Not happy with building industry

recipio

This thread was created by moving off posts from here

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Original post follows below line

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I've been burned by an architect in the past who designed a completely unbuildable house given the soil conditions. He admitted he only wanted the money before I gave up on him. Still mad.
With respect, that is a most unsympathetic extension to a cottage. It has no relation to vernacular architecture. It looks like the wooden extension put on to the Georgian house intended for Michael Jackson in Galway ?

BryanF

recipio wrote: »

I've been burned by an architect in the past who designed a completely unbuildable house given the soil conditions.

soil conditions? care to elaborate

beyondpassive

recipio wrote: »

that is a most unsympathetic extension to a cottage. It has no relation to vernacular architecture.

Why would somebody building today mimic the C19th part of the house? Agree the restoration of the house should be faithful to original materials and forms. But the C21st should acknowledge the technological times we live in. Is it not better to make a feature of that contrast and be honest about structure and use. Daylight affects our mood and in this country you do need to maximise good quality light and views, twee cottage windows, don't achieve this.

A glance over any county's planning desk will show how visually illiterate we are when it comes to rural housing. Lots of pastiche georgian and Victorian elevations cellotaped onto a 3000sq ft blob. Planners and untrained house designers, fail to realise that form, scale and balance is more important than symmettry and cuddley little dormer windows.

I like it.

sinnerboy

recipio wrote: »

a completely unbuildable house given the soil conditions

This is a nonsense statement. One may build on any soil.

recipio

BryanF wrote: »

soil conditions? care to elaborate

Two meter water table and he designed a basement.OK , I asked for this but only found out at a late stage when the soil survey was done.

sydthebeat

recipio wrote: »

Two meter water table and he designed a basement.OK , I asked for this but only found out at a late stage when the soil survey was done.

??
Architect in 'giving client what was asked for' shocker....

sinnerboy

recipio wrote: »

Two meter water table and he designed a basement.OK , I asked for this but only found out at a late stage when the soil survey was done.

Never heard of tanking then ?

recipio

sinnerboy wrote: »

Never heard of tanking then ?

I began to express reservations about the design and all I got was that 'you can build in a river' Costs were rarely touched on -this guy was on a fantasy trip and as I was totally bogged down in work I let him get on with it.
I would have thought a soil survey is the first thing you do as it determines the most efficient way of bulding a house. It was the Celtic tiger and money was flowing,but I'll never trust anybody again in the building trade - it seems to be full of cowboys from top to bottom.

sinnerboy

recipio wrote: »

I'll never trust anybody again in the building trade - it seems to be full of cowboys from top to bottom.

And you came on here to tell us that. Aw!

kkelliher

recipio wrote: »

it seems to be full of cowboys from top to bottom.

seriously, statements like this just go to completely undermine anything you have to say. Like every single industry there are mainly good and there is a small % of bad. To tarnish a complete industry because of a breakdown in communication between yourself and your architect is simply ridiculous.

recipio

kkelliher wrote: »

seriously, statements like this just go to completely undermine anything you have to say. Like every single industry there are mainly good and there is a small % of bad. To tarnish a complete industry because of a breakdown in communication between yourself and your architect is simply ridiculous.

Ok, a generalization, I admit. I have however built two houses and attempted to build a third.On each occasion I felt the Architect ( and I realize some of you guys must be architects ) produced mediocre work at wallet sapping prices.I also sacked a complete cowboy builder for being incompetent on an extension eg - he was putting down a standard chipboard floor but didn't use T+G chipboard.
I don't think I'm a crank - I just want good workmanship for the money I pay but in future I'll be much more careful with whom I choose.

sinnerboy

recipio wrote: »

in future I'll be much more careful with whom I choose.

How will you do so ? Exactly ?

( NB - your opportunity to contribute positively to the OP )

recipio

sinnerboy wrote: »

How will you do so ? Exactly ?

( NB - your opportunity to contribute positively to the OP )

Well, I won't post on here for advice - that's for sure. Do I detect a certain cynicism or is it paranoia ?

sydthebeat

Perhaps if you had have posted somewhere like here for advice prior to your previous constructions, you wouldn't have had the issues youve already admitted.

youve said nothing to suggest you know the 'best way to select an architect'... but rather your a dab hand at the 'worst way to select an architect'

sinnerboy

recipio wrote: »

Well, I won't post on here for advice - that's for sure. Do I detect a certain cynicism or is it paranoia ?

No but you can have a month off for trolling