buying 1930s house - survey or architect?

[MuffinDoing]

Hi - we are buying a 1930 house and are considering extensive renovations ( open plan - need for steels). Is it possible to get a structural survey that would include advice on steels needed if we did "x" or "y" options? Is that the best route or should we ask an architect 1st for advice on what x or y options should be? If we got the survey, would we then need to pay again for the steels advice once we finalised plans for the planning permission (thinking structural engineer advice). Just unsure in what order to go about things and would welcome any advice thanks

If I were you, I do it in stages. If you haven’t bought the house yet, don’t rush to get too many professionals involved. You will have a better idea of what work you want done after you have used the house for a while.
If it is fees you want to save and your plan is fairly standard, don’t involve an architect. You will definitely need a structural engineer though if steels are involved.

Try to get a surveyor who is also a chartered engineer-they do exist and get him/her to do building survey with an idea of the alterations you want. They will give you some advice. If you’re buying in the north west (near Chester), I can recommend a great one. He did my friend’s survey and then said he could do plans and if she wanted and he basically discounted the amount of the survey.