House plans -- realistic cost to draw them up

[=Scorp1on=]

Hi all

I am getting house plans drawn up and want to know what cost to expect. Have had some quotes from draughtsmen all north of R14k for extending some rooms and adding a garage. Roughly R80 - R120 per sqm plus admin fees for the submission and approval of about R6k to 10k depending on the draughtsman.

Is this reasonable? Those of you with some experience please provide advice, would be appreciated.

Also looking for recommendations for draughtsmen if anyone has. Situated in Jhb East Rand.

Thank you

 

[scudsucker]

Hi all

I am getting house plans drawn up and want to know what cost to expect. Have had some quotes from draughtsmen all north of R14k for extending some rooms and adding a garage. Roughly R80 - R120 per sqm plus admin fees for the submission and approval of about R6k to 10k depending on the draughtsman.

Is this reasonable? Those of you with some experience please provide advice, would be appreciated.

Also looking for recommendations for draughtsmen if anyone has. Situated in Jhb East Rand.

Thank you

I am in CT, so perhaps not relevant.

For 14K I got plans to:
- attach an ensuite (outside the existing house)
- move the existing bathroom 1.3m to the side (to accommodate an enlarged verandha)
- install a 5m folding door (plus a huge lintel)
- raise the roof of a granny flat (up to 3 stories allowed!) but we requested much less, just to raise it 1.2m and increase the height of an internal lintel to 2.5m to make space to walk through without hitting heads.

No changes to the roof or major load bearing walls, but, this house is a heritage listed house which means you get value from your draughtsman/architect if they know what they are doing. We got approval in about 3 months.

The lady we chose dealt with the plans, the city and Heritage (my house is > 100 years old)

14K seemed pretty reasonable.

 

[joker08]

from what I know, its not only the drawing they charge for its also for the approvals that follow after that.
If its just the plans you need any first year architecture or second year civil engineering can draw it for you.

 

[Swa]

If they draw them up then yes it sounds reasonable. If however you already have the plans and they only have to copy or approve them then no. Their approval is essentially just a stamp. It's not a big process like when a lawyer does a deed transfer.

If you're just adding to a building then don't worry. Nobody will every ask you for plans and you can just continue without them.

 

[RedViking]

If they draw them up then yes it sounds reasonable. If however you already have the plans and they only have to copy or approve them then no. Their approval is essentially just a stamp. It's not a big process like when a lawyer does a deed transfer.

If you're just adding to a building then don't worry. Nobody will every ask you for plans and you can just continue without them.

Terrible advice.

 

[RedViking]

Hi all

I am getting house plans drawn up and want to know what cost to expect. Have had some quotes from draughtsmen all north of R14k for extending some rooms and adding a garage. Roughly R80 - R120 per sqm plus admin fees for the submission and approval of about R6k to 10k depending on the draughtsman.

Is this reasonable? Those of you with some experience please provide advice, would be appreciated.

Also looking for recommendations for draughtsmen if anyone has. Situated in Jhb East Rand.

Thank you

What are the total sqm that needs to be added? Do you have existing drawings?

The price per sqm does not sound bad.

 

[Swa]

Terrible advice.

Who's going to check?

 

[stricken]

Who's going to check?

When you sell the house to a buyer requiring finance (i.e 95% of potential buyers) the financeer (e.g FNB) requires plans before they will approve the loan.

 

[Swa]

When you sell the house to a buyer requiring finance (i.e 95% of potential buyers) the financeer (e.g FNB) requires plans before they will approve the loan.

If the house was ever built and approved then obviously there will be plans.

 

[Cius]

I paid 7-8K a few years back, JHB based. Reasonably priced guy from Krugersdorp.

 

[w1z4rd]

Who's going to check?

Municipal law enforcement officials when someone in your neighborhood complains. They do. A lot.

 

[Cius]

Also you can be penalized during a sale, if you ever want to sell the place a lot of people will check vs the plans and back out with any and all costs being your problem if there are illegal extensions. I know a few people this happened too.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

When you sell the house to a buyer requiring finance (i.e 95% of potential buyers) the financeer (e.g FNB) requires plans before they will approve the loan.

Guess i was lucky then when I applied for a home loan through FNB 8 years ago to buy my apartment, they never asked for anything

 

[IzZzy]

Who's going to check?

Municipalities employ building inspectors (my Dad was one). I got to accompany him from time to time when he issued orders of demolition or site inspections...

 

[NiTeD]

In eThekwini Municipality, the person drawing the plans has to be SACAP registered, you can't even draw it yourself even if you know your way around CAD.

 

[Saba'a]

Who's going to check?

Your neighbours

 

[rodga]

If they draw them up then yes it sounds reasonable. If however you already have the plans and they only have to copy or approve them then no. Their approval is essentially just a stamp. It's not a big process like when a lawyer does a deed transfer.

If you're just adding to a building then don't worry. Nobody will every ask you for plans and you can just continue without them.

Definitely bad advice this.

 

[Pho3nix]

I paid 7-8K a few years back, JHB based. Reasonably priced guy from Krugersdorp.

PM his details please

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

If the house was ever built and approved then obviously there will be plans.

Not always.

In Somerset West all our plans got destroyed in a fire 20 years ago. Banks are aware of this and bought my house six years ago without plans.

Had to get drawn up three years ago when I built a room onto the house and get departure order for an extension from previous owner.

Even without plans they can still determine some illegal extensions.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

When you sell the house to a buyer requiring finance (i.e 95% of potential buyers) the financeer (e.g FNB) requires plans before they will approve the loan.

Not always, well FNB did not care. Read my above comment.