Thinking of getting our house extended in the first half of next year. Build would be part double, part single storey. To get things started we have spoken to a number of architects and have narrowed it down to 2. One of them offers to project manage the work whilst the other doesn’t. For a basic house extension is it necessary to have the architect managing the build, would a builder supplied with a scope of work be sufficient or would we have to manage it.

Any help appreciated from those who have gone through the same.

A Project Manager is someone who coordinates the various sub contractors necessary to get anything built. Your Architect may mean that he will administer the building contract and inspect the works so that they are generally in accordance with the contract information (his drawings). I would say that if you are going to get your Architect to do this agree a monthly fixed fee. It should all be clear in the Architects terms of appointment. Whether it’s worthwhile….. Depends on what you are after really. It will give you more control over the build but it will cost you more up front but may save your more in the long run. In my experience, most domestic clients such as yourself, use the Building Regulation drawings and some scheduling of fixtures and fittings and hopefully employ a good builder. It’s hard to advise either way really. I’m an Architect and I do both. Some clients want that level of Architect involvement and others don’t see the benefit. I can see both sides. The most important thing I think is to be clear with your builder about absolutely everything he has included. “I haven’t allowed for that” is something you will hear a lot. If you can find a reliable builder who is well recommended you are halfway there.

For a basic house extension just get decent plans to the builder and they will run from there. No need for the architect to manage unless your doing something very unusual…

Where abouts are you based? I know an excellent builder if you would like a recommendation

We’re just about to start building works…our architect said upfront he’d be flexible on the site inspections/management of the build: if the build is progressing and we and the builder are working together fine then our architect will let us get on with it without his input and only step in if needed

Architect draws up the plans for your agreement, then planning application and building regulations and also used for getting a quote from the builder.
When the builder starts on site and starts asking where you want services, sockets, etc, are you happy to deal with this and manage other decisions on site?
Also project manage means different things to different people, as said above, the phrase “I haven’t allowed for that” is not just builders but other consultants, structural engineers etc.
One other aspect if your ‘Grand Design’ extension has a lot of glass, you may need an extra SAP calculation, check with the architect now before it’s too late at the end of the job.
Make sure your family have seem an episode of Grand Designs…so you will know about over runs and not being in for Christmas 😉
Mostly enjoy the experience.

What an architect won’t do is be on site everyday to check what’s been done and spot issues. A good builder will get the big things right but you need to be on the ball for the small things, particularly anything that affects the finish.

Unless this is a new wing for your mansion sketch up your own plans,mgive them tonthe architect to do some proper ones and get the planning sorted.

The builder will do the rest.

We got a local joiner to quote for our extension, and he arranged quotes from the other trades (guys he normally works with). He was on site from start to finish and organised the other trades as and when they were needed. All went well with that.
Architect actually cocked up their bit, and we ended up having to get a retrospective building warrant.

For a basic house extension just get decent plans to the builder and they will run from there. No need for the architect to manage unless your doing something very unusual…

pretty much that for us. mates a builder, we told him what we wanted, he sorted all the regs etc out and just built it. we left him to it and he did a great job. he even suggested a beneficial change to design halfway through and sorted that out too.

Get a good builder using a detailed set of plans. After that you won’t need an architect but you may need patience, problem solving and a contingency budget.

We are just starting this. Sketched up own design, structural engineer mate made some calcs, his mate architect made the drawings look respectable. Waiting on warrant now. We think we have a builder who will put it up. Don’t think the architect will see the house ever…can’t wait for the build to start…

Thanks for all the replies. Think we will go without the architect management.

Now to look for a builder….

Be worth saying where you are as a well recommended builder you can trust is KEY.
I used excel to submit planning application then paid for building regs drawings and details. Cost c£500, architect wanted considerably more and a fee equal to 10% of build costs to manage it. My extension was limited in size/options by location/function/aspect so an architect would have added less value but if there’s fewer limitation then I’d probably have been happy to pay. My design ended up owing something to just about everybody I spoke to so the more the better.

I just managed it myself, isn’t difficult and I quite enjoyed it, learnt quite a lot in the process.

I gave it to our builder to manage, the architect had wanted ~£400 to do that bit I think.

Wish I had got him to do it, the constant “I haven’t specced for that” nonsense came up (you think I want wood effect windows with white PVC guttering? WTF?) as well as the hassle of trying to get things done when he was wanting payment. For the money I’d have gladly paid the architect to be the middleman and deal with the job whilst I could get on with my life.

What colour guttering do you have with wood effect windows?

Brown to match, would have looked daft in white. Hate white UPVC as it stains and just looks manky in no time, brown covers the muck longer 😛

Don’t need the architect for that level of project.

Though, from experience, you want all the small bits pretty much nailed almost before the build starts – so plug locations, what type of sockets you want, radiator positions, what doors you want, style of skirting boards etc. etc. – if you want something out the ordinary and it needs ordering in then do it plenty of time – when the plumber is sitting waiting for rads that haven’t turned up it’ll slow things down a lot.

Always assume the builder has specced for the cheapest option, boggo standard sockets/rads/doors/white PVC etc.

Thinking of a patio in the future? Worth getting the groundworks done with the build even if builder isn’t doing the patio.

As said, maybe not needed but would have been a lot less hassle in our case. Getting phone calls at work and not being able to leave to chase problems sucks.