Structural engineer fees for house extension? Is this a fair quote?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

We are about to extend our house (2 storey side extension plus small single rear storey) and have just had a letter from the structural engineer quoting us a fee of £840 excluding VAT, expenses and fees for SER (whatever that is). I think we need to pay for this before any work gets started?

The architect told us ages ago we would need to pay for this but I forgot and it's now all starting to feel like a nightmare with all these hidden costs! So far we've had to pay the architect, planning, building warrant and to get our boiler moved, and now this!!! And we've also been billed for an advert re our house extension that was in the local paper that we didn't even know about (£80).

Argh.

Anyway, money is very tight as we have been paying for all the above from our savings as we aren't getting the remortgage money in until we can afford the hiked payements (I am still on mat leave and getting no money in!). So just wondering if these structural engineer fees are OK or a bit steep?

And does anyone know what fees for SER are?

Well the first result on google is Structural Engineers Registration.

"Once the application for Building Warrant is to be made, the Approved Certifier of Design (Building Structures) requests a Certificate from SER Ltd.

In order to obtain a certificate, a fee must be paid. The fee that SER Ltd charges is 3% of the warrant fee (min £30), which is calculated from the total estimated project value. The total estimated project value is shown on the application for building warrant. The 3% fee can be calculated from the value of works table below."

I want to do a one-storey rear extension (no need for PP, it'll be in the 'permitted development' category. May I ask roughly how much your architects cost? I have had a couple of eye-watering quotes. And does your extra bit of mortgage cover the whole cost of the project or just the building part?

Thanks Lexilicious, I think that means the SER thing will be another £30. Oh well, at least it's not another £200 or something.

Our architect was £1650 exc VAT which was one of the cheaper quotes! That was for re-doing plans (we already had plans that we got with the house sale) and preparing detailed plans to submit for the building warrant. Doesn't include the actual fees for planning or the BW though.

We are remortgaging to cover the building works and internal decorartion etc, and also things that we need to do first like moving the electricity meter etc. Think we will try to reimburse ourselves if we can though for the money we have spent so far on fees but it depends what the extension will cost really.