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MiriPiri

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Hi

 

I'm totally new to all of this and totally flummoxed by the enormity of the task of a self build.  So my question is, how do you choose the professionals you'll need in your team?  Where do you start?  Do you choose an architect and then follow their recommendations for surveyors, builders etc?  Can people please advise how they went about this and really sorry if this is a totally stupid question.  

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Welcome.


IMO the key things are

 

1 - to have a short eg one page statement of what you want to achieve, and what you want to do yourself. There is a thread of a few of these somewhere.

2 -  to keep referring back to it.

3 - to choose your consultants etc slowly and carefully. You will need time to learn; take it and use it to become a knowledgeable client. If you are starting from scratch say a year of reading around and mulling over.

4  - see their past work. They all have their own style / language, and you need it to match yours approximately. If it does, you don't have to pay them to learn a style that does. 

5 - To control costs, define the scope carefully rather than browbeating about spending less. Consider where each can add value. eg architects for ideas and inspiration, architectural technicians if you really want a competent drawer of plans. There is value in engaging an architect up to the stage of getting PP, and then taking a reassessment.

 

 I had some reflections here, which may be useful. It was for a big project involving getting PP and selling with Outline PP to a developer.

 

 

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited by Ferdinand
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Where are you based?

There's a few architects who have "project readiness" guides which could help you...

The main thing is that you want to speak to a number and make sure you get a designer you are comfortable with, so you can be completely open about your lifestyle and tastes etc, I'd also say to look for someone that wants to find out about you rather than just jump straight into designing what they think you want...

 

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On 09/09/2020 at 21:50, the_r_sole said:

Where are you based?

There's a few architects who have "project readiness" guides which could help you...

The main thing is that you want to speak to a number and make sure you get a designer you are comfortable with, so you can be completely open about your lifestyle and tastes etc, I'd also say to look for someone that wants to find out about you rather than just jump straight into designing what they think you want...

 

Ok. Thank you.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I've been in touch with 3 architects.  One sent info about himself said he would visit the site after I sent my ideas to him and I haven't heard from him since.  The second said he would me examples of his work.  That was 2 weeks ago and I've heard nothing!  The third was been very enthusiastic, visited the site, sent an initial proposal, has listened to my requests and set up Pinterest boards to share ideas.  The build cost is 97sqm @ £1,650/sqm for a timber building and zinc roof.  The architect charge is 7%.  Does this all seem fair?  I'm not sure if I should be looking for two other architects or just go with the keeny beeny one.

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On 27/09/2020 at 12:15, MiriPiri said:

Well, I've been in touch with 3 architects.  One sent info about himself said he would visit the site after I sent my ideas to him and I haven't heard from him since.  The second said he would me examples of his work.  That was 2 weeks ago and I've heard nothing!  The third was been very enthusiastic, visited the site, sent an initial proposal, has listened to my requests and set up Pinterest boards to share ideas.  The build cost is 97sqm @ £1,650/sqm for a timber building and zinc roof.  The architect charge is 7%.  Does this all seem fair?  I'm not sure if I should be looking for two other architects or just go with the keeny beeny one.

 

that's cheap, cheap on both the build costs and the percentage

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Lots of good points here.

 

Miri Piri.. good points. You'll get there faster than you think.. break the task down into pieces, if your not sure about something then leave it and look at something else.. look at the finishes.. exciting stuff.. sleep on it. It's confusing at first but you are putting the work into it and suddenly it will all come together for you.

 

Every day is a school day and I think we are all born stupid.

 

In terms of designers..competancy, vision etc is a key and a prerequisite.. but it is your project.  It's essential that you actually like the person, not all with agree with me but.. This is your home (not a commercial project) and if you don't take to them in the first few minutes then carry on looking, no matter how good the cv looks, trust your gut feeling and this will serve you well.

 

No matter what you read about contracts etc, this is also a people business too.. your journey should be fun and rewarding and strangely builders are human too and like working for good folk who will give and take. If things start to get a bit rough then you need folk that like each other and this make it easier to sort things out. On big project's, HS2 say every one knows that there are no friends in the desert at the first meeting. You'll read lots of stuff about being hard nosed but it's not always the case..just be firm and fair, make sure you pay on time for a fair days work and there are a lot of builders who will return the favour!

 

 

 

 

 

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On ‎27‎/‎09‎/‎2020 at 12:15, MiriPiri said:

Well, I've been in touch with 3 architects.  One sent info about himself said he would visit the site after I sent my ideas to him and I haven't heard from him since.  The second said he would me examples of his work.  That was 2 weeks ago and I've heard nothing!  The third was been very enthusiastic, visited the site, sent an initial proposal, has listened to my requests and set up Pinterest boards to share ideas.  The build cost is 97sqm @ £1,650/sqm for a timber building and zinc roof.  The architect charge is 7%.  Does this all seem fair?  I'm not sure if I should be looking for two other architects or just go with the keeny beeny one.

I am in the same position trying to piece it all together and it does seem a bit overwhelming at times , the first question i would ask is what do i get for 7% ? 

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On 02/10/2020 at 09:40, Buzz said:

I am in the same position trying to piece it all together and it does seem a bit overwhelming at times , the first question i would ask is what do i get for 7% ? 

The 7% is based on the estimate of the final construction cost.

 

Thank you for your comments everyone. 

 

My first hurdle - there is an old stable on the road side so the first battle is to get planning in principal to be able to build elsewhere in the field and not on the stable site.  I really don't want to be on the road side as although the road is relatively quiet it has timber lorries thundering past.

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We are completely new to self building too. A little further on than you are. I liked our architect and he has proved a valuable friend by tweaking the plans every time I thought of an improvement. He never scoffed or tried to talk me out of changes but gave me the facts I needed to make a good decision. With him it all came in the asking price.

 

You will need planning advice over whether the planners will look more kindly on "converting" the old stable or a separate build. You might be able to compromise and incorporate the stable as, say, a garage or workshop. All planners are different, even within planning departments!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am always amazed to hear from Architects and self builders who automatically assume a Metal Roof is a One Fits All Solution. 

Metals behave differently, whether it's expansion, colour, formability aging and patination or risk from corrosion, external environment or underside from a wrong build up. 

Architects cannot always be relied upon to know everything, and Manufacturers can be guilty of being blinkered to their product sale. 

There are good Independent sources of information. It's important not to have a single product mindset, if however you are set on a particular metal take advice willingly. 

Huge price differential is possible, this doesn't mean expensive is best or cheapest is worse. Media hike and Marketing drives the price these days. Be open with your design and stay flexible 

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