Loft conversion architect price check..

[A100man]

Hi All

Look at having hipped roof in my semi* taken to gable end - no dormers but floor (ceiling joist) strengthening, and stairs and velux's will of course be needed..

Local architect/technician offered following charges (seems reasonable enough but not done this before so thought I'd check with the BCF gurus.. Cheers

Planning Stage 1

Architectural Fee: £375.00 plus VAT (to include detailed site survey and drawing preparation)

Digital Ordnance Survey Map: £42.00 plus VAT

Planning Fee: £135.00 inc VAT (for the application of certificate of lawfulness)



Building Control Stage 2

Architectural Fee: £425.00 plus VAT (detailed design for building regulations approval)

Site Supervision (if required) £55.00 plus VAT per visit/hr or part thereof (if required)

* detached roof Helkat
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Diggs]

Looks cheap, does that. In the politest way, ask him to give you examples of planning application numbers of recent work he has done, so you can see his portfolio on the Council's website.

I'm guessing that the bloke doesn't know whether it needs planning permission or not so is going down the Certificate of Lawfulness route instead. Note that if the Council comes back and says it doesn't qualify, you will need to pay an additional £206 for a Householder Planning Application on top of the £135 you have splurged for the Cert.

He is making £30 each on the O.S. map and on the Cert application.

He doesn't know if it needs planning permission or if it does, whether you are likely to get it. If it were me I'd ask him to go straight in with a planning application on the basis of basic elevations and a floorplan for £500 including £206 planning fee and O.S. extract. If the Council decides that it is Permitted Development then your application will be returned together with the £206, and you will have saved yourself £250 in the process. He still makes £280 out of it for a mornings work.

Then once you know it can be done, go for the detailed site survey and Building Regs. This way you minimise your pre-planning permission expense and risk.
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[A100man]

Hi thanks

He seems to be the man in the know round these parts (I've seen quite a few jobs with his name on) and was confident it would be a permitted development -provided we used like materials for the (new) gable end...

Cheers
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Diggs]

Just be a bit careful here - if he is so confident, why is he applying for a Certificate of Lawfulness? Seems like additional unnecessary expense for you if it is PD, and if its not you will need planning permission anyhow and have to pay the additional £206 on top of the £135....
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[A100man]

Ok ta. I'll dig deeper.. I though the cert was needed as part of the whole PD 'deal ' but it seems not from what you are saying.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Diggs]

No. That sort of Certificate is applied for where there is doubt, as a cheaper option to a planning application (assuming it is considered PD of course...). If you get the Certificate, you have something in writing that proves to the Council's Enforcement Officers and subsequent purchasers that the works didn't need planning permission. Perhaps this is where he is coming from?

If something is PD then it doesn't require planning permission, nor a Certificate of Lawfulness. I still think he isn't sure, otherwise he'd just go ahead with the survey, draw the thing up and apply for Building Regs. Subject to the agreement of the Building Inspector he could even do it on a Building Notice, which doesn't require any drawings at all. Worth asking him about a possible Building Notice.

Good price though. I'd charge you £500 to get it through Planning if an application is needed, and £800 for Building Regs. This would include structural calcs for floor joists though if necessary - ask him if his price includes any calcs as there may be something in the small print that says 'any calcs extra'....
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[A100man]

Many thanks - information is power!
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[tony_d123]

I have recently done a similar development and knew it was within permitted development rules. However, I still applied for a certificate of lawful development simply because it makes things a lot simpler if you want to sell later.
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Blackpool, Lancashire

[A100man]

Hi All

Got all teh drawings done and 'approval' for this permitted development..

BUT, I have a question about the structure.. The detail drawings show that he wants to deploy an RSJ to support the extended ridge. This will rest on a pad-stone in the (new) gable end and he has specified a steel post (I guess something like a 4" square) at the party wall end - this is instead of burrowing into the chimney structures I guess.

However can anyone tell me why this steel is even required? Why can you not simply extend the existing wooden ridge? I'm sure that is what one of the opposite neighbours did, while another neighbour using the same architect as mine has teh steel/post and installed a plasterboard wall to hide it

Cheers
____________________
Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[tony_d123]

How can anyone here give you a proper answer without spending hours poring over the designs, layouts, spans, loadings etc?

The person you need to ask the question of is the designer.
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Blackpool, Lancashire

[Diggs]

Full plans Building Regs application or a Building Notice? If the former, then if it has been approved you know its right. If the latter, you are relying on the designer to get it right without prior checking by a Building Inspector.

I can't imagine somebody specifying a steel RSJ as a structural element unless it is absolutely necessary. It will be sized to take a certain load, and a piece of wood capable of taking the same load would be bigger in cross section and more obtrusive internally as a result. Perhaps this is the reason?

As the previous poster says, ask the person who designed it. I'm sure they'll tell you.
____________________
Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[mentalboy]

[doggone]

Steel RSJ ridge is the way to go if the support is strong enough, they actually aren't as heavy as you are probably imagining and far less likely to gradually twist or warp as loading change.

[A100man]

[yen_powell]