How difficult is it to do planning drawings

[CotswoldsCamilla]

I would like to extend my kitchen by 3 meters out the back. I applied and received planning permission. I submitted plans for a flat room extension. However I'd like to change it to a dual pitched roof extension.
The surveyor who did our previous plans charged an arm and a leg and is proposing to charge several thousand to change the plans and resubmit. My question is, would it be possible to do this myself and does anyone know of any tools online that I could use to do this?

There are people that draw plans and are more cost effective to an a full scale architect.

Not super complicated, for planning there are a few basic requirements but it's mainly about external appearance, so size and materials. If it's costing thousands for the it sounds like building regs and even construction drawings as well. Although they shouldn't start work on those until planning is approved.

I did mine for new windows. Helped that the house was semi-detached and that my neighbour had drawings on the planning portal.

I bought a laser measurer to work out all the heights, although there was some resorting to my sewing tape measure.

My pencil and paper drawing looks excellent next to all the CAD ones on the portal.

My husband does plans for a living and often has to do calculations for beams from others' plans. You would be amazed at the number of plans he receives from qualified architects and other professionals that are full of physical impossibilities, like a window where there is also a beam or a loft conversion you can't stand up in. He has a 4 years masters degree in engineering. So I'd say it's pretty difficult.

Sounds like i need to just suck it up and pay a structural engineer. It's only a minor change from flat roof to dual pitch so hoped I could save myself a few pounds. Oh well..

For planning you would probably get away with drawing the pointy roof on the old plans yourself. Add a dimension to the ridge height and a note describing the materials to be used.

I have submitted two successful planning applications using hand drawn drawings. There is no need to use CAD if you are handy with a pencil.

thanks, I might give that a go!

Assuming he’s a structural engineer if he’s signing off calcs and has a 4 years masters. Structural engineering is difficult but planning drawings don’t necessarily require a structural engineer or someone with an MEng.

True but the building when built has to match the plans. And so if OP doesn’t understand anything about roofs then whats she doing? Just plucking a ridge height and any detailing out of the air???

That's right. He's overqualified for his job but does very well out of it - a huge amount of work sent his way is fixing other people's messes. People are often very upset that they've paid for unworkable plans.

We used an architectural technician to do our plans. He was excellent. We then needed to get a structural engineer to signoff the steels we needed when we took out a wall.

It’s easy to just add in the pitched roof by hand but you need to check with your surveyor to see if he has copyright on the original drawings
Architects do and even once you’ve paid for the plans you can’t take them away and change them without permission.

Before I do anything, I am waiting to hear back from the council to see if I can made an amendment to the existing plans or if I have to do a while new application. If the latter, then I probably won't bother anyway. I just wanted to distinguish the sitting room zone from the kitchen area with the pitched roof. It's not the end of the world if it's not there and isn't worth the cost of a new planning application which, where I am, seems to be quite expensive.

One of these will be handy…

https://amzn.eu/d/09WNDucL

OP, ChatGPT is your friend. My DS has to do a college project to design and build a house, everything included, plans, designs, building regs, you name it. Unbelievable request for a year 1 student. Anyway, ChatGPT did it all in seconds. It was so detailed and very specific with guided info on planning regs etc.
You may have to pay for a Pro plan for a month, don't forget to cancel it.

That is an incredible request for Yr 1
When I studied Architecture we did structure and construction of main elements in year 2
Exams in year 3 on building regs and planning
In year 1 it was all design and the history of Architecture and building techniques
The whole lot in year 1 is a big ask although we didn't have chat obvs

What Uni is that?