ETC

Sorry. I don’t like it very much. I think both the plan and elevations need simplifying, the main roof is big enough for another storey ( it looks out of scale with the rest of the house) and both the porch and the mono-pitched roof at the back are bolted onto the house rather than part of it. The study is too small and your designer should really think about the location of your bathroom/shower room sanitary ware in relation to windows. Better to get natural light and ventilation rather than relying on mechanical ventilation. Did you design this yourself and give it to someone to draw up or did your plan drawer design this? Hand the staircase and make a cloakroom from part of the utility room, rotate the dining table 90 degrees and use a shelving unit as a room divider rather than pocket doors.

Absolutely….get that wall level with a masonry base before you even think of putting on those coping stones. Don’t even think of glue or foam!

No problem for the sketch. I was alluding to Irish rural architecture with the form and materials in a way I don’t think your proposal does - unfortunately. The current trend for this type of aesthetic is - in my opinion - more relevant to Irish rural architecture than anything I’ve seen in a long time - but each to his own. I’m not a fan of the duality created by the double gables and the internal valley is - I agree - not a great idea. I look forward to seeing your final design. Please keep us posted.

@BemakA small sketch.

I do like the symmetry and simplicity of this rural hipped roof house. If you are using this form as a precedent I think your plan form needs to be lengthened to give you a bit of a ridge and the fenestration simplified.

I think the massing and a hipped roof is wrong. Just my opinion. I’m always confused that planners always want to use the “(Irish) Country Cottage” as a benchmark and precedent without ever realising that other (perhaps more colonial) precedents are available.

Grand….just doesn’t really look like anything I’d expect to see in the Irish countryside. I would have expected something a bit more agricultural/rural with perhaps a twist of the contemporary.

Sorry - doesn’t whet my whistle I’m afraid.

Don’t agree. Architects use percentage fee costs because they can’t be ar*sed working a proper fee proposal out. Either tell them you want a fixed fee or go elsewhere.

Just bring the gutter across the window as you previously suggested. It isn’t a new idea, has been used in the past and will look fine. Did your designer not see this when he was drawing the elevations or is this a change on site?

Seems expensive to me.

You only need him to do a design and get Planning Permission and Building Control Approval. Tell him that’s all you need and get him to re-quote his fees. He will more than likely need to appoint a SE on your behalf (depending on the design). Do your own SAP CDM and tendering. Ask him for an hourly rate to be on the end of the phone during the construction phase. Let him do any survey - put as much liability in his lap as you can. Giving him measured surveys that you have done is asking for trouble. If you are self building and organising the trades yourself there is no value in him tendering the works - all he will do is send out his drawings to a few main contractors and as a self builder this is not what you want. Be aware that the drawings he produces for building control will not necessarily be good enough to tender from. Ask him for a cost to produce proper construction drawings for you. My building regulations drawings will always go a wee bit above and beyond and will allow the client to tender the majority of the works. I don’t do door or window schedules or specify specific kitchen or sanitary ware fittings and fixtures. Good luck.

Warm flat roof. More height, no ventilation required and will look great.

No problem. I hope it helps. Keep an eye on your bedroom sizes. I have assumed a double bed and have left minimum distances around them. I have also shown a larger 2.0mx2.0m bed in the master bedroom. I’m happy to elevate the plans if you’d like - just let me know.

@Selfbuildnewbie

Personally it looks a bit twee - more something you’d see in rural Europe or America. Plus it will need lots of maintenance and a few tins of Cuprinol. If it was me I’d keep it simple.

@Omnibuswomanpost floor plans showing the location of all sanitary appliances - including the location of any condensing boiler which needs a foul drain connection - and I’ll take a look. However keep the layout simple, place ICs at all changes of direction and gradient, place a(S) VP at the highest IC/MH and you won’t go wrong. Work out the inlet invert level of the treatment plans and work back from there. Falls should be around 1:40 and cover needs to be a minimum of 600mm for a driveway and 300mm for a garden. Quite straight forward to do a plan - a bit more complicated root work out falls and invert levels. Also depth of cover will determine the diameter of any ICs or MHs.

I don’t see why - with a little bit of imagination - you can’t have the accommodation you need and still build something financially viable and suitable for a conservation area.

https://architects-register.org.uk God help the profession.

No he hasn’t. If this was designed by an architect I’d be very surprised. This is not a design suitable for a conservation area - and to consider demolishing an existing original bay window should be avoided. The new extension should always be subservient and celebrate the original rather than dominating it. Id love to hear the feedback from your planners especially the conservation officer.

The extension is too big, over-bearing and dominates the existing dwelling.

I think they are saying that good design advice is only good when it’s what the poster wants to hear. Reminds me of that story - the one about the emperer and his new clothes?