Single storey extension

[Spiraling]

Hi,
We are looking to extend the house out the back with a 6x4m, adding a utility room and new kitchen, the house is 1m above ground level ( at the back). A builder, I like the work he has done on another house has quoted £6300 to take the house to start to build level. This includes architectural drawing, planning permission, building regs and structural engineer cost (£800+vat). I know planning permission is £178, think building regs around £800. So does this quote sound to much if they are doing everything? I asked for more details and failed to obtain them, he just says this is the amount needed to move the job forward. Any advise welcome, thanks.

That is a crazy amount! Our plans were £850 plus building regs

This is one of those "how long is a piece of string" questions. There is a huge difference between what you will pay a proper architect and an architectural technician, for instance.

I would have reservations about getting a builder on board this early in a project. I would instead look at paying an architect to do that body of work for you. For that kind of money, you should be able to afford a decent practice, who will walk you through the PP, structural engineering, and building regs.

The reason I suggest this is that you should really match your tradepeople to the skills you need. If you go for a timber-frame construction, you want a builder who has done these before. If you go for standard construction, a very different firm might be better. A good architectural practice will be able to guide you towards builders they recommend highly, and can indeed manage a tender process on your behalf.

The other thing is that if you employ an architect, you get to choose the kind of practice you want. There are loads of very boring, very dull architects out there who just churn out the same old, same old. You might as well employ a technician at a cheaper rate, to be honest. However, there are other, much better practices who are doing more interesting, beautiful work - get one of these and you will be buying in a load of creativity and ideas that would never even occur to you. (One thing that leaps out immediately from your suggestions is that a utility room at the back of the house is a waste of a good garden view - there may be ways of incorporating these deeper into the house and using the space nearer the back windows for something more stunning).

Yes, think your right, get an independent design and start again. I am pretty certain of the design, see the in picture (full framed type window at the back/side it was a free drawing package so not an option). So would a technician be an option be able to get these to build level drawings.

If you're really, really certain that there is no way your design can be improved, then get an architectural technician to draw it up for you. It will be loads cheaper. If you go for this, I think your builder's quote is way too expensive. You should be able to get working plans, structural engineering, PP and building regs under £2k I would think, maybe even cheaper?

If you want input/ideas on design or materials, pay an architect!

I would agree with Whiskyowl. You can get it done for around £2,000 (or perhaps just slightly more), if you get a technician to do the drawing bit of it. If you get an architect, be prepared to pay double that. but you get a design not just a drawing. The price you were quoted sounds like your architect’s fees are about £4000, which is the going rate for London (r u in London?) for small practices if they are doing drawings for Planning Application and full plans for Building Regs. 800 + vat sounds a bit too high for structural calcs and specs/design. I would say around £400-500 if you employ a freelance structural engineer directly. £800 sounds ok for a 6x4m full plans submission for Build Regs but not more than that. Are you submitting full plans for Building Regs approval or just a building notice? It makes a difference to the amount and level of detailed drawings that needs to be done (by technician/architect) hence can influence price. If it’s just building notice to get Build Regs approval, then the price you’ve been quoted is a bit high. I can go on and on.... . I’m guessing it’s normal for the builder to mark the price up a bit as you are employing him and he’d be responsible to get all those sorted.

• For a small decent practice (as per Whiskyowl’s comment) 🙂