Architect with ICF experience needed! HELP

[Northcourt Couple]

Hi all,

 

We are building a two storey extension and in desperate need of an architect, we know what design we want just need help with plans and submission...we are based in Abingdon. Can anyone help?

[Moonshine]

FYI, You might actually be better with a Architectural Technologist if you have your design sorted, and you just need someone to formalise it and make sure it goes together.

 

Have a look here and you can contact them to see what their experience is of ICF

 

https://ciat.org.uk/find-a-practice.html?q=&search_by=location

[K78]

Your ICF supplier should be able to help. Most have in-house SE. 

[ToughButterCup]

40 minutes ago, Northcourt Couple said:

[...]

and in desperate need of an architect,

[...]

 

On BH, as soon as you say the magic word ' architect ' some of us (the nicer bunch ?)  see your bank balance taking fire from a  machine-gun.  Others disagree. I wouldn't want your thread to be diverted into a common cul de sac. If you want an architect, get one. You might like to investigate what an Architectural Technician can do for you as well.

 

Architects design - thats all (can you hear the howl from most architect's offices ?) . Doesn't matter all that much what the build system is. Yes, it would be just tickety boo if you got lucky and found an architect with both a sense of humility and humour who knew her way round an ICF block. Thing is, if she did, what would that change about the design? A little bit here and there maybe , but it wouldn't change the  look, feel, essence,  dare I say the soul of the place.

 

At your stage of the planning phase I didn't know that architects rely heavily on Structural Engineers. They're the ones that do the hard sums - they are the ones who say whether its safe to (say) build a roof  quite like the one you have always dreamed about,  or how much  rebar (reinforcement bars) the ICF needs.

 

Hence the common sneer - architects are merely educated artists. Unjustified in my opinion.

 

Here's the thing: our SE had no idea how much (in our case ; little) rebar our ICF (Dursiol) needs. However a specialist Dursiol SE did know. Result ; saved several thousand pounds.  The original SE was brilliant at designing the foundations for our place - the Durisol  SE had no idea how to design foundations. 

 

You know the design you want. Sure you need an architect? If bits of the design are  ' interesting '  you'll need an SE. You may well find a hesitancy on the part of architects to merely rubber stamp your design. 

Here's a link to the official list of architects in the Abingdon area.

Here's a checklist about briefing an architect

Good luck!

Ian

 

[Northcourt Couple]

Now you are scaring me ha ha...

So here is what I am dealing with...

This is my first reply from a local architect..

'Dear Wendy,

I suggest you contact Building Control at Vale of White Horse, as they will be the authority approving your extension. They will let you know if the product is suitable or not.'

 

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

57 minutes ago, AnonymousBosch said:

[...]

You may well find a hesitancy on the part of architects to merely rubber stamp your design. 

 

[...]

 

Hmmm, where to go from here .... ? Who designed the plans?

[Jeremy Harris]

TBH, for an extension you're almost certainly going to get a more positive response from an Architectural Technician.  This is their bread-and-butter work, and the majority of them are better acquainted with the sort of detail needed to make an extension work well and integrate to the rest of the house.

 

We would have used an AT for our house, as I found one locally who was really great.  In our case he retired during the delay between us first finding the plot and completing the purchase, so I ended up doing the job myself (steep learning curve, and not one I'd recommend unless you have a lot of spare time).