Extension 14cm smaller than plans

[Greenleaves20]

We’re just in the process of extending and knocking through to create an open plan kitchen dining living area. The shell is done and the roof is on. We’ve come to check measurements for our kitchen as it’s a DIY kitchens one so doing ourselves and it’s 14cm smaller than the architects plans, or about 18cm if you don’t include the plaster. The room should be 7.7m x 5.83m. The error is on the width and so it’s actually measuring at 5.65m. The building contractor has been amazing so far and we have a very good relationship with him. We also have the architect managing the project at a cost of around £850 a month as we couldn’t be at home or nearby to oversee things as we have a baby and toddler and it’s extremely dusty in the house.

I know this isn’t a lot but over the 7.7 metres length its over a metre of space lost. I feel quite disappointed and worried that it will make the internal space just that little bit more cramped especially around the table and sofa. We also had a island planned and will probably have to make this smaller than we wanted. We don’t want to spoil our relationship with the builder as the work so far looks very good but equally the whole project is costing well over £100k plus architects fees etc. Very torn with what the next steps should be, any thoughts?

If I was spending that much money, I'd want it done right.

As someone with a 8m by 2.4m kitchen diner I think suck it up - 5.65m is a dream amount of width for me!

Speak to the architect managing the project.

That's really poor - because of working FT and travelling, I got someone from the architect to manage our last build and he was constantly measuring. Things do need to be amended as the real building work takes place but I would expect a deviation of that amount to have been discussed with you.

I would also want it done right, they probably already know.
Tell them to put it right.

14cm isn't a huge amount but do ask the builder.

When doing our extension we found that sometimes the build method meant that the measurements might be out by a few cms on the finished product. So for example in our master, the original wall isn't straight but the new wall is. To hide that there is an ever so slight step in at the join. It's not huge but would change the floor space by a few cm at that point.

Chat to the builder and see if that's what has happened here. There are loads of reasons why the architects plans and the final product might differ by a couple of cms

Thanks for the responses. We will have a chat to the architect and the builder and ask why change has come about. We don’t want to cause any conflict but we weren’t informed of this change and it feels that we should have been really. Recently we couldn’t get hold of a particular velux and the architect and the builder spent a while looking at alternatives and discussing with us. That seems a smaller change than the size of the room.

I’m also a little confused with the role of the architect in managing it. In my mind he would have measured the rooms as a first step but I’m sure that hasn’t been done as their most recent drawling is showing as 5.83m.

Also, if we were looking to sell in future I feel like a room size of 5.8m ish on plans feels and sounds quite different to 5.6ish but maybe that’s just me?!

Have a conversation first and you're right to be annoyed. As a pp says there may be a simple explanation.

I have to say though that no-one buying will bother about a difference between 5.65m and 5.83m.

There’s probably an agreed tolerance that is acceptable. Ask your PM he should know

I'm unclear if this is an error or a decision you just weren't informed of. Who is PM here?

I would be very surprised if this isn’t within tolerance.
Unless you’ve ordered a kitchen that now isn’t going to fit, ( Why would you!) I think you run the risk of pissing off your architect/ builders and looking like a bit of a twit.

If I were buying and could afford 5.6-5.8m I’m not sure I’d care, it all sounds roomy compared to my 2.4m.

But a 14cm difference that I’m paying for and hasn’t been consulted on would annoy me – it’s more than a few cm tolerance based on plaster depth, etc. It could be the difference between the island you want and now you have to compromise, or constantly having to squeeze past the dining chairs instead of having a clear path, etc.

I’d talk to architect and builder and go in looking for solutions and outcomes, rather than all guns blazing. Think about what a happy outcome looks to you: rebuild with all the hassle and dust that entails (and now with cross builder), price discount, refund on some element, something else?

Is it clear from the drawing that it is an internal walls measurement and not external or total I.e. including the depth of the brickwork/plaster?

We’ve done a few extensions now and it has happened every time. I think, unfortunately, as frustrating as it is (in one extension it meant we didn’t actually have space for the bathroom we had on the plans and had to change it to a large shower room instead, on another it meant the windows we had planned didnt work) it is just the way these things go and is within their tolerence level…

We’ve done a few extensions now and it has happened every time. I think, unfortunately, as frustrating as it is (in one extension it meant we didn’t actually have space for the bathroom we had on the plans and had to change it to a large shower room instead, on another it meant the windows we had planned didnt work) it is just the way these things go and is within their tolerence level…

@WTF475878237NC PM is the architect. He’d suggested measuring up to get exact dimensions before ordering the kitchen so that’s why we were doing it, but didn’t expect such a difference. It feels like it must have been a decision made without informing us as lots of other things (roof, steel etc) depend on the sizing surely?

@hotmeatymilk exactly, I think it is enough to make a difference even though obviously it’s not a huge amount. You’re right about thinking about best outcomes - I cannot face starting again and I wouldn’t want to do that to the builder anyway as all the work looks very neat. I suppose maybe some compensation of some sort? I feel that the architect is more at fault here as I would have expected him to be checking the measurements etc and this is what I thought we were paying him to do.

@Twasacceptableinthe80s this is interesting, I’d definitely not have expected such differences to be acceptable really. Surely it’s just a case of measuring correctly when you start digging the foundations? But obvs I have no idea as I’m not a builder!

the project managing architect should have picked it up and should have told you - they may have not been able to do anything about it but you should have known as it does influence ordering the kitchen/windows/floors etc.! Generally they will do a measure just before you put the order in to make sure everything will still fit

the dimension do change a bit as you build, that's fairly common. But just to give you an example, in last house, us and neighbours did an extension together. I paid for someone in the architect firm to project manage, next door did not and part way through the build, my PM picked up that their side was going to be over the allowed length that would be authorised by building control. So we had to pause while they redid things to bring it into line.

they should constantly measure for these types of reasons!

So we’ve been back to the architect today and he’s looked into it. It turns out the original survey done by the architects was incorrect and the back wall we measured from which was the previous utility and loo is 15cm closer to the front wall than the back wall on the other side. So the builder has worked exactly to plan. Now we have the issue of an uneven back wall - there’s a post separating the two sections so maybe it won’t be obvious anyway, but I feel this isn’t a great situation 😬

Does any of that make sense?

Did the architects not have any suggestions/comments? They seem at 'fault' was there even an apology?

The architect needs to reimburse you for this error.

@Saisong and @corblimeygov the architect has come back to us today in an email to explain how the error came about and that the kitchen design will need to be smaller. There isn’t an apology in this email and I’m now feeling quite annoyed about the whole thing. We’ve spent over £10k on architects fees including the initial surveys and then them managing the project. For that I would expect the surgery drawings and final build to be accurate. I’ve been Googling and feel that we do want some reimbursement/compensation for this error, is that unreasonable? Maybe I’ll start a new AIBU thread…

Can you (politely) set out that their error has compromised your design somewhat and on the basis of the fees you've paid, you wouldn't have expected them to get basic measurements wrong. Perhaps say you will be looking for some discount in respect of their fees at the end of the project.

@Africa2go hat’s a good idea and a good way to put it! We’ve been paying the fees as we go along so actually almost all paid now. How much would you ask for? The survey cost or that plus the project management fee? Or something different?

If the architect went to buy a £100,000 car would he be happy if it was smaller than he wanted and less seats that he was expecting in the back?

I think I would ask for another opinion. Perhaps your local planning department might offer an opinion.

I wouldn’t be happy. I have worked alongside a friend on a project ( he is a surveyor) he was project manager on a charity project and a new school. The school was opened on the correct day that section completed as planned and the second phase completed before time. He continually check and doesn’t mind saying if it isn’t right.

They are working for you. If you are not happy tell them. I have seen planners make builders pull part of a property down when it wasn’t correct. It will need to be signed off.

@Redsquirrel5 good point and I am not happy. We’ve also realised it means one of the posts is now 50cm instead of 30cm which will make quite a difference when walking into the kitchen. We need to have a serious discussion with them. I’ve made an AIBU post about this to get some votes on asking for some money back!