Opt-out declaration - Architects Fee

GK1001

Hello all,

We are very close to commencing a project to renovate and extend our home. We have been speaking with our architect about the final pieces of admin work we need to do and as part of the filing of the commencement notice with the Planning authority, she has notified us of the opt-out declaration (which we are going with). This opt-out declaration wasn't mentioned as part of the fee schedule we agreed with the architect but we are now being advised that there is a fee associated with it in the region of 1k.

From my reading up on this declaration, it is just that, a declaration that we are happy to proceed with our build without going through the more stringent certification. I have not seen a fee associated with it anywhere and I have asked for clarification from the architect on what the fee is related to.

Does this sound right? I get if we were going for Opt-In we would have a fee associated with the appropriate cerifiers but with Opt-Out is that not what we are avoiding? We are happy with the professionals we have engaged with and to us Opt-In seems like overkill, accepting the risk downstream of it becoming compulsory and potentially affecting house values (although we will not be moving again).

Interested for anyone who may have encountered this situation with their architect and could perhaps better explain it to me if this is correct.

Many thanks!

Metric Tensor

A commencement notice and associated documents (drawings, specifications, etc.) are required to accompany the declaration.

Some council's require more detail than others. If the council required a full set of construction drawings with the opt out declaration (which some do) then 1000 would be way too little! For 1000 euro, my guess js she'll be submitting a "bare minimum" set of drawings to get you the opt out and nothing more!

It raises the question though: Who is preparing your construction drawings and details?

Mellor

GK1001 wrote: »

Does this sound right? I get if we were going for Opt-In we would have a fee associated with the appropriate cerifiers but with Opt-Out is that not what we are avoiding? We are happy with the professionals we have engaged with and to us Opt-In seems like overkill, accepting the risk downstream of it becoming compulsory and potentially affecting house values (although we will not be moving again).!

If you went Opt-In. There would be work required for the certifier, and a fee. Opt-out is less work, but that doesn't mean no work is required.

GK1001

Thanks

I have engaged both an architect and structural engineer.

The 1,000 is only an additional amount that has come up due to the opt-out filing. It does not represent the full fees we are paying for the architect for the project. We have engaged with the architect for over a year now and an additional 1k has appeared a couple of weeks before we commence the build.

What I am interested in finding out is are we being charged an additional fee for work that was already agreed to be undertaken. So are we paying an extra 1k for the architect to file some drawings that are part of her original quote anyway.

I get that this is a relatively new regulation that has come in. I want to establish if there is now additional value and work being added by our architect under the opt-out that warrants this fee.

I am being told they forgot to include it/mention it to date. It's just not very professional if this is the case and she has been excellent to date. If it is a warranted fee then that is not a problem, just very annoying to be hit with it.

sydthebeat

GK1001 wrote: »

Thanks

I have engaged both an architect and structural engineer.

The 1,000 is only an additional amount that has come up due to the opt-out filing. It does not represent the full fees we are paying for the architect for the project. We have engaged with the architect for over a year now and an additional 1k has appeared a couple of weeks before we commence the build.

What I am interested in finding out is are we being charged an additional fee for work that was already agreed to be undertaken. So are we paying an extra 1k for the architect to file some drawings that are part of her original quote anyway.

I get that this is a relatively new regulation that has come in. I want to establish if there is now additional value and work being added by our architect under the opt-out that warrants this fee.

I am being told they forgot to include it/mention it to date. It's just not very professional if this is the case and she has been excellent to date. If it is a warranted fee then that is not a problem, just very annoying to be hit with it.

ask the architect to break down what additional work is required for this new 1k.

if they were already quoting you to do tender / construction calculations specifications and drawings... then in reality theres no new work other than about a 1/2 hours administration work.

"Building compliant drawings and calculations" are required as part of the commencement notice application (whether opt out or not) so someone has to do them. Tender / construction drawings should be more than sufficient to use as these building reg compliant documents. If the architect hadn't quoted you originally for these, then 1K is a very low quote and would suggest to me, as MT says above, they are doing just the bare minimum.

GK1001

sydthebeat wrote: »

ask the architect to break down what additional work is required for this new 1k.

if they were already quoting you to do tender / construction calculations specifications and drawings... then in reality theres no new work other than about a 1/2 hours administration work.

"Building compliant drawings and calculations" are required as part of the commencement notice application (whether opt out or not) so someone has to do them. Tender / construction drawings should be more than sufficient to use as these building reg compliant documents. If the architect hadn't quoted you originally for these, then 1K is a very low quote and would suggest to me, as MT says above, they are doing just the bare minimum.

Thanks

I am waiting to hear back from her on what the fee constitutes. I expect to get that response soon. I just wanted to get a feel for other peoples experience with this.

Yes the architect had quoted us for these drawings already and we have paid for that part of their service, the drawings and managing the tender process.

Are you are talking about separate drawings specific to an opt-out declaration? If so that would make some sense to me but if we are talking about using drawings we have already agreed in our contract with her then it seems excessive for what is in effect an admin fee associated with filing doc's.

I am trying to be as clear as I can here but obviously it is not my field of expertise.

Many thanks for your responses though. It is providing me with some colour anyway.

sydthebeat

GK1001 wrote: »

Thanks

I am waiting to hear back from her on what the fee constitutes. I expect to get that response soon. I just wanted to get a feel for other peoples experience with this.

Yes the architect had quoted us for these drawings already and we have paid for that part of their service, the drawings and managing the tender process.

Are you are talking about separate drawings specific to an opt-out declaration? If so that would make some sense to me but if we are talking about using drawings we have already agreed in our contract with her then it seems excessive for what is in effect an admin fee associated with filing doc's.

I am trying to be as clear as I can here but obviously it is not my field of expertise.

Many thanks for your responses though. It is providing me with some colour anyway.

lets see how she breaksdown the new 1k quote first....

but yes, if the drawings are good enough for tender / construction then they should be more than good enough for an Opt Out commencement notice application.

Has the architect had a preliminary DEAP (BER) assessment done in order to determine if the specification she is suggesting complies with building regulations?

Metric Tensor

I agree with Syd here. If the Architect will be doing / already has done construction (or even tender) drawings then these would be sufficient to accompany the opt out declaration.

Similarly a BER/DEAP calculation will also be required but if it was already included in the price you were given previously then it's only a matter of submitting it.

Ask for a breakdown of everything to date and everything expected henceforth. Then you'll know more.