I can't put him on ignore and he follows me around the site trying to start arguments. I'm honestly bored of it OFH...
So i do not disrupt the Watford board, I will still post here but ignore any further Toby posts on here, then the Watford supporters can judge for themselves.
If you're talking about different interpretations of the rules for the average Joe on the same side of the street then I think you'll find that the interpretations are very similar indeed. It works off a series of precedents. Common sense. You, obviously have a large plot, presumably in an AONB and thus the rules are more stringent and have a certain degree of subjective opinion applied once any objectivity has been demonstrated. Some LPA's are more helpful than others -AVDC will not enter into any dialogue at all - so unless you're asking for something out of the ordinary, over developing a site or arguably setting a dangerous precedent then there shouldn't be too much of a problem. I've won PP for clients on appeal (my submitted design, others do the legal gymnastics); also on the principle the the LPA would most likely lose an appeal and it is a rare day that I've submitted an application doomed to failure without telling a client that their wishes probably won't be accommodated. Sometimes we play the system - I've turned a refused single bedroom extension to a 3bed detached bungalow into a 7bed 6bathroom house without recourse to appeal and it's been built all in three years. I'm merely competent at my job, I don't claim to be anything special. I can't comment specifically on your property without seeing the plans and history (nor am I offering) but if you're fighting for ten years then it seems to me you're asking too much. You know your property. I am a construction design professional, I deal with this every day.
Hi Fez, Thanks for the info. I know how the system should work but my experience showed a great variance in interpretation and attitude. It would take an hour to fully explain the planning history and is much more complicated than you can imagine, your eyes would soon gloss over. I have been known to bore people witless talking about planning. There is also a strong argument that I delayed PP through being stubborn where a more pragmatic approach would have been preferential with hindsight. I tend to play down this bit!! Anyway I am now pleased I have a result and can end the years of uncertainty.
In your experience is it worth it or not employing the architect to oversee the build.? We will have the normal building inspections plus the NHBC type inspections. He first quoted £25k, which we thought was too steep then he quoted half of that amount. Most builders say the architects are unnecessary during build stage.
From my experience it depends very much on the builder. A good one will know what are the right things to do, will have a good dialogue with the building inspector, and not get things wrong that require change. If it is wrong you can be sure it will cost you, probably both time and money. It can also depend on the architect and how much time he is prepared to give to your build. If he is asked to cut his fees he will probably cut his time. At the end of the day it will come down to how much trust you are prepared to put in them both.
Yes the architect was looking to provide a lesser service for the lower cost, he was also pushing us towards two of his usual builders which he has a good relationship with. His record for getting PP is impeccable but he is dreadful at communication, bloody hopeless. The company we would like to use is not so used to top end build but has been very highly recommended by a long standing friend who we sold a house to in the same village. We have met him a couple of times and we feel we could work with him. He is also not wishing to add a margin for other trades onsite who are not part of the contract, others wanted to add on 10-12% of their fees. Although I have never done a complete self build before I have done major works before without supervision from an architect. I think its fingers crossed and hope for the best.
The chaos within the Brexit department seems to be continuing with the news that the Permanent Secretary Oliver Robbins is leaving at a critical time. As he has only been in the job for a year what is going on? Described as the man with all the details at his fingertips, while David Davis is just the man who does the showmanship, he is moving sideways after a summer of argument with Davis. Mr Davis’s officials do not believe it possible to deliver the sort of Brexit that he has pushed for, causing tensions. It sounds very much like reality has collided with dogma.
Always risky when being pushed towards the architect's favourite builders. I have a couple I usually to include in the Tender process but absolutely will not show favouritism when analysing project costs. Communication is the key to any successful project. And once you have a plan-stick to it. Most expense comes in changing minds too late. Choose your builder as suitable for the project. That said sometimes a builder is ready to step up. And just because you don't see the 10% for the trades it doesn't mean it's not there. Depends if you're asking the architect to site direct on a frequent basis or if he/she will act as a "contract administrator" and just value the works as per. I would only do the latter. If you trust your builder then you shouldn't need the "director". If you don't then why are you employing him? You should always have a CA to hold the purse strings unless you fully understand construction accounting.....and never pay a builder up front.
Thanks for the advice. We did feel the architect's relationship with his two favoured options was far too cosy which is why we increase the number of tenders. We know our preferred builder sorted out all problems on our friend's large contract extremely well. We are now almost certain not to use our architect any further. It is a shame we may be digging footings at the worst time, it is a traditional build with block and beam floors on both levels with two large chimneys, could well be held up by bad weather. Of course the builder's promised 'early 2018' start could drag out to the Spring but hope not. I'll show you around when the superstructure is up if you are not too far away. I can promise a coffee for any free advice!!
It's not site specific advice but general in the public domain for all to see. Your site conditions may well dictate a different course of action than that which you intend to take. I cannot, and will not, comment on site specifics. Be clear: no one is suggesting any impropriety by your architect, far from it, it is a common practice. Besides the architect and builder may well make a decent new contact. Do you trust your own building knowledge more than the architect, and do you trust the builder enough? Without trust there is nothing. As to the foundation's, well that depends on your luck with the weather.... mild dry winter and all is tickety-boo. As to specific advice, I do not do private work but will always bring it into the Practice. I have to protect you and my professional integrity.
Highly unlikely that any kind of worthwhile brexit will be achieved. But then that's hardly surprising. Times have changed, the world's moved on. We don't have much to fall back on. It would be bloody funny if it wasn't so damned tragic.
All good advice SH. Just a story to tell you to expect the unexpected. I was putting up an industrial unit on a site in St. Albans. I had applied for and received maps of where there could be services so as to be certain of missing any. I was on site to make sure that the man with the digger was going to do exactly what I had set out. He had just started when there was a huge bang that nearly lifted the digger off the ground. He had hit an electricity cable that serviced the whole industrial estate. The power was lost for the whole day, and the claims for compensation from the companies came flooding in. When the cable had been laid it was not as shown, in fact they had left a large loop in it rather than stretch it in a straight line. Because I had the maps I could prove it was not my fault, so the claims were sent on, and I was safe. You do have to think ahead to cover everything if you are running a contract.
