ETC

@CharlieKLP It seem s to me reading through the posts that the answer to your question of what self-builders want in an architect (capital A) I think the answer is quite simple - a first class design or designs within a very specific and often meagre budget, planning approval, building regulations drawings, building control approval and to hold their hand on site and when the sh*t hits the fan all for a fee that you’d pay a plan drawer working with a couple of blunt Rotrings on his kitchen table. But seriously - I think you have a great opportunity for getting involved with the self-build community although I think that you find the experience much more challenging than working in practice. @IanR In relation professional fees - you get what you pay for - pay peanuts and you get monkeys. There are some very good architects out there who will be more than happy to give you a great design, give you construction drawings and help you on site for a very modest fee. You seem to think that an architect (A) is out to get as much money out of you for a small a service as possible. This is not the case for the majority of us who are very conscientious and who will go above and beyond what they are paid to do. I joined this forum in the hope of helping any self-builder with my skills and have done so successfully over the last few years through PM. I firmly believe that it is a false economy to hire one architect for the design and then take the design to a plan drawer to draw up. Finally - I will never hand over a CAD file to anyone.

@IanR Because the Architect's work is not the finished article. Having the Native CAD files is an advantage for preparing the Regs Drawings, drainage drawings, frame design, further renders to try different options etc. etc. etc. My question was rhetorical - use the same architect for building regulations drawings as planning drawings. This will remove the need for a CAD file to be given to a client and reduce mistakes and liability issues between all parties. If the client doesn't have these, then they need to return to the architect and pay a premium for the additional work, or get others to start from scratch. Agree a fee for planning and building control drawings at the start. I really can’t see any advantage - other than cost - for splitting the services but I do see a shed load of problems.

I’m afraid that I feel the same way as @the_r_sole. The is absolutely no need for any client to need the CAD file and I would never dream of giving a CAD file to anyone. Why on earth would I - having spent years setting up drawing types, creating line types, text and dimension types not to mention notes and blocks - hand this information to a client so that they can either hand it over to their friendly neighbourhood “plan drawer” to copy and to use as their own data. I was asked once for CAD files and when asked my client said that he wanted them so that if he ever extended the house he would have a CAD file and make doing any future drawing easier! I appreciate that the client may only require a part service (planning) from one person and then get an additional service (building regulations drawings) from another person but the only reason anyone would do this is to potentially reduce the cost of the preparation of the drawings. Having two consultants preparing separate design and construction drawings is in my opinion a very bad idea - mistakes can be made and once made fingers will get pointed and the client is stuck in the middle. I cannot understand why an architect would market him or herself to just do design or planning drawings. In my opinion a continuous service is the best way to go so that the construction drawings follow on once the design has been finalised and planning permission is obtained. I recently met an architect (A) who admitted to me that he didn’t do his own construction drawings. I really was dumbfounded that he had to bring another company in to do the construction drawings. Madness. Why on earth would you throw away the chance to earn money by not being able to do construction drawings?

I’m trying very hard to understand why a client would want a CAD file. Can someone please explain this to me.

You’re not paying for the CAD files. You are paying for drawings to get your proposal built but the drawings should be fully dimensioned and not left to a builder to scale from. There are copyright issues and potential abuse of CAD files if handed over to a client. I don’t agree that houses are no better than caves when it comes to design - space planning and conceptual design as well as smart housing, low energy and passive house design are all complex design problems that need a talented designer (note I didn’t say architect) to carry out.

Absolutely true. Resigned from the RIBA last year after paying a shed load of money in fees with next to nothing in return. I don’t even think the RIBA is interested in protecting the title and would prefer to promote the public using a “chartered architect” rather than anyone else who would - when the ARB is scrapped - be able to call themselves an architect.

I see house floor plans every single day that have been drawn by someone who has absolutely no idea of space planning. And guess what - developers are building them and the public are snapping them up. Shocking.

You’re missing the point - there is no such thing as part qualified architect. Until you register (with the ARB ) you’re not an architect. And I wouldn’t say being a member of the RIBA is really anything to write home about - (with all due respect for the bow-tie wearing brigade) probably great if you live in central London and can take a few hours off at lunchtime to swan over to HQ for a bit of (mainly unless) CPD given by some obscure product placement manufacturer but living outside London all you get is a glossy magazine every month for your subscription fee - bit of a waste of money really - just saying.

“I did employ a part-qualified RIBA architect.” No such thing. It’s like saying that someone is part pregnant - you either are an architect or you’re not. I’m presuming that this confusion is part of the perception of who or what an architect is. The RIBA does not control the registration of architects - the ARB does. I come across this confusion every day where anyone who can draw a straight line is referred to an an architect. Architects are registered with the ARB (in the UK) and can choose to join the RIBA if they so choose.

Lol…..

It’s not hard to locate a manhole on a site plan in relation to an existing house or to lift the manhole cover and measure the depth.

It’s been quite rare for me to see an architectural technician who thought about how people used the building, they seem to be really good at understanding how to make something work technically, but they seem to not really care too much about how people live in spaces. It’s a fantastic thing to find someone who can do it all. In my opinion an architect (A) should be able to come up with a good design and do the construction drawings. I see so many drawings and have been on so many sites where the houses have tiny rooms that can’t accommodate proper furniture. What ever happened to planning out a room with furniture?

I think it is a shame that many on here have had a bad experience of using architects. There are good and bad architects as well as good and bad architectural technicians and I have met, worked with, been employed by and assessed both. In my experience many - architects and architectural technician s are arrogant, ignorant and wouldn’t know how to draw a straight line with a ruler. However, there are many very good architects who will actually listen to their clients and will design something that they want and within a budget that can be built. I recently experienced the design of foundations on site having to be changed from strip foundations to mini piles because the “architect” didn’t survey the site properly and didn’t see the 3m deep manhole and drainage run just outside the back door of an existing house where an extension was to be placed. As an architect (A) I would always listen to any client and come up with something they want - not something I think they want - and I would always make design suggestions making the process a collaboration between designer and client.

btw if you are qualified, you should use Capital A. One thing I am jealous of. @saveasteadingWhat are you jealous of?

Lift it up and build underneath it in block.

…….or thicken up the inner leaf…….

You’ll need a tested framed system to give you 1HRFR.

Move the wall to comply or build the wall in masonry.

I do like the front door - unassuming and quite hidden - almost apologetic. I also like the idea of a reflecting pool between the wings of the house - nice and calming. I’m not sure about the roof wings - very “statementy” but I’d need convinced they were more than aesthetic. Boiler/plant in the garage should be fine. Bins at the end of the driveway - for such a lovely house the first thing you’ll see is bins and your heart will be broke running up and down to the bins from the house. If your house is anything like mine you’ll have the empty coke tins, milk cartons not to mention the odd pizza box. You should really consider a dedicated bin store close to the house - perhaps incorporated with the plant. No washing line - my missus wouldn’t be without one and I’m sure with the wind you’ll get you’d be getting free drying. You can’t have enough storage. I do think your shower rooms are a wee bit tight - you might want to think about making them very slightly bigger - not massive - but decent space between the appliances. The design slightly reminds me of a house just outside Belfast - similar plan form with a swimming pool and partially underground. If I can find a link I will post it. I think with the corten steel the house will taken on a monumental feel - almost like a Neolithic structure- but the roof could detract from that unless the roof “floated” above the walls. Take a look at the Giant’s Causeway Visitor centre - see how the architects created something monumental but simple at the same time.

This is no doubt heading for a Grand Design and will most certainly have a “wow” factor. However: Where will the bins go? Where is the boiler? Is there any fuel storage? Where will the washing line be located? Is there adequate storage - Christmas decorations and tree? The hoover and ironing board? Some thoughts: Have you thought about handing the plan so that the Kitchen is next to the Utility Room and the Study is next to the bedroom block? Perhaps think about reducing the size of the Master Bedroom en-suite and/or reconfiguring the layout?

Depends how old the house is.

What’s your SAP assessor say about that?

Just be careful photocopying anything with copyright. Land Registry are not keen on having their maps photocopied.

With all due respect - this is not a contract dispute. It’s bad workmanship which does not comply with the Regulations. The spray foam is just a sticking plaster and should be avoided.