Planning applications

[John Andrews]

We are looking at putting a proper roof or our single room extension - currently has adequte but chilly polycarb. sheet roof.

Project will be a mixture of diy + professionals. An architect has quoted us 1500 quid for (A) getting planning permission etc (B) designing the roof.

Strikes me that I could do (A) myself and save a few bob. Not sure where to start though - anyone been through this and can offer a few pointers?

Thanks very much

[Madmucks]

If you have done (A) several times before, are able to produce drawings to the standard expected by the planning people and are conversant with all the up to date planning laws and building regs., you will indeed save yourself a few bob. If you haven't, it will cost you far more than what you have saved (not neccessarily in financial terms). Experience like that is very hard earned.

[Set Square]

Neither is particularly difficult. Start by visiting your local council offices and speaking to someone from the planning department and someone from the building control department.

The planners will advise on what is likely to be visually acceptable for your area, and will tell you what you need to produce in the way of drawings to support your application.

The BCO (building control officer) will tell you what you need to do the satisfy the relevant building regs - and will advise on whether you need to get full structural plans approved up front, or whether it would be appropriate to do it on a building notice.

If you want to employ someone to do it for you, use an architectural technician rather than an architect. This will be much cheaper - an architect is an overkill for this! Look in your local paper for people advertising plan drawing services.

[David M]

I'm not sure that you need planning permission in this case.

You do however need to submit plans to building control for approval, which is different, and requires some detailed drawings.

If there is nothing special about the roof then I would reckon that the design would be very straightforward, and meeting insulation requirements is easily covered by reading up info from manufacturers websites.(celotex, kingspan, etc)

Certainly, if this is a straightforward job, then 1500 is way over priced. I was quoted about 1000 for a complete extension, and even then decided to do the plans myself, but this was mainly because I found it fairly interesting, (and I wasn't that impressed by the architect, maybe that's why he was cheap ;-), but then again 3 or 4 neighbours and friends have all been about the same for compete designs)

A cheaper route may be to find a architectural technician, who has maybe drawn up several plans for extensions and could easily knock up some thing based on those for a couple of hundred quid.

cheers

David

[Alan]

Set Square has some good advice. While there, you can see other folks drawings to give you an idea of what is expected. My council also produces a booklet with some basic guidelines. Having recently done it myself, I would recommend it. I made a few mistakes at first but now I have the knowledge, I won't need to use an architect in the future - only an engineer for the structural certification - that is very satisfying.

Alan.

[Mike]

You do if the current extension was built without planning permission because it had the poly roof.