Engineer/Architect Cost for Planning Permission Process

Hi All, We were recently gifted a site and want to start the planning permission process. We are still young so before we jump into it does anyone have any idea how much an engineer/architect would cost to do the drawings and help with the planning permission application? Just an average cost would be great so I can tell if we are getting ripped off. We are going to try get full permission for a 3-4 bedroom 2 story home. Of course this lasts 5 years so we wouldn't be building straight away, we just want to get planning sorted.

Also, some people are telling us to go with an engineer, others an architect, is there much of a difference in the price?

Hopefully considering we just need drawings and planning now, I would be hoping that it won't break the bank. We wont be starting the build any time soon.

Also, we are based in East Cork - don't know how much that affects prices, I assume Dublin would be very expensive

fabsoul

Hi Niamh

If you know what you want go with a Engineer.

Get a Percolation test done on the site.

PM sent

BorneTobyWilde

You can buy ready made house plans online that are ready to submit for literally 100's , would cost 1000's upon 1000's to get an architect to design a home from scratch.

kirving

Notwithstanding the fact that some engineers are much better and more creative designers than some architects, as an engineer myself (in an entirely different field but with an interest in construction), when I drive around the country I can see the houses that were designed by engineers a mile away.

For the few grand it will cost, generally speaking I think you'd be best to go with an Architect.

DBK1

It all depends on what you want and what your budget is.

If you have a tight budget or you want to get as big as house as possible for your budget then you’re going to go with a straight forward and simple design. In this scenario an engineer is all you need. As mentioned earlier have a look through all of the available house plans online, find a few you like, show these to your engineer, tell him of any changes you might like and they should be more than capable of doing this for you.

To complete a percolation test, provide planning drawings and submit planning for you, depending on the part of the country you’re in, you should get this done for less than €5k.

If you want a more bespoke design for your house or have an image in your head of what you want that stands out from the norm then you’d be better to visit an architect. Prices for that could be anything from €5k to €25k+ depending on how complex a design you want and also depending on the status of your architect!

The one bit of advice I will give you at this stage is to make sure and spend time and think it through well.

You may be thinking of putting something in quick just to get planning because the building process is years away in your head but whenever you start building you will have to (within reason anyway!) stick to what you had planned now. Needs and wants change for everyone as life moves on so you need to plan for this.

When you’re settled on a design you like then before you submit planning I would recommend talking to a few kitchen suppliers, bathroom suppliers and a plumber first. You may get ideas from kitchen/bathroom suppliers that you like but may not work in your design and a few small tweaks to the design before planning could make all the difference to you in the end.

Also the plumber is important as he will have a good idea of the layout of underfloor piping and should be able to advise you on size and location of your plant room but more importantly if it’s a 2 storey house you’re looking at he will advise on where manifolds will need to be fitted upstairs. Usually one manifold upstairs is sufficient in a small storage room but sometimes, depending on the layout of upstairs, there may not be room for all of the piping to be fed to one end of the house so you may need 2 manifolds. I’ve seen this happen and it wasn’t allowed for in plans and people end up using up some of their planned wardrobe space in a bedroom to fit in the manifold. It’s not the end of the world if this happens but again a few small tweaks at planning stage can avoid it.

Best of luck anyway whichever way you decide to go.

PMBC

C Eng here.

Before you choose either architect or engineer try to find out - local info., plannning lists - if permissions are granted 'easily' in East Cork or is there a 'local needs' aspect. I've designed quite a few over forty years and used an architect for myself with, mostly, a good result so its an interesting argument. A line I've seen encapsulates a lot of the differences - architects design from the outside in whereas engineers design from the inside out - but that has changed a bit over the last ten/fifteen years. Whichever you choose, talk to loads of customers of both professions and choose the best locally

Tall Architect

If possible, try get an architect on board even if it's just to assist in the design at the beginning of the process. The value an architect will add to the property will be truley understood when it's completed.

An engineer has an important role to play in the construction process but i don't believe design is one of them.

Xidu

Just some my bloody lessons for you

this is 10 years ago I am taking about

paid €4K designed a nice 4500sq ft 2 story house and sent for permission

got rejected and they gave us a standard 1 and half storage 2850sq ft plan

reject reasons are the site is already on top of bill so won’t allow 2 storage.

the plan was too big and doesn’t fit the neighborhood

wasted us so much time and money!

so make sure you do all these fact check firstly b4 design something