings that have been completed.....

When we employed an architect to design an extension at our last house, the scale drawings he provided of the house itself were fairly extensive. It was a three-storey house of over 2000 sq ft and as it was a period house with lots of nooks & crannies, the initial drawings took some time to complete and he spent a full day at the property measuring, making notes, sketching etc.

The drawings he provided were of every elevation of the existing building as well as detailed cross-sections of two alternative ideas for the proposed extension. The total fee was £2000.

Had we been in the same position as the OP, I think I would have expected a refund of 50%, although in our case I believe we only paid 50% up front as he was an acquaintance of DH.

Original poster
twinkydink · 17/09/2015 19:48

Just a bog standard three bed room semi!

This initial fee was also supposed to be for him to submit these plans to planning and support us through the planning application with any queries. We had to pay for planning drawings up front and when these were approved we would pay for the building regs drawings.

So frustrating!

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 17/09/2015 19:53

I think that you probably should have been refunded at least 3/4 of the fee, but you need something to back this up. I would suggest sending a letter to the family stating that you are not satisfied with the amount of the refund and that you will be getting prices from other architects to figure out what is left to do/pay for and will get back to them with some back up for why you think you should be refunded more.

By the way, in what format did they send you the drawings? Make sure that you get the digital (CAD) files to pass on to the new architect.

Blu · 17/09/2015 19:54

I would have thought that he should have some form of professional insurance . Did you have a contract? You may be able to get advice from the RIBA.

Original poster
twinkydink · 17/09/2015 20:07

We only have the physical drawings at the moment but they have said we can collect the digital version.

I have asked a friend whose partner is an architect to let us know how much we would be looking at to get an extension drawn from existing plans.

It feels like we have been dropped in it and are out of pocket!

OP posts:
Original poster
twinkydink · 17/09/2015 20:08

We have a receipt that outlines what our fee covered but it doesn't break down how much is for each section.

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 17/09/2015 20:43

Agree with Blu, the architect should have professional insurance to cover this. I think it may even be required. Definitely contact the RIBA.

SlightlyJadedJack · 18/09/2015 16:02

You should contact the ARB and ask their advice, they are the regulation body for architects not the RIBA. You don't need to be a member of the RIBA to be an architect but you do have to be registered with the ARB. Before you do that though, make sure they are actually an architect, there are lots of people out there claiming it but are not qualified.

In your situation, I would expect more than 25% returned but people do under estimate how long surveys take to carry out and draw up - often longer than the design work. Why did your architect charge you in full before doing any work? This seems a bit odd.

Also, the architect is not required to hand over CAD drawings, they belong to the architect not the client. I'm sure in this instance though they would be happy to do so having left you in the lurch (albeit not deliberately!).

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 18/09/2015 16:36

I wouldn't expect to pay anything in that position. You've asked him to do a job, not a specific aspect of it. Yes it's unfortunate that he is ill but that shouldn't be your problem. It may not be easy getting another architect to take over with what has been produced so far. Who then takes responsibility for the accuracy of the drawings etc?

I'm surprised that you had to pay the whole thing upfront too.

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