Engineer overcharging for changes to drawings?

Robin1

Got engineer for our new build, he did the plans and applied for planning permission, all of which was paid for. We then got our planning but then we had to re-submit our plans as there were some changes to the house type. All the engineer did was change the house plans as follows - add a window, change window sizes, add a porch and add another 4 ft in length to the house. I would think that using Autocad this shouldn't take very long. He also put an ad in the paper and lodged the application. He is now charging us 300 euro excl. VAT and extra costs (ad, application). Does this sound like a lot of money for not a lot of work?

muffler

Id say pay him quickly before he realises he made a mistake

Jimbo

Sounds like a bargain to me.
You've obviously no idea what's involved in preparing a planning application.

homewardbound11

try 2600 euro for a similar change??? Snap his hand off at 300 euro and dont ask any more questions.

sinnerboy

+1 on all above

bravojohnny

I agree with all the above, that is seriously cheap.

RKQ

All your Engineer did was change the plans, change the elevations, put the Notice in the paper circa €30 -€45, photocopy all drawings & application form, lodge your application - all this for €300?

He did you a favour and you have no idea. As above pay him in full & maybe return the favour - add a bottle of wine or something.

mrshappy

Like the others I have to agree - he is doing you a big favour by charing you so little. I would as already posted not only pay him but give him a gift of some sort

Alot of work for €300 done

colorc

What a bargain. Pay him quick!

No6

He charged you for about a days work which is what it takes to put all the doccumentation for a planning permission together, print it, fold it submitt to local authority, put up site notices, etc etc. While technically you are correct in saying it probably only took a few minutes to make the "Changes" its the rest of the work involved the he charged you for and lightly too. Why did you devcide to change the original design, if you left it as it was it would have cost you nothing!!

Robin1

No6 wrote: »

He charged you for about a days work which is what it takes to put all the doccumentation for a planning permission together, print it, fold it submitt to local authority, put up site notices, etc etc. While technically you are correct in saying it probably only took a few minutes to make the "Changes" its the rest of the work involved the he charged you for and lightly too. Why did you devcide to change the original design, if you left it as it was it would have cost you nothing!!

We actually had to put the site notice up ourselves as he had forgotten to do it! We had submitted original plan two years ago, we had an almighty battle to get planning (all to do with local need). When we - against our expectations - got the planning, we decided on a passive house upgrade, which took away more floor space, and we already had a relatively small house to start with, hence the change. Also our planners wanted us to go for the traditional house type, which was one of the reasons we then added a porch.

sydthebeat

Robin1 wrote: »

We actually had to put the site notice up ourselves as he had forgotten to do it! We had submitted original plan two years ago, we had an almighty battle to get planning (all to do with local need). When we - against our expectations - got the planning, we decided on a passive house upgrade, which took away more floor space, and we already had a relatively small house to start with, hence the change. Also our planners wanted us to go for the traditional house type, which was one of the reasons we then added a porch.

i think your question has been answered comprehensively.....

€300 to prepare any application, even one with NO changes from the original, is very very reasonable.

FesterBeatty

There's a very apparent lack of appreciation for engineers lately! Pay him the 300 quid...and the rest!

sinnerboy

OP query has been answered emphatically now - thread locked