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I’m hoping you can help me steer my architectural technician in the right direction with these drawings he’s done for me. It seems the arch tec wants to build the 1990s way, with concessions to the latest building regs. I want to build the Build Hub way. I don’t have an architect (although I have recently looked into bringing one on board). I drew the house myself to achieve PP & now I’m relying on an arch tec to get my design through full plans BR approval & then do the construction drawings & notes, so I can continue building (we’ve already built up to the B&B floor). This Sketchup shows a very early draft design for my house (the chimney has since been deleted & other improvements have been made, including reducing glazing). I’m seeking advice on the detail for the big dormer that hangs over the edges of the first floor.

Looking for recommendation for Architectural Technician, preferably in the Mourne area, or anywhere in N Ireland I need Building Control and Build drawings for a 4 bed, 2 storey home on a superb brown field site. TIA

Hi guys - I am looking for a CAD technician, with full knowldge of the Building Regulations, to convert my layout sketch to a set of Building COntrol and Build drawings - any recommendations? I am not looking for the full architectural service, but person must be able to take the lead in the area of compliance/regulation. TIA, James

Just signed on the dotted line with MBC for our timber frame and slab. My question is on building regs. What exactly is needed for building regs? I believe MBC / their SE provide calcs for the structure / slab which covers off that bit. Does anyone have a list of what else is needed? What other drawings might be required (even if not for building regs)? And are these needed at the start? Or can we sort those as we go along. Our architect is trying to scare us......

Ok, Spell check always pulls me up when I use the word 'joinings', but it is the most succinct and appropriate word for how materials, and planes meet...OK it's a clumsy and ugly word, but then...Are you ahead of me here? So many of the inelegant bodges you can get if you leave it to chance. I would have to say that if you involve an architect on your project, you should end up with no visual nasty detailing, junctions and the "how the hell do we get round this" type of phone call. Many people know my views on CAD (this discussion started 10 years ago and I trust things have improved!)...it stands for computer aided drawing, not computer aided design. It is also a fine example of 'rubbish in, rubbish out' sad to say. I recall as a 'brain, eye, pencil and paper' designer asking a few years ago, 'why doesn't the computer flag-up that the plan doesn't match the elevation?' after spending a Sunday with a ream of print-outs and a bottle of Tippex..'nah, can't be done' and that was Microstation, used for space probes Well, I trust the systems do now. I encourage all to do as many drawings as possible, just to explore ideas, ideally in 3D, but I would appeal for drawings of internal elevations and ceiling layout. Apart from being very useful for the illustration of precise heights of sills and lintels, position of vents, power points and switches, television slots, brackets and cables, wall lights, hooks etc, it highlights any potential clashes of planes, beam ends and heights, column to beam junctions, internal corners etc. If you are giving £500 to a plan drawer, tell him/her you want lots of sections through the tricky bits and all the internal elevations and ceilings. Leave nothing to chance or serendipity.