ETC

Never ever agree on a percentage fee - it’s a lazy way to determine a fee. Get them to actually work out what it will cost them to do the work.

I am very sorry to hear of your experience - it really isn’t - or shouldn’t be the norm. You should have determined your contract with them and made a complaint to ARB and RIAS. There is no place for incompetence in the profession. Smacks of inexperience to me.

Yes.

If i was in your shoes I would speak to your neighbour to start with - if you like the look of his house ask him who did the drawings and go from there. Whoever you choose tell them EXACTLY what you want and ask them for a fixed fee for this service - including all expenses, printing, mileage and so on - plus VAT. You could also ask for an hourly rate to be kept on the end of the telephone.

And bash again. You guys really do not like architects. The truth is that 90% of the drawings done in this industry are not done by architects - plan drawers! Check who you employ for starters - an architect should (and is legally obliged to) agree the cost of his services with you before he lifts a pen (well in this day and age a mouse).

Are you sure he was an "architect" - bet he wasn't!

Time to bash the architect - again!!

Absolutely.

As I said - pay peanuts and get monkeys. I have seen so so many sh*t designs on this forum it is unbelievable - but hey it was as cheap as chip so who cares!

You get what you pay for. Pay peanuts get monkeys!

I really can’t see a problem. Windows need to be guarded where the opening sash is less than 800mm from a floor. An EEW has a range of between 800mm and 1100mm from the floor to the underside of the opening sash. Have your cill height at 1000mm and make the window opening suitable for the required ventilation. Can someone explain it to me please?

800mm is minimum not maximum height at an openable window. Lower than 800mm you will need guarding.

You need a full landing at the top and bottom of a staircase - you can have a cupboard opening onto it but you need 400mm space between the doors and the top step - you can’t achieve this unless you open the door into the store.

What’s more important - not falling out of a window or getting enough fresh air?

Very easily Joe - use a restrictor stay.

Can you post the requirement for window openings to be not lower than 1100? Thanks.

I agree - the Guidance is Guidance but there still needs to be a bit more consistency between BCOs.

Roof lights can go down to 600mm above FFL.

Conor - where the windows are LOWER than the required 800mm above FFL a restrictor stay to an EEW (or any window for that matter) is acceptable as long as it complies with BS8213-1:2004. The requirement here is for guarding - would your BCO have failed your windows if they had been taken to FFL? where there is no requirement for the lower edge (of a EEW) to be not less than 800mm above FFL.

Madness - putting a 25mm step is a complete waste of time. There needs to be a bit of common sense when measuring the height of an EEW. Thicker carpet would have helped! It doesn’t make it right though.

Not a good idea - the EEW is there for your safety - I’m surprised that BC have even allowed you to put a step in but if they are happy put it in and leave it there.

I wouldn’t put PIR in a floor.