garrymartin

I feel like I'm in the minority here with regard to the value an architect can and should bring to a project. It sounds like a lot of you have had bad experiences which is a shame. I hope to be able to report a more positive experience should I ever get planning approved!

Only from my limited experience of all the quotes I received from architects and my research into how architects charge, what for, and how to get the best from your engagement with them (i.e. how to be a good client). All my quotes were a stated charge per RIBA stage - none of them came back as percentage fees.

Not all architects. I feel at this juncture I should point out I am not an architect and I have no friends or colleagues who are architects, but they do seem to be getting a bit of a bashing 🤣 Having worked my whole life in IT Consultancy and IT Managed Services though, I see parallels though. Make sure that "value engineering" is a thread running throughout the work of any architect you engage, that your design brief is clear, and that there is clear agreement about your budget, your requirements, and areas where you are prepared to be flexible. For example, one of our golden rules is that we're happy to pay a little more for something up front where whole-life running costs and future maintenance are significantly reduced. If your architect designs something that doesn't objectively meet your stated and agreed requirements and is not achievable within your budget, then don't pay them. They've failed to deliver what you contracted them to.

"A costs award, where justified, is an order which can be enforced in the Courts. It states the broad extent of the expense the party can recover from the party against whom the award is made, and it sets out that settling the amount is for subsequent agreement between the parties. In the event of a failure to agree, the successful party can apply to the Senior Courts Costs Office for independent assessment." So I think you'll need to agree your costs with the LPA and then if they don't agree, you'll need to take them to court... Is that what your Costs Decision letter says? Thought I'd ask ChatGPT what it thought as we were discussing its abilities in another thread, but rather than your costs, I asked about the LPAs typical costs as surely if yours are in line they cannot disagree with them? ----- Q: When local planning authorities are successful in an award of costs at planning appeals, what is the average hourly rate they claim? A: When local planning authorities (LPAs) are successful in an award of costs at planning appeals in the UK, they often claim costs based on the time spent by their staff and any external consultants or legal representation. The hourly rates claimed can vary depending on several factors, including the seniority of the staff involved, the complexity of the case, and regional variations in costs. However, there is no fixed or standard hourly rate across the country, as it can depend on local policies and the specifics of the case. For internal staff (such as planners or legal officers employed by the LPA), rates might be lower compared to those charged by external consultants or solicitors. As of recent years, the following general ranges might apply: Internal Local Authority Staff (e.g., Planning Officers, Legal Officers): Typically between £30 to £100 per hour, depending on the staff member's grade and the complexity of the work. External Consultants (e.g., Planning Consultants, Expert Witnesses): Rates can vary widely but often range from £100 to £200 per hour or more. Legal Representation (Solicitors, Barristers): Rates are generally higher, ranging from £150 to £300 per hour for solicitors, and significantly more for barristers, depending on their experience and seniority. It is important to note that the award of costs is intended to cover the reasonable expenses incurred due to the unnecessary or unreasonable behavior of the other party. Therefore, the LPA would typically need to justify the rates they claim as reasonable and reflective of the market rate for the services provided. For precise figures or specific cases, reviewing the costs schedules submitted in recent appeal cases or consulting with the relevant LPA would provide more detailed information. ----- Can't disagree with any of that!

It says it should be "limited to those costs incurred..." in relation to the "additional issue..." so just be mindful that if your statement of case covered other areas as well, you might want to consider a percentage reduction accordingly. If you were taking a case to court, you'd be looking at around £150 for a paralegal or trainee solicitor - the lowest grade working on a case. Government guidance here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/solicitors-guideline-hourly-rates So I don't think there will be much argument with the hourly rate, it will just be how long would be reasonably spent on the "additional issue" that was highlighted in the partial award of costs.

Perfect solution!

Percentage pricing seems to be much more a commercial building thing than a residential dwelling.

Depends on how good they are, what their qualifications are, and where they typically work (and on what). Usually something in the region of £150 an hour and up from there. You'll see some threads on here where people have paid £75 an hour (£4000 total) and some where people have paid double that but in different regions. Don't make the mistake of thinking about salaried hourly rates - they are not fully loaded costs for businesses and typically you'd have to at least double them to get anywhere near and then have to assume that you won't be getting that hourly rate for 40 hours a week as you'll have other things you need to do. I'd say £150 an hour would be difficult to argue with.

As you can see from my previous messages, our fees will be more than that. It's difficult to do direct comparisons because we don't know the details of your scheme, but it sounds to me like you understand the value you are looking for and what an architect will provide. Like us, you don't have a clear picture of the design. We have information about how we want to live, and the rooms we want along with their interaction with each other, but we are leaving it to our architects to do the hard work of interpreting those requirements and coming up with a design that makes the most of the plot and is sensitive to the surrounding area (we have three listed properties nearby). Our quote also creating some options in the early stages, and also includes all the PH design and modelling. It isn't just the drawings, it's a Design and Access Statement for planning too as well as a bunch of other stuff. @Dave Jones We're going to have to agree to disagree on your view of architects and the value they can bring I'm afraid. Personally, I'd say it's a reasonable quote. I don't have BR drawings experience yet, but that does feel a little on the high side though.

The forum search isn't the best. Here, try this https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=aerobarrier+site%3Aforum.buildhub.org.uk

I've had it reference case law that doesn't exist, detail planning appeals that never happened, and suggest book titles with authors for books that don't exist amongst others. It's a fantastic tool, but as @JohnMo notes, you should check absolutely everything. With the book titles, I let it know it had made them up and it apologised and then gave me another five make-believe titles!

Do you have a photo? It sounds like you might be able to put a screw in so that the head is exposed, then use your claw hammer to lever the stud back into place before securing with more screws, but a photo would really help to explain the best options.

As an example, excluding any research time, my Statement of Case total editing time was 297 minutes. It contained 9 pages of text, with one half-page diagram.

It's going to be subjective based on what you needed to do to put your appeal together. What applications did you use to create the documents? You can often look at the properties to see how many hours were spent editing documents. How much time went into researching any case law or previous examples that you used in your case? You might try looking at your browser history to figure out what days you visited various sites and could then estimate a time for each day based on your research. Did you look at any other appeals? Did they have costs awarded? What were the costs? You need to be able to demonstrate how you got to a number, not just what the number is. Don't be afraid of valuing your time. You could have been doing other things, earning other income, missing out on opportunities etc. It all adds up.

Doesn't the WC door need to open outward for Building Regulations (Approved Document M)?

Dear [Electricity Company Name], I hope this message finds you well. I am writing regarding the electricity pole currently situated on my property at [Your Address]. While I do not have any objection to having the pole on my land, its current location poses some challenges for me. Given the circumstances, I would like to explore options for relocating the pole to a more suitable position. However, I am currently unable to cover the costs associated with this. I understand that, under the terms of our agreement, I have the option to provide 12 months' notice for the removal of the pole altogether. I would prefer not to take this route, as I value the service provided and would rather find a mutually agreeable solution. Could you please advise on how we might proceed with relocating the pole at no cost to me? I would greatly appreciate any assistance or guidance you can offer. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. Best regards, [Your Full Name] [Your Contact Information]

Superficially, and IANAL, it looks like you *may* be able to give 12 months' notice requesting the removal of the pole/equipment. They could apply for a compulsory wayleave, but if you are within your legal rights to ask for it to be removed, I'm sure they'd rather work with you to find a solution and would need to demonstrate that they had done this if they did apply for a compulsory wayleave.

Not all valves are bi-directional. Check the valve to see if it has arrows going in both directions. Also, some radiators have flow diverters so will state which side the flow should be on. Check that too.

100% The Electricity Act of 1989 required utility companies to secure their wayleaves, so if there was any issue with the legality of the 1936 wayleave, that should have been addressed at that time. If the DNO can't produce the legal documentation for the wayleave, and the associated plan (if applicable) then they have two options - apply under their compulsory wayleave powers to grant/renew it, or move the pole for you, potentially at their expense in return for you agreeing a new wayleave. Just keep pushing for the actual wayleave legal documentation or tell them in its absence, you want the pole removed. If they can't produce the evidence, they'll usually find some way to work with you to maintain the access they need.

Generally, no. Ask to see a copy of the wayleave and the associated plan. Post it here if you want some scrutiny but it's unlikely you'll be able to get it moved to someone else's land. It doesn't matter that part of the land has been sold; the wayleave would still be in effect for anything covered by the plan area. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-on-access-agreements "The difference between these forms of agreement had particular importance in the past, because the relevant form determined whether any subsequent purchaser of the land would be ‘bound’ (required to uphold) rights granted under the agreement and what Land Registry requirements applied. The Code reforms introduced in 2017 dealt with this issue. Regardless of form of code agreement (wayleave or easement), a successors in title (subsequent owners or purchasers) remain bound to code rights previously agreed." Our proposed plot has a wayleave in place for underground telephone cables and an easement for a 3" PVC water main. The terms of both allow us to request that they be moved (or removed), but the associated costs would be ours to bear. We can also only have them moved to land in our ownership - I can't request that they move them to someone else's land. Obviously, if someone else gives permission, then that is a different matter, but you would still be responsible for all costs.

Yes. Get an isolator if you can. Makes any future changes so much easier. Some companies will do this for nothing; others make a charge. Regardless, it isn't a massive expense and is worth it, but make sure you pre-arrange it otherwise the meter fitter may not a) have the parts and b) have the time to do it.

Wayleaves aren't necessarily tied to the owner. Conor has the right approach. Check your legal pack as it should be mentioned. Get a copy of the title for your plot and check for anything in there as it may be registered against the land or may be a specific easement. If there's nothing in your legal pack or title for the plot, ask SSE to provide the wayleave and then, assuming one exists, you'll be able to see the terms and decide how to proceed.

To add to JohnMo's comment, it's generally because in a commercial context (think hotel) different rooms might want to be cooled or warmed independently. By having four pipes / two coils, the entire complex can maintain a cooling pipe run and a heating pipe run, and then the individual units can be set to either provide heating or cooling dependant on the occupant wishes by using either the heating pipes/coil or the cooling pipes/coil. As he mentions, with a single ASHP, you can only either cool or heat - you can't do both at the same time. The following text is in my notes by way of example; "Two-pipe systems are less flexible than a four-pipe system. The entire building is in either heating mode or cooling mode. The changeover from heating to cooling or vice versa is made manually, and there is always the possibility that unusual weather patterns might cause some occupant discomfort. Overall, the majority of the buildings on campus are on a two-pipe system. This means when winter starts to set in, the two-pipe system must be switched from cold water to hot water. If the weather changes and it warms up for a few days, the occupants of a two-pipe building could become uncomfortable. The building system could then be switched back to cold water, but the manual switchover requires a couple of days. By the time this is accomplished, the weather could cool off again. So as you can see, when it comes to heating and cooling a space with a two-pipe system, especially in our fluctuating Kentucky weather, it is a guessing game."

If it's Dorset Council, then the following has all the links to the information you need. Surprised highways didn't provide this information in their original response to be honest. https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/highway-development-control-advice