"Harvie" wrote | We are considering dividing a large bedroom into two smaler | ones to give our kids a room each. | Do I start by getting an architect or will a competant builder | be able to draw up plans?
A competent building firm that's big enough to employ a draughtsman/estimator will be able to draw up plans. But until you have plans and specification drawn up you are in no position to find a competent builder.
You probably don't need an architect; look for an architectural technician who can produce all plans required for planning, building control, and estimating, and has understanding of Building Regulations so that what he draws is compliant. New window openings, for example, will require structural calculations, and the floor must be shown to be able to take the weight of the new wall.
Once you have got your plans drawn up you can then go to builders and ask them to quote, knowing that the quotes will be more easily comparable.
| Should I involve planners to get a buildings completion certificate -
Planning and building control are completely separate functions.
You will almost certainly require planning permisson - you are increasing the number of bedrooms in the property (which is unlikely to be an adverse issue in a rural area, but is a legitimate planning concern) and putting in new windows. If you don't require PP you should get a Certificate Of Permitted Development, which coveres your arse against future queries.
You will require building control approval and whilst you could go down the Building Notice route you should only do this if you are sure the work is fully compliant with Building Regs.
| we live in the middle of nowhere with no neighbours, no one will | be inconvenienced (or ever know the house as not like this in | the first place)
If/when you come to sell the house you will have to declare any alterations made. Depending on how old it is, the council may still have the original plans somewhere. The
If your house is currently on the edge of a council tax valuation band then, even though it is not being made any larger, the fact that the number of bedrooms is increasing may be enough to tip the property into the next higher band, in the district valuer's opinion. This does not, of course, mean that two small bedrooms are more desirable in the housing market than one big bedroom, so you might actually be lowering the value of the property.
It can be difficult to judge the size of a divided room; I suggest you experiment with some sheets drawing-pinned to the ceiling as pretend walls, and rearranging the furniture, before committing yourself. If you have high ceilings, making a false ceiling can correct the proportions of the smaller rooms and provide additional attic storage space. Some of the home design software packages can also be helpful, and for a job of this nature may be adequate for producing the plans you require.
You might also want to have a look at something like "Getting the builders in" (Paul J Grimaldi, Elliott Right Way Books) which covers things like project management, construction design, LA approvals, contracts and specifications, pricing, overseeing works, payments disputes and guarantees. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my library-books-to-be-read pile and it looks useful.
Owain