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Original poster

Can i find someones plans?

20 replies

bellyislikejelly · 09/02/2021 11:33

Long story so i'll try and cut it down.

House 1 - Offered on a house last year, everything going fine however in the end they pulled out due to covid.

House 2 came up, same road etc.
Both houses have the exact same layout except house 1 has extension that i wish to replicate in house 2.

We spoke to our builder in regards to the extension yesterday whom advised rather than paying for an architect to draw up new plans to try and locate house 1's plan.

Possible? Cheeky?

OP posts:

NachoNachoMan · 09/02/2021 11:34

Search you local council's planning portal?

cautiouscovidity · 09/02/2021 11:40

Yes. Your local council you will have a planning portal on their website. You can search all planning applications from at least the last 10-15 years. These will include the plans that were submitted.

Hagotcha80 · 09/02/2021 11:43

It won’t include even a fraction of what you need to replicate I am afraid

LIZS · 09/02/2021 11:50

You may find basic plans but only for elevations and maybe layout, nothing technical. They will be scan copies.

Chasingsquirrels · 09/02/2021 11:53

If house 1 pulled out due to covid and no bad feelings, I'd ask them directly.

Primitivo1 · 09/02/2021 11:54

You can also arrange a pre-planning meeting with the planning dept (at least you could here pre-covid). At that meeting they pulled up plans from 20 and even 50 years ago and I could have print copies which only cost a few pounds.

Hagotcha80 · 09/02/2021 11:57

@Chasingsquirrels

If house 1 pulled out due to covid and no bad feelings, I'd ask them directly.

If you’d spent a few grand on architects, would you be happy to hand over to strangers?

Chasingsquirrels · 09/02/2021 12:14

Honestly, yes.

Hagotcha80 · 09/02/2021 12:15

And would you have thick enough skin to go and ask for what they’d paid thousands for?

LIZS · 09/02/2021 12:16

But are the plans not copyright of architect 1, so you cannot just resubmit those as yours.

Chasingsquirrels · 09/02/2021 12:21

I'd certainly have a conversation with someone I'd met in the circumstances the OP describes.
Any more questions?

Original poster

bellyislikejelly · 09/02/2021 12:29

Well i cant find the plans on the local councils planning site anyway.

Every other house bar the one i wanted.
At least i have some names of local architects to call.

OP posts:

Hagotcha80 · 09/02/2021 12:42

@bellyislikejelly

Well i cant find the plans on the local councils planning site anyway.

Every other house bar the one i wanted.
At least i have some names of local architects to call.

Perhaps didn’t need it If doesn’t extend out 4 meters you don’t for example

Hagotcha80 · 09/02/2021 12:43

@Chasingsquirrels

I'd certainly have a conversation with someone I'd met in the circumstances the OP describes. Any more questions?

Nope

Rollercoaster1920 · 09/02/2021 12:46

Worth asking the owners of house 1. If a direct copy then the architect they used should be able to do a cheap deal, most of the work is done!
But value based pricing rather than cost based I expect.

wonkylegs · 09/02/2021 12:47

Its not only cheeky it would be copyright infringement (illegal) and also probably only marginally helpful.
They will be basic plans for planning and won't cover the details required for actually constructing the place or submitting for building regs.
Getting an architect in may also notice issues (even houses that seem identical often have electrics or plumbing routed differently or slightly different levels) that they can resolve properly.
If it's really simple draw it up yourself or get your builder to but if it's more than you are capable of, then pay somebody to do the job properly.
Architects especially those who do domestic work don't earn a lot for what they do and this is theft of their work. (Yep I'm an architect so get tetchy about this kind of stuff)

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 09/02/2021 13:24

I'd ask the people from house 1 which architect they used and go direct to the architect myself. You could negotiate costs with the architect as they'd be providing drawings based on another house. Just to note... just because houses are the same doesn't necessary mean the drawings would be correct for your house. I'd want drawings for my house drawn up correctly.

ZackaryQuack · 09/02/2021 13:34

I'd pop over and ask them for the architects details and then contact them, explain what you're lookig to do and ask if they are able to do something similar for you?

SconeOfStone · 09/02/2021 13:39

If it’s floor plans that you need, look on rightmove sold house prices. If the house has sold in the past it may show images including floor plan from last listing, even if it didn’t sell.

whenindoubtBake · 09/02/2021 14:58

Ask house 1 owners which architect they used as you love their house and would like to do something similar.

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