Draftsman recommendations

[bassanclan]

Just looking for reccomendations for a super cheap draftsman.

I want to build a two storey side extension, I know the design I want, I know the measurements. I just need the technical drawing skills rather than the architectural skills.

Anyone used something similar and recommend them to save me getting my box of pencils and set square out!

[ETC]

Give it a go! - and post your drawings.

[ETC]

And how cheap is super cheap? - what kind of dough are we talking? Asking for a friend😆😁

[CharlieKLP]

I’d help but CAD is like 2k for a years licence now. I mean who is paying that subscription fee  and still charging peanuts?

[bassanclan]

Ive had a chap come with a quote of £300 to draw it for planning and a further £300 for building regs, but I need to provide him with a measured building survey.

He will allow for one revision, but after that extra charges.

Next best is £590 + £450 and others are well into the thousands.

[Temp]

If you want to do them yourself.. Fusion 360 is very powerful and free for home use.

[ETC]

6 hours ago, bassanclan said:

Ive had a chap come with a quote of £300 to draw it for planning and a further £300 for building regs, but I need to provide him with a measured building survey.

He will allow for one revision, but after that extra charges.

Next best is £590 + £450 and others are well into the thousands.

£600 all in is very, very cheap. If he can deliver what you want you should go with him but I’d get him to quote for a measured building survey. It’s better him doing it than anyone else.

[DevilDamo]

These kind of posts make me laugh and worry at the same time.

 

You’re going to be spending a large sum of money on achieving your dreams/requirements, but don’t want to spend the ‘going rate’ for somebody to make those work or bring to reality. These people are usually qualified and/or chartered and so their expertise and knowledge is worth every penny.

 

Cutting corners for a cheaper service at the outset can potentially pay dividends during the build or post completion.

[CharlieKLP]

@DevilDamo sometimes so, but an extension where the client knows what they want is kind of a waste of time for someone super-skilled to do. It’s the kind of thing you would take to an architect and they would give it to the new person and still charge you a lot. 
 

If @bassanclan has found £600 up to building regs, then it sounds pretty decent. Plus he’s asked for the survey so he’s not a total idiot. 
 

I wouldn’t do it yourself though, that’s just going to annoy you learning a lot of drawing program and skills at once.

[bassanclan]

I would actually rather NOT have any architectural input, if I had the IT skills to draw it up myself I would rather do that.

 

On a previous property I spent a considerable amount of money and time getting an architect to design an extension only to end up drawing something myself and telling him to draw it to scale... "Yes that would work nicely" he said.

 

In terms of the design I don't need design input, i know exactly what the layout and elevations need to look like and what architectural features need to be included. So a skilled architect or technician isn't needed, just someone with the relevant CAD skills

[DevilDamo]

2 minutes ago, bassanclan said:

just someone with the relevant CAD skills

Will you be taking on the role in making sure the proposals meet and comply with all the relevant Planning, Building Regulations and other approvals? How about the structural engineering side of things and how that will be co-ordinated?

[SteamyTea]

11 hours ago, bassanclan said:

just someone with the relevant CAD skills

Our @joe90 has a CAD system that he drew his whole house up with.

Called Crayon Assisted Design.

you don't need to have computer printed stuff.

 

[joe90]

🤣, I did do paper drawings ( ‘O’ level engineering drawing when at school decades ago) but gave them to an architect to put on CAD and submit to the council (and he got so much wrong I had to keep correcting him).

[SteamyTea]

If you really must get a draughtsman, look at their fingers.

They know how to dispose of debt as well.

 

[CharlieKLP]

You never know you might also get invited to a secret "Wink-Wink" at the "You-Know-What” too!

[SteamyTea]

9 minutes ago, CharlieKLP said:

You never know you might also get invited to a secret "Wink-Wink" at the "You-Know-What” too!

This is the Masons, not the golf club where they 'like to play around'.

[ETC]

21 hours ago, DevilDamo said:

These kind of posts make me laugh and worry at the same time.

 

You’re going to be spending a large sum of money on achieving your dreams/requirements, but don’t want to spend the ‘going rate’ for somebody to make those work or bring to reality. These people are usually qualified and/or chartered and so their expertise and knowledge is worth every penny.

 

Cutting corners for a cheaper service at the outset can potentially pay dividends during the build or post completion.

Why? Curious to know.

[DevilDamo]

2 hours ago, ETC said:

Why? Curious to know.

I already explained why. 

[ETC]

@DevilDamoAre you saying that an inexpensive service is a bad one and that drawings that cost very little are not as good as drawings that are more expensive?

[DevilDamo]

4 hours ago, ETC said:

@DevilDamoAre you saying that an inexpensive service is a bad one and that drawings that cost very little are not as good as drawings that are more expensive?

I didn’t say that at all so not sure how you came to that conclusion.

 

There are plenty of people who can CAD up drawings from clients’ mark-up’s. There are fewer people who take a clients’ brief, review and analyse the design in conjunction making sure it’s compliant in both Planning and Building Regulations terms.

[ETC]

I didn’t say that you did - I was asking if that was what you meant in your post.

 

You seem to be berating the poster for not using someone who is qualified or chartered. In my experience competency does not equate to being qualified or chartered.

 

I’m afraid that I do not agree that the fees charged by those who are qualified or chartered reflect the services they deliver and in many cases professional services are delivered by junior inexperienced staff who - while enthusiastic and committed to what they are doing - may not have the technical skills to satisfactorily deliver what their clients need.

 

In this instance I am making an assumption that the poster only needs someone to CAD up the drawings and doesn’t need the input from a designer that is their decision to make - but whatever risk they take in relation to compliance with statutory approvals is theirs to take and will - more than likely - be reflected in the proposed fee. 

 

Don’t forget that this is a forum for self-builders many of whom would like to try and do their own drawings - with or without professional help - it is part of the learning process and experience of a self-build project.

 

I suppose by joining this forum and posting questions many self-builders are hoping to try and do as much of the work as possible - including preparing the drawings for a planning or building control application to save as much money as possible - something which I applaud. This may or may not be the right decision to make but it is theirs to make.

 

Just saying and thanks for reading.

[joe90]

13 minutes ago, ETC said:

Don’t forget that this is a forum for self-builders many of whom would like to try and do their own drawings - with or without professional help - it is part of the learning process and experience of a self-build project.

Yup, exactly what I did, I only paid to put  it on CAD because I can’t!!! The Architect that I got to do it (worked previously with my builder) got loads wrong, could not even follow what I gave him.

[ETC]

Just now, joe90 said:

Yup, exactly what I did, I only paid to put  it on CAD because I can’t!!! The Architect that I got to do it (worked previously with my builder) got loads wrong, could not even follow what I gave him.

And you probably gave him quite a few quid for making a hash!

[joe90]

20 minutes ago, ETC said:

And you probably gave him quite a few quid for making a hash!

Yup , not impressed, but I made him do it again (several times) till he got it right.