Advice needed on architect and planning

[veno]

hi all,

my situation:
i have a cottage type house in the country which i'm trying to renovate. the house is habitable at present but needs a new roof. i plan to raise the roof to create a dormer and do some structural work but not to increase the footprint of the existing structure. it also has w orking septic tank. at present i'm finishing uni and plan to work in dublin for a few years so i'll be maintaining two houses so cost is a big issue.

i went to an architect. explained exactly what i wanted and about budget. he said we'd worry about the budget later and at the same time spoke about solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems!!! got preliminary drawings which i was happy with and got some builders to give a rough costing on the drawings. i paid the architect 1100 incl. vat for work done up to that point (included survey drawing, preliminary design). builders advised me that they could work off those drawings and that i didn't need the architect anymore. one in particular said that my architect was quite awkward to deal with and would end up costing me more than necessary in order to get him to sign off on it. now i want to apply for planning but i realise i have no site layout plan which i need. i dunno what to do next.
should i..
1. return to my architect and let him finish and apply for planning for me. over the phone today i was told that my design drawings would need to be completed and i'll need to get tests done for sewage treatment etc. which will involve an environmental scientist coming out and checking the tank. but a call to the planning office told me that i wouldn't need any of this since all i'm really doing is an extension and i'm not increasing occupancy. i'm worried that my architect is just creating needless extra expense.

2. i have all the planning forms and notices etc and can apply myself so should i get an engineer to draw up a site layout plan. would he work off the existing drawings? or would i just end up paying on the double.

time and cost is both a factor. any advice would be much appreciated. thanks all.

 

[Superman]

1. return to my architect and let him finish and apply for planning for me. over the phone today i was told that my design drawings would need to be completed and i'll need to get tests done for sewage treatment etc. which will involve an environmental scientist coming out and checking the tank. but a call to the planning office told me that i wouldn't need any of this since all i'm really doing is an extension and i'm not increasing occupancy. i'm worried that my architect is just creating needless extra expense.

2. i have all the planning forms and notices etc and can apply myself so should i get an engineer to draw up a site layout plan. would he work off the existing drawings? or would i just end up paying on the double.

time and cost is both a factor. any advice would be much appreciated. thanks all.

It sounds like design is not a huge factor for you, so avoiding expense would be the first step.
Mentioning the septic tank and required tests might just be your architect's way of making the entire process more daunting than it need be so that you don't simply go and do it yourself/get someone else (Engineer/draughtsperson) to do it. That said - it may be that he is correct - depending on how much of an increase in the occupancy of the house there is. (If you increase the area of the house you are more than likely increasing the occupancy - e.g. from a 2 bed to a 3 bed etc.). There may be no need to do this as part of your Planning as the Planning Dept. could put a condition on your permission or seek further information if they require it.

I suspect that you'll find the forms tricky to fill out. Don't forget also that there are requirements about the drawings - e.g. north points on all plans, sufficient dimensions, indicating the new construction and the retained construction, indicating materials, indicating drainage, section through building etc.
It would be unusual for your architect to have done all this for the initial drawings he gave to you.

I would recommend either a. a draughtsman/technician - if you have no need for someone to certify the house.

b. an Engineer with suitable insurance if you will require someone to supervise the construction and certify the house (for mortgage payments etc.) - this would be to avoid having someone for Planning who is unable to follow through with the later stages of the project. Trying to find a person to take on someone else's project can be difficult.

P.S. Don't forget that the construction will have to comply with Building Regulations part L regarding insulation (though it won't need a BER cert)