Hi kildon,
Length is fine - wish all people offered such good levels of information in a thread starter.
According to posts made recently here on AAM "someone" will draw up plans for you for a full house and lodge permission for €500.
I cannot vouch for the competence of the planning drawings in such a situation, but I believe that price reflects below cost selling or else its being done as a nixer, not declared for tax, and/or possibly by someone on the unemployment assistance wothout a qualification.
This is an unnecessary cost saving because for a few shekels more you could get a qualified and experienced architect who would do a good job and sign off on the work.
In this regard, more reasonable rates for an extension will vary from €1,200 to €1,800 nett of VAT, to planning lodgement stage, with €1,500 net yielding a [bare] living to someone.
If you're going to take say two month and 8 meetings to design the extension then the archtiect's time has to be paid for and the fee level will rise to reflect his/her involvement with the project.
There are various levels of building professional you can retain to carry out the survey, the design work and lodge for planning.
The architect provides the complete package, from inception, through the design stages, to detailed work incorporating the newer sustainable techology, to tender, on site certification and final certification.
You should take advice from a structural engineer in relation to site assessment, foundation design and superstructure design.
Most archtiects can arrange for this work to be done with certification at completion for a reasonable amount - say €300-€400.
You should take advice from a BER assessor at an early stange as well and consider how you could upgrade the heat retention and sustainability going forward of the main house during the extension build.
I cannot comment on project manager's costs.
If you want to avoid your architect puling his/her hair out because of late "buildability" changes suggeted by the project manager, you should engage the PM from the outset.
That way you can work through the design with both him/her and the architect.
I would advise you to engage a PM who can provide Quantity Surveying services.
That way he will be able to advise you on the tender process and the price as well as manage the project.
If you are expecting the Architect to offer certificates at the end of the project, he needs to inspect during the project as well.
A good service should include taking digital photographs at all stages of the work to confirm its quality and support the certification process.
Ensure that whoever you retain, you like their work and get an in dea of what they will bring to the table for their fee by talking to their previous clients.
With a building project morethan any other, you get back what you put in and "proper planning prevents poor performance".
In terms of the draconian fees expecations out there at the moment, the above costs reflect the current buzzword of "2002 prices".
HTH
ONQ.
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All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.