Recommendation for architect or building designer

Hey funkylovebunny,

We recently had got a bit of extension done at one of our property in watson.

It was done by http://www.thebudgetplasterer.com.au .
Not a flasy mob with a great office but knows his stuff and gave us honest advise.

Would surely recommend giving them a call, if they cant help, i am sure they will atleast point you in the right direction .

My 2 cents.

Take care with architects, especially if their fee is a percentage of the building cost (with its implicit conflict of interest).
You might have common law recourse
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CDoQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.architects.nsw.gov.au%2Fdownload%2FDiscussion%2520paper%2520-%2520Recent%2520trend%2520in%2520complaints%2520September%25202011.pdf&ei=o5XTUo_fIoeulAXqx4GwBw&usg=AFQjCNGSB_TGTHGmXZfBwErSJgK-xAMZTA&bvm=bv.59026428,d.dGI
but that will cost too…
Some architects seem to be most interested in designing a memorial to their artistic talents.

A_Cog said :

Not just builders. Some of the architects and structural engineers were RIDICULOUS. But we settled on a good designer and a good builder, and we did alot of the prelim ourselves.

Interesting your vibes about ABC, but seeing as you had a good experience elsewhere, car to share who it was? I am interested to know, because as mentioned I just started talking so not locked into anyone and am going to shop around anyway.

Holden Caulfield said :

A_Cog said :

…Like most business sectors here in the ACT, there are a bunch of slackers who look at you as nothing more than an easy mark, trying to squeeze you so they can pay off their boat or holiday home. I see a few familiar names in this thread…

Let me guess, all the ones who are builders?

Not just builders. Some of the architects and structural engineers were RIDICULOUS. But we settled on a good designer and a good builder, and we did alot of the prelim ourselves.

A_Cog said :

…Like most business sectors here in the ACT, there are a bunch of slackers who look at you as nothing more than an easy mark, trying to squeeze you so they can pay off their boat or holiday home. I see a few familiar names in this thread…

Let me guess, all the ones who are builders?

JC said :

… I spoke with ABC Constructions about some work I am interested in doing and got positive vibes…

Well, when I spoke with ABC Constructions on the phone, I got some horrible vibes. The bloke’s first and only question was “how much do you want to spend on the project?” When I told him the amount, he couldn’t get off the phone fast enough, and left me with the view that they only take jobs where they can squeeze the life out of the budget to pay off their speedboat. Low hanging fruit, anyone?

But the thing is, our project had already been costed by an old small-scale property-developer friend who has renovated several homes (and I helped him on two of them, so I know he’s reliable). My friend was SPOT ON when it came to materials, budgets and contingencies, but ABC were, “over $100,000 and if you think you can do better, then good luck.” And that’s a direct quote from the convo.

But there are other renovation builders/planners who are slack. For example, costing the corrugated tin at “$12,000 to $15,000” (it cost $6,000) or costing a chippie at “+$4,000 a week” (actually $2,300).

Like most business sectors here in the ACT, there are a bunch of slackers who look at you as nothing more than an easy mark, trying to squeeze you so they can pay off their boat or holiday home. I see a few familiar names in this thread…

liability said :

…$2,000 – $4,000…

Don’t forget the per square metre bit!

PorkChops said :

Can anyone give me a rough figure of how much it would cost to get a design done for a possible extension. I say ‘possible’ because I haven’t been given the go ahead but I’d like a design done to show what could be done.

How long is a piece of strong? As rough ball park figure you will be looking at around $2,000 – $4,000 depending on size, nature, etc of the extension.

Sandman said :

We’re in the middle of the same thing, extension and some remodeling of a 60’s duplex. All the design and selections are done, building starts in a couple of weeks.

We’ve gone through Build Proffesional (Matt Hall). They have everything in house right from the design stage and so far we couldn’t be happier. We had a lot of ideas of what we wanted, but they wanted to start with a clear mind and did a session to find out what our goals were. Then they came up with ideas that we’d never even considered and we tweaked the ideas from there.

Sometimes the builders themselves are a good place to start for ideas and the like. I spoke with ABC Constructions about some work I am interested in doing and got positive vibes. From just looking at the house from Goggle earth or some other aerial photography site they were able to give some very basic advice about what may be possible, specifically related to sighting, shaddowing etc. The next step was to get them the existing plans for some rough layout ideas.

As for build professional, haven’t spoken to them (but will soon), but they have just finished doing a double story extension on a house in Archdall Street Macgregor. If the extension was their ‘design’ then they have done a very good job indeed. It has really transformed the exterior of the house from a simple 70’s house to something a lot more modern, but doesn’t look like an extension/reno job, it looks like it was built that way from the beginning. No idea what they did inside though.

Can anyone give me a rough figure of how much it would cost to get a design done for a possible extension. I say ‘possible’ because I haven’t been given the go ahead but I’d like a design done to show what could be done.