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Original poster

Architect woes...

19 replies

Lovelyredroses · 08/11/2019 07:13

I have had a falling out with my architect! We had a bumpy ride during the planning phase, and my gut told me to pull out then, but I guess the feeling that we were already too committed kept us going.

I feel he has always made me feel stupid for saying what I wanted, and getting my ideas across was a battle of wills. By the end of the design stage, I told my husband he could deal with him on his own as each meeting made me feel so anxious.
So now, the plans are in, and have been for 5 months. Not a dickie bird have I heard from him, until I get a very rude email saying that he’s disappointed to see that I hadn’t paid a bill relating to a planning consultant.
The bill had been paid, and now I’m just so mad that I cannot even bring myself to speak to him.

I want to contact the other architect we had considered and move to him - At this stage I couldn’t give a fig about the plans or the fees already paid. I know it’s a huge waste of money, but I feel we are better to cut our losses.

I can only see more angst and annoyance, and we haven’t even got planning passed yet!

Has anyone else a story that gives me hope that a new start might be for the best? Or that a bad relationship with an architect can end up well?

OP posts:

scottishdaisy · 08/11/2019 07:29

I can't help other than to sympathise because. I have been so disappointed with our architect too (although he's a nice guy and not rude)!! Thought it would be a great, fun process with him coming up with all sorts of marvellous creative ideas. The reality is that I would say, 'what about this' and he would get a minion to draw it up. Then I would say... hmmm.. should we move this window over a bit? And he would get it changed..... the last time he put in a roof lantern that was in an odd place. I asked if it would be better centred on the seating area and he said, 'Yes, I thought so too, just wanted to see what you thought'. Really???? We were going to change to someone to get the technical drawings but after speaking fairly openly with the original guy we are sticking with him. And I do like the plan we have ended up with, but I just wonder what it would look like if it had been an architect that had come up with it and not me! If you like your plan, then you can get planning permission and go somewhere else for the technical drawings.... But our architect convinced us that it would be easier to stick with him. He also wasn't going to give us the CAD files so we would have had to pay the new firm £1000 to duplicate the work and my husband really doesn't like spending money unnecessarily.... I'm just focussing on the fact that I think it's going to be very beautiful and that's the main thing even if I wish he'd been a bit more like George Clarke...

scottishdaisy · 08/11/2019 07:30

But how can the plans take 5 months? Can you contact the council yourself? I'm in Scotland and they need to sort things in two months...

MzHz · 08/11/2019 07:33

Do you LIKE the plans he’s put in?

Call the other architect and see if he’ll take a look at the plans and input as necessary, and what it’d cost etc.

If you’re like this when there’s no work started, You’re not going to enjoy this other guy in your lives when the stress of the build starts.

Original poster

Lovelyredroses · 08/11/2019 07:43

Scottishdaisy - It has been delayed as a bat report is now required, and this can’t be done till next May. The first I heard of needing this report was after the plans were submitted!
By this stage, I am harbouring a seething resentment....

OP posts:

Original poster

Lovelyredroses · 08/11/2019 07:50

My husband is all for pulling the plug, he has built a house before and says the process is so stressful that we need a good relationship with our architect at the outset.

We kind of went with him originally as he’s quirky and only does one-off designs (“if you want a chalet bungalow my dear, I can give you a list of other architects who’d be happy to help”)

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FinallyHere · 08/11/2019 07:52

If you can possibly finance it, I would certainly at least have a conversation with another architect. As PP says, it doesn't bode well that you are feeling so 'scratchy' while still in what is supposed to be the easy phase.

There is the 'devil you know' excuse but a conversation with someone new might help you settle in your own mind.

Singingsausage · 08/11/2019 07:52

Hi,
Had an extension 10 years ago, I had all the same problems with our architect and they got worse through the build. Ended up with a kitchen area that doesn’t work. We are just about to spend a lot of money to sort it out now. I would trust your instinct and walk away, we used ours to project manage and really he just bullied us!

CatUnderTheStairs · 08/11/2019 07:59

Walk away. This should be the easy bit. We are using an architectural technician whose work we have seen, and who was recommended by friends. What he’s doing isn’t groundbreaking but he listens to us and knows the process and the local planners. It’ll work what he designs.

Letsgowalking · 08/11/2019 08:01

We’ve saved a fair bit of money on our two builds by scrapping architects and just paying a technical drawer with a background in planning to draw out what we want and give us guidance as to whether it was feasible. However, that is because we were after something pretty conventional In both instances and felt the architects we had gone to were attempting to press us into crazily expensive unworkable schemes. Might not work for everyone, but we have a pretty clear vision and are both control freaks ourselves (plus DH is a director of a construction company so has a bit of a clue as to what he is on about) so felt this was a better solution all round for us...Maybe if you have the time, you can just take over now?

Original poster

Lovelyredroses · 08/11/2019 08:18

Y’know, I too feel he is trying to be too elaborate and while he has some good, edgy ideas, I feel it is going to cost a whole lot more than I want to spend.
I feel getting a different architect on board now will actually save me far more than the fees already spent.

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oohnicevase · 08/11/2019 08:35

Do you need one ? We designed our own extension and got a local guy who does plans to draw it up .. its amazing .. surely you know what you want? I spoke to some architects who wanted to charge me £7500 for the process . Our extension only cost £75m so it seemed a large chunk of that to waste .. either way I would want someone I really liked and gelled with . Having work done bad enough without that to deal with !

Pahoehoe · 08/11/2019 08:38

Same issue with mine. Haven’t heard from him in months. He sent the building warrant application to the council without even running it past me first so apparently we’re having wooden windows ... on our ex council house

I don’t even bother anymore because every conversation is exhausting.

SonEtLumiere · 08/11/2019 08:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MayFayner · 08/11/2019 09:46

(“if you want a chalet bungalow my dear, I can give you a list of other architects who’d be happy to help”)

You’re at the mercy of this guy’s ego and will be throughout. Is his design worth his attitude?

If yes, I would probably suck it up.

scottishdaisy · 08/11/2019 17:17

Oh pants... we needed a bat report too - our architect would not have told us but I googled when I realised we had 100s of them in the roof!! So frustrating...

scottishdaisy · 08/11/2019 17:23

Just reading the rest of the thread - I'm with the others - I think if you know what you want - and if it's not what you have got - an architectural technician would listen and draw up what you want instead. We had no idea what we wanted so I would have loved someone to foist their edgy ideas on me... I'd have ditched ours but my husband would have killed me for wasting money - sounds like yours is supportive!

SurveyorScott · 08/11/2019 17:44

Hi @Lovelyredroses
If you are still in for planning, I would let the original architect handle the situation until you secure permission, there will be negotiations with the planners that he is best placed to handle.
Then, seriously think about appointing a new architect. Be clear on your brief and your budget. If you then need to resubmit for a material or non-material amendment then go for it, you'll only regret it if you continue with something you aren't happy with.
I would imagine he has priced for planning and building regs separately? If so, you don't want to pay him for the regs part of the work if you're getting someone new in.
Hope that helps.

EastCoastDamsel · 08/11/2019 20:28

I would absolutely pull the plug. It is such a stressful process that you really do need a good relationship with your architect/designer and your project manager.

If you are already having doubts at this stage GET OUT.

Guaranteed you WILL make decisions now you later question, you WILL go over budget and over time.You really really need to have faith in all involved.

Original poster

Lovelyredroses · 09/11/2019 06:47

Thanks for all your comments. It confirms pretty much what we have already decided - that it would be madness to go forward with our guy.

When I think back, we should have done what was advised by others and get opinions from a few architects and go with the best fit. We didn’t even consider anyone else as we knew him and our paths crossed from time to time, so we fell into things without actively choosing him.

I do like many aspects of the house, but I want a fresh approach and get rid of the things that never gelled with me, like the floor to roof window in the walk-in wardrobe that I always said was a waste of space.

I want to take a few weeks out to think of a ‘what now’ plan.

Thanks for the back-up folks.

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