Was your architect good at communicating?

[SpidersAreShitheads]

HI all,

We're in the process of buying a house but for it to work, we'll need to do extensive renovation and rebuilding as soon as we move in (long story - building an annexe).

We found an architect who seemed amazing and he carried out the architect survey/inspection on 22nd March. When I spoke to him on the phone initially and briefly in person when we met at the house he was very reassuring which is exactly what I need. He has plenty of reviews and they are all good. He told me that he can be hard to reach by phone so email is best and that he'd always respond right away.

Thing is, I'm finding him quite hard work to get responses out of.

He said that drawing up the draft plans ready for submission should take 21-28 days - which is where we're at now. And nothing. I emailed him last week and asked if he wanted to see the full survey we'd had done and I got a brief reply to say no thanks, not necessary unless anything catastrophic.

I thought then that he might have added a sentence to say - be in touch next week re your draft plans etc, but he didn't. Fine, but it got to Tuesday of this week and I thought I'd drop a quick email to say we're approaching the 28 days so wondered if there was any progress. Radio silence. No reply.

I feel a bit let down. I've never used an architect before and at the start he was responding immediately to any emails sent through (I only sent through essential communication - I haven't bombarded him haha).

I wouldn't even mind if he's behind schedule, I would just like to KNOW. I have a builder who's waiting for the draft plans so he can properly quote for us and also plan us into his (very busy!) workload and we really need to get the bloody planning permission request submitted as apparently it takes 8 bastard weeks to be approved. We're - hopefully! - going to complete in about a month so really could do with this getting a move on now. He was well aware of our timescales and originally said he'd expedite things to help us.....but nothing.

I don't know if I'm being unreasonable. I don't know how much work goes into drawing up the plans. I expected him to come and sit down with us to draw up the plans but it's all done remotely. I just feel very in the dark and frustrated at the total lack of communication. Other than the original email telling him broadly what we wanted, he's not asked any questions about what we want....

Is this how it normally works?

Yes very good at communicating. So important

the reviews you mentioned… did you actually follow up any actual references and speak with people who used?

You’re presumably spending a lot of money. A heck of a lot. I did. So I spent a shed load of time ensuring the architect was right for me

@Itshonestlynotthathard Nope. Massive fail on my part. Didn't even occur to me to do that....!!! No excuses but to explain, it was all an enormous rush, I haven't got a bloody clue what I'm doing and I'm trying to sell two houses, buy one, plus arrange a whole sodding annexe to be built plus an extension with disabled kids and a disabled mum in tow. And I've never done any building work before. He took lots of time to explain the process and how he would help. All the reviews say he was great at communicating - which he was at the start. I honestly thought he'd be brilliant. He's listed on the local portal things like red book or whatever it's called. He's been doing it for 30 years, really experienced. I just feel really let down that it's taking quite as long as it is, but mainly disappointed due to the complete lack of communication.

@Itshonestlynotthathard I spoke to a few architects but didn't like any of them - I really liked him from the start. He took loads of time to talk to me on the phone and walk me through the process, the permissions we'd need and all the costs etc. He gave me a really good feeling like I'd found someone I could really rely on. DP heard the call and thought the same. Loads of reviews, all great - but I'm aware that they're not always legit.... I should have checked. Aaargh!

Is the property liveable in as is?
if so, you need more time to research one that works for you

firstly, a decent architect is likely not to be immediately available
secondly you must speak with people who has used him
thirdly you are inexperienced so you need an architect that will provide extra hand holding and you need to make that clear

So you have never actually met him?

@Itshonestlynotthathard Yes, I've met him. We spoke on the phone, emailed back and forth and then we met him at the house for a walk through and a chat in person. I had my mum on FaceTime and he spoke to her too (she's disabled so couldn't walk round the property as is).

He was so helpful, honestly thought we'd fallen on our feet with him. Googled his name/business and no negative comments anywhere came up. Professional looking website, great reviews, listed on reputable portals. Lots of experience. Portfolio pictures and gallery showing previous work. Honestly didn't occur to me to ask to check reviews......

He then booked in to do the full inspection about 2 weeks later - and I know he turned up to do it and was there a couple of hours. He emailed to confirm the survey had been done and he'd draw up plans. I asked the timescales and he said 21-28 days - which is up now. He was aware the plans were needed urgently and he originally intimated he'd push us up the priority list so I wasn't even really expecting it to take the full 28 days.

I've had two previous emails with no replies from him - neither of them were absolutely imperative at the time, so I let those go. The other emails he responded to very quickly. But I do feel a bit uncomfortable that he's not asked for clarification of any of our requirements - we're doing a LOT and I'd be amazed if he didn't need some more information to pull the plans together. But he's not asked about anything - and my mum has made some weird requests about the annexe that's being built which I would have expected him to query.

House isn't liveable for everyone without plans/building work. I'm worried about losing the slot with our builder - the delays have a knock on effect with everything else. I was expecting 28 days to get to submit the plans. We've not even had the first draft and I imagine we'll need to go back and forth a bit to iron things out (it's a LOT of work being done).

I'm just feeling nervous now at the silence.

He certainly sounds like a very very competent sales person

@Itshonestlynotthathard That's what worries me. There was no hard sell, no pushy techniques and he took a lot of time to answer questions and describe how he could help. He was really knowledgeable about disabled access and alterations for my mum. And he definitely turned up to do the survey.

Ugh. It's such a lot of money to spend to be made to feel like an inconvenience.

I probably should add here that I'm autistic and sometimes inclined to take things at face value so I'm wondering if I've screwed this up. I've just emailed again and asked for a reply.