is this about right for architect's drawings?

[redshoes]

We want to extend the side return of our Victorian semi. Can anyone tell me if this is reasonable? Seems to take ages to get a quote. For the architects' measurement and design £500 plus vat, drawings/statement for planning permission £700 plus vat and for the Building Control Application £800 plus vat. So, £2000 plus vat all in. Anyone have any experience of similar???? Thanks

Sounds a lot to me....

Our architect (surrey dontcha know...)charged a grand + VAT to design to planning permission standards a significant (1000 square foot) extension on our spectacularly difficult-to-extend house. He submitted to planning office as part of his total fee. We only paid the £125 to the council. He'll probably charge another £500 for building control plans, but only cos he'll have to subcontract to a structural engineer.

I suppose it depends a bit if it is his design or whether he is simply drawing to technical standards your own design. If he has put a lot of thought into the layout and how the extension will work and really added to the quality of the extension, I would say it is reasonable. If he hasn't, I think it is a lot.

it is on the steepish side but there is alot of work in the planning and building control toing and froing. does that include engineering drawings?

RIBA Client Services are on 020 7580 5533. They can tell you what you can expect from your architect in terms of services and fees.

Thats a lot - where do u live my DH is an architect and for a double extension he charges £350 (NOT PLUS ANY VAT), puts all the plans in for building regs and planning permission etc... but he oviously asks for a separate cheque to be written for the cost of biulding regs and planning permission.

So, he charges for a full measure up and all the drawing work and submission of the planning applications etc... just £350 - slightly more depending on larger scale projects.

OMG - DH only charged £700 for a new house plans - am thinking maybe he should up his prices now??!!!

Theres not £2000 worth of work in planning toing and froing - DH does the designs and drawings submits a copy with the application to planning and then a second copy to building control.

If the architect is knowledgable in building regulations, then he should know it all anyway. Plus, that is a lot of money if it doesn't for any reason pass. Which can happen if a neighbour disputes it, or if it is over development of the property etc etc.

we are in brighton. Council fees and structural engineer's fees are on top. We are in conservation area so might not pass! The area is about 2.5m by 3m

Blardy hell, we paid £500 all in to ours for a large rear extension! (Mind you that was cash...)

Titchy yours is more what I'd imagined it would cost. Do you have to pay the engineer separately?

Does anyone know a reasonable architect in sussex?????????!

Red, where are you? Oop North I bet if not can your dh draw my extension please!

LOL - we are in SWales - but for £2000 i will make him travel!!!!

Our architect employs (well on a self employed basis I suspect) a structural engineer so will include his (or hers!) fees with his invoice. So no not seperate.

RIBA website will give you contact numbers of local architects. Best way is to ask around though. Or look at the planning applications bit of your council's website and see which architects (who usually act as agents so their details will be there) seem to get planning permission.

conservation areas are difficult, and there really is no knowing wether it will pass until it is in the hands of the council. A difficult one
I would seek another architect

Thanks for the advice. Just trying to rush it a bit as we rather hastily removed our kitchen in July! Long story. But you are right Red I really need another quote. Thanks Titchy I'll have a look at the Planning List.

Sounds a lot to me too - why are 3 sets of drawings needed? One set could cover everything. Do those figures include the fees to the council??

When we had our side-return extension done the quotes for the plans ranged from 350-850 iirc. But we didn't need planning permission as the extension was small enough to be within permitted development. Also, we knew what we wanted to do and just wanted someone to draw it up - obv different if you want someone to come up with a selection of ideas for you...

Oh just saw that the council's fees are on top. I don't think the architecet paid the structural engineer more than £50 (and that might have been included in the fee, can't remember)

I am baffled as to why there are three sets of costs tbh - partly why I posted. Seems the usual is one fee. We need pp tho because of being in conservation area. We know basically what we want, just need advice re windows really.

We paid £650 for all the relevant drawings. £150 for planning and £225 for building regs.

Architects technicians tend to be a bit cheaper than architects. Or find a sole trader who isn't vat registered.

I undertake freelance CAD work on a work from home basis. I am 16 years qualified as an Architect. Contact me on [email protected] if you think I may be able to help.

I am a qualified Architect with 16 years post qualification experience. Contact me on [email protected], if I can be of assistance.

Are you sure the building control and planning are not the council fees. Seems remarkably similar to those we paid to the council.

We also extended in the side return and had to include party wall agreements which added a further £1000 into the fees.

A side return extension is quite tricky because there are usually party wall agreements

RedShoes, we have just submitted our planning application and your architect is charging considerably less than ours!

We are being charged £4000 +VAT by architect to get to Building Regs stage, then need to pay an additional £1000 +VAT for structural engineer, and £500 + VAT for heat loss assessment.

(This is for a single storey side extension, and some remodelling upstairs)

I have negotiated the architect down to £1250 plus vat. Fanjolina, we had a similar quote to yours from another architect!