House Designers

[Mary1]

I've recently been looking around for quotes to have a 7m x 9m single storey extension designed and put through planning permission and building regs.

I found this site http://jrpcad.co.uk/default.aspx thanks to a post on here and they have quoted me £599 for the design work and any potential structural fees, Is this good??? I'ts the cheapest I've found so far,

They are coming to meet me on Wednesday to have a look and to give me some advice

Thanks

Mary1 - Derby

[phansford]

Mary -

The fee for design work can vary from location to location. In American dollars 599 GBP is $980.00 US (Roughly). Based on an hourly rate of $75 per hour ( 45.90 GBP per hour), this would equate to about 12 to 13 hours of my time.

So you need to ask yourself, can someone actually perform all of the design work necessary for your project in 12 hours. (I seriously doubt it). I typically take between 24-40 hours to do a room addition of this size. But we also don't provide the minimum set of drawings required to get a permit. We want to provide enough detail that the contractor fully understands the work necessary for the project.

The Drawings are part of your CONTRACT with the contractor. If it is not on the drawings..... he might argue he didn't bid it.

I would caution you about contracting design services solely based on the fee. You need to factor in other issues such as the quality of the work, the personally of the designer, recommendations from past clients and so on.

There is a British forum member who visits and posts here frequently. They may be of greater assistance. You might send them a PM.

Good luck.

[JRPcad1]

phansford,

Mary mentioned to me that she found me on here, in all honesty it does take me around 12-15 hours to finish all of the work required to meet planning permission and building regulations standards (this normally includes time for surveying and amendments).

I'd honestly say that my work is to (in my opinion) an average level of detail, but easily good enough to aquire planning permission and building control approval (which are fairly strict in the UK).

Allthough £599 does seem cheap, I have found people who are willing to do the work for people for £299 I even had one guy telling me he had found someone to do his work for £50 and would I better that? I laughed and told him I'm not prepared to work for nothing... and when the guy screws up the drawings come and talk to me. I think the recession has allowed alot of cowboys into the industry!!!

I'd like to think that I offer a happy median to my clients, they won't get the massive level of detail some architects go to (hence sometimes their massive fees), and not that cheap that I'll do a shoddy rushed job that would generally waste money and time in the long run. I rarely get questions from the builders who work from my drawings, so I presume they are happy with the detailing.

Look forward to meeting you tomorrow Mary1

Best Regards

James

[Kevin]

JRPcad, faking a two-party conversation which is really just with yourself is really pathetic online behavior.

What's more, it is deception, an abuse of the good will of other forum members, spam, and against our forum usage guidelines.

If you want to create theater, please label it as such. Then again, if it is all about self-promotion and not about contributing to the community... then please, don't even bother.

[phansford]

[lekizz]

[phansford]

[Checkpoint43]

"You get what you pay for."

That statement always bothered me.
Mainly because so many people believe it.

Does a higher price mean a better product or service?
This concept has worked for Starbucks'.
But in a side by side taste test, a cup of coffee from McDonald's won by a landslide.

Just read, Death To All Sacred Cows by David Bernstein
and, Myths Lies Ans Downright Stupidity by John Stossel

And raise your prices so people will think you're better than the competition.

[phansford]

I think you are seriously missing the point. It is not about inflating one's fee.

Surely you feel that you provide a better product for your clients than someone at the lumberyard doing a minimal set of drawings for a couple of sawbucks.

Certainly you understand that while the $500 set of drawing might get a building permit - they probably aren't going to have expended time in design or in detailing the building to the extent that you do.

Cost is also = to service. Someone charging $500 is not going to provide the level of service necessary for a typical project, or better stated, the level of service expected by most clients.

FWIW - My fees vary based on the level of service requested by the client. Some people might only want the minimal permit drawings and want to work on the details with their contractor - knowing they could pay for items not included in the bid.

[Checkpoint43]

A good architect is worth every penny. I will agree on that.

But what if someone doesn't have the overhead expenses to cover?
Naturally, their prices would be lower.

You could buy a large printer for $40,000 or more, and roll that cost into your design fees, making the customer ultimately pay for it.
Or, you could just have prints made at a print shop for much less.

The extra cost has nothing to do with the level of service.

But for some reason, people equate price with quality.

[Checkpoint43]

And I hope you aren't saying you would shirk off on your design if a customer negoriated and brought your prices down.
That would be wrong.

"You get what you pay for", so I'm not going to give you my all.

[starkca3]

[phansford]

[csintexas]

that was funny JRPcad1

Well, I think about everyone over the age of 20 has figured out that you don't always get what you pay for.

I just bought a mandolin (very slightly used) for about 39% of it's new cost

[Checkpoint43]

phansford wrote