My construction methods are usually seat of the pants stuff, but I have a project that really needs some professional input to get planning permission and building warrants etc.

The project is to convert what was a cobblers basement workshop in the Edinburgh New Town into a flat. The whole space as it stands needs gutting, new floors, wiring and plumbing etc. Hopefully we can make an either one or two bedrooms, a fair sized kitchen, separate living room and a bathroom. The Edinburgh New Town is a conservation area which will complicate things.

I consulted a chap I was at art school with who runs a pretty successful practice in Edinburgh, He sent me a list of fixed fees which I’ve listed below. I’m wholly out of touch with this sort of thing and wondered if these were ball park figures for the project outlined above.

Any guidance would be welcome.

Measured survey and sketch designs
Carry out a measured survey of the flat and front area, digitise into CAD and prepare sketch designs for your consideration.
A fixed fee of £900 plus VAT

Detailed design and listed building and planning consent submissions
Develop the sketch designs to a more detailed level and prepare a package of drawings and specifications appropriate for submitting an application for listed building and planning consent.
A fixed fee of £3,480 plus VAT

Building warrant submission
Further develop the detailed design drawings and prepare a package of drawings and specifications appropriate for submitting an application for building warrant.
A fixed fee of £2,610 plus VAT

Construction Details
Prepare additional construction details to allow tradesmen to construct the works to the appropriate standard.
A fixed fee of £950 plus VAT

Im guessing the planning dept won’t look to favourably on stove installations like this

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Boho chic. Some of the best days of my life were spent here

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Roughly twice what my old RIBA practice would have charged but without seeing the actual building its difficult to be precise.

Seems broadly in line with what I was quote/am paying for a similar sort of re model. That’s in Aberdeen rather than Edinburgh but I doubt it makes too much of a difference.

Edinburgh prices innit.

Difficult to tell without fully understanding the complexity .
Seems a bit heavy but, as you say, the listed building and conservation area aspects will bump it up a bit.

Given it’s a basement flat you’ll most likely need a Structural Engineer to sign off on it if you’re altering the layout.

That seems light for an awkward project with difficult consents. It may seem like a lot but it’s a small percentage of the construction fee

I’d guess it’ll be fairly ballpark for successful practice in Edinburgh.
Would it help to get another architect around for a look as well?

[ yes, one of my old drinking buddies from Edinburgh days is a architect, sole partner, in Edinburgh, also does other work further afield. Don’t want to punt his name but if you want a down to earth recommendation, happy to pass on his details ]

They look reasonable, but not sure why you’d need Construction details AND Building Warrant standard drawings. I’d expect a suitable builder to be able to read the BW plans without flatpack instructions.

I would be tempted to get an architect from outside the area in. I bumped into an old school friend last year, runs an architect’s practice in a small northern UK town, does all his work in London. It’s only 2.5 hours on the train so he can get down to London as fast as someone can cross London, worst case traffic of course.

If you want I can put you in contact with the architects who wrote the New Town “book”. But that fee doesn’t sound so bad, particularly as you’re clearly going to do a fair bit of work.
Oh, and that flue? Art innit.

Sounds ok but without knowing the specifics difficult to say. The bit you are really paying for is the sketch designs and planning and listed building submissions – that’s where the architect is selling his professional ability. The warrant work is more workmanlike although can have quite an impact on the overall appearance. What’s the budget? Plus you will have other consultants fees. A smaller practice may not be vat registered so you save 20%. I always say to people that you can get drawings done much cheaper but I’m designing you a bespoke project and that takes skill, knowledge, training and a bit of magic. Ok I say that last bit with a smile but I believe it’s true. (I would, I’m an architect).

I work for an architects in the new town.
As above, it doesn’t sound unreasonable. I could see if someone could prepare a second quote if you like?

Thanks for your input guys, I’ll pm a couple of you for contacts by way of comparison

I have a few pals who are plumbers, joiners and electricians. I’m always keen to roll up my sleeves too so hopefully the total costs will be reasonable