CharlieKLP

Do you mean after the architect is finished? I don’t see a problem with that once you are handing it over. My issue would be when you are working on a drawing you need to take ownership of it. If there are errors in the work, it’s best that the architect did them themselves rather than taking the blame for other people moving things!

Yes please do! Same to you I’ll look forward to it.

What do you mean by ‘just a planning drawing’, there’s a lot of knowledge and expertise involved in designing a house to get planning. An engineer would probably struggle to get a nice design through planning. I think there’s a lot of unwarranted blaming that comes up from architects drawings not being perfect. Most things are actually buildable if you have the skills to translate a planning drawing. I’ve seen as many brainless engineering solutions as I have bad architects drawings. the fact is, every design has to start somewhere. You usually start with the design and work too the technical, and it’s the combination of those skillsets that gives you the best design. You wouldn’t start with an engineering calc and then turn it into your dream house would you? Well, I wouldn’t anyway.

What do you want the CAD version for exactly? the reason you don’t give them out, is because cad files contain a lot of information and work beyond the floor plan. Blocks and things. It also creates an issue where different people are changing things, it’s confusing and legally tricky. Do you just want dimensions? when I start a design, I don’t put dimensions on as people get stuck on numbers. You can end up moving things 200mm when they don’t even know where they want a room.

That’s such a great idea, would really love to one day. I don’t have any money though, I don’t get paid that much! I like the idea to market my business as a self build architect, and yes cost effective design is what I would go for if I was going to build. I actually prefer to design smaller houses than mansions.

Most of the RIBA training I’ve been to was just people trying to hawk their products. lol true about the wiggley lines. I’m more of the CAD era so I never picked up the shakey hand skill.

Lol true. Yes they did fit! Also Kevin ‘got’ the design which I really loved. It all went a bit too well for TV. I don’t know, do people really use those words or are they sort of assumed now. I feel like they are like ‘wow factor’ and ‘mancave’. Best left in the early 2000’s.

That is fantastic Thankyou! the schema is really great, and I wasn’t too bad with the 5k for Design and planning and a topo from others then really, they charge 6k but I imagine they are a bigger practice. They do some nice things, good choice. no need, I believe you. I think I’ve heard it before in learning the piano.

Hello, congrats hope it is going well. May I ask where you found the designer, was it a website or word of mouth? I’m not in RIBA as it’s a bit of a rip off, but I think people seem to recognise it more than the ARB. I don’t know if it’s worth spending £250 for a logo on my email or not. People like the little logo though don’t they?!

Haha no, not my intention to say so. Everyone is entitled to say what they want from an architect, personally I would go to a surveyor for a survey, that’s all I’m saying there. …and no they teach us at university to be professional and promote good design quality. It’s hard for a lot of people to quantify how much value there is in design quality, I do think it matters sorry.

Lol thanks, 20,000 hours is very precise ? how would you like to be charged, if you don’t mind me asking.

Yes I’m kind of getting the message that it’s not clear what an architect is to self-builders, and that’s where a lot of people are tripping up. As in, ‘what do you want from your architect? = to be a surveyor’ ! I think you can get it cheaper and more accurate from a surveyor, it’s not lazyness it’s practically. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked with self builders for a long time now, I do understand the market and how to design what people want and can build, I know they can be tricky. I think what I’m getting, is as long as I am clear about what I offer, and honest about the price, it should go some way towards sorting out the confusion. I don’t know… Maybe 5k is quite high for people to hear upfront but it’s what my firm offers at the moment, and I would include 3Ds and visits. I’ve met self builders who spent 15k and didn’t get plans that worked for planning. I’d say that was expensive and a rip-off, they weren’t even nice houses.

I probably wouldn’t be doing site surveys, I think that’s a surveyor’s job. As a sole practitioner I don’t have any money to buy things to measure levels which is quite important. Same with tree surveys, that’s for a specialist. Mainly I want to know what people want from the architect’s part? Would you be happy with a design that gets planning and some 3Ds for 5k? Assuming you’ve seen my portfolio and references, and I’m contactable and timely.

Wonderful list by the way, thanks for your insight.

That sounds like I’d have to get dirt on my beautiful artists hands ?

I would always get the customer to employ a surveyor, would someone really employ an architect to survey a site? That seems like something outside their skill set.

Do you think as self builders, you should be taking charge of things yourselves, ie, your budget? if you tell an architect you want to spend x per m2, then they work to that, is that enough or do you want an architect to be costing everything for you? do you want 3Ds Would you like the architect to be designing the house for you, or drawing up your design and advising whether it will get planning or not? do you need construction drawings from the architect?

I did, sorry! I understand now I think. I would hope even a pretty bad architect would do that! Yes I see what you mean now, practicality as in how to maintain the property. 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. I was just really wondering when I asked this, do people want architects to design them ‘nice’ houses, because a lot of self builders I meet seem to want to design their own houses and don’t care if they look bad and don’t have sensible sized rooms.

If you want someone to prioritise practicality over design, why would you go with an architect? Not being rude, I just wonder what you mean by that as it doesn’t make sense. For me an architect adds value by creating something attractive that works, a technician would prioritise practicality, as in be technical and cheap.

I have a decent portfolio, I’ve been designing houses for 20 years now, I’ve even been on Grand Designs. My customers give me good feedback. I was thinking of charging 5k for a design for planning. Does that sound too low or too high? With that I could cover my insurance and start up fee in one job. I don’t fancy charging by the hour or percentage of the build cost. I don’t really like doing building regulation work or costing. I’m quite practical but I don’t like designing ugly houses obviously. I don’t want to be project managing, unless people pay extra. how are you not an average self builder?

I am a qualified architect and I’d like to design houses for self-builders. I currently work for a firm but I want to work for people freelance as my own company. I am just curious what people like yourselves want from someone like me. What help do you need and how would you find an architect, would you consider a freelance architect?

Agreed there, this looks like someone just doing what they want with little skill or thought. If they had the money to build this they had some to pay a designer to break up the bulk, sort the windows out, pick a nicer brick. (And get them planning permission!) I hope they make them take it down, and I usually think that’s harsh, but this is a big scaley monster.

I think you can achieve everything with standard timber frame that you can with SIPs, and about 15% less cost. Unless you want a passive house, SIPs are overengineering for a house. They also aren’t as good if you want to span openings or have vaulted ceilings. I’ve worked with CPS a little, I just think most builders prefer to put the finishes on, on site. It probably is a little quicker, but the more people who can do it, the more choice you have. I don’t mean to be down on either system, but I just think they are too expensive for what they achieve.

Hi! Ask them for a topo quote. If you are going to use them, then they will be able to give you the service discount. I don’t know why you got such a high quote when you looked for surveyors, is there an existing building on your site? A survey should be less than 1k, with an elevation from the road too. also on the website, it says 4K plus vat, so say you want that price. https://www.potton.co.uk/what-we-do/build-systems/pricing-structure-build-costs-guide I wouldn’t trust an architect to design me a house without a topo, you are going to need one eventually anyway. It’s not a ridiculous request at all.

@Post and beam How much was the survey Potton recommended to you?