Owning your own home

Architects.

Initial contact with Resi seem promising for work we might want on a new place.

Meanwhile a local architect gave us a very helpful breakdown of what to expect but charges fees of 11.5% of the total project cost, which sounds huge.

Is that normal?

People here have had good experiences with Resi haven't they?

The trouble is I never know when @amey is being serious.

resi was great for us! But that was in 2018 ..

I would speak to at least 3 and it's not something I would skimp on, at least upto and including RIBA stage 3. After that, it depends on your experience and your builder.

Sold the house but was fine for the two years we were there. Drilled a few holes, think I just used a vacuum cleaner to collect the dust. Probably not recommended but we were happy with the risk.

also this, I think being so painfully millennial I always chose 'services' that are on internet rather than physical. I made this mistake with my accountant too. IRL/trad high st/local is so much better in terms of experience.

We're going through this process at the moment, and I don't think his fees are far off that. But he's promising to appoint contractors, keep an eye on the build, handle issues etc. Which I think will be worth every penny in theory. This wasn't Resi, but a small local agency.

IME it’s about how tricked out you want to go, and how much you know what you want.

If it’s a fairly standard thing like a side return, loft etc I’d go with Resi.

If it’s more a case of “we want more space but need guidance on where it would go and how to achieve it in the most efficient and elegant way” then it’s architect.

In terms of interiors, my impression is that Resi will be pretty safe, but if you have a strong aesthetic sense you can do what you want in the volume once it’s built. An architect will bring their own aesthetic to the project, you just have a to find one you align with.

Just get it removed by a proper licenced contractor and then you'll know it's been done properly, and can have more peace of mind in the future

That sounds like standard architect fees for home improvements like extension, etc. Cheapest 11.5% you'll spend (assuming you like them and they do a good job)

Resi, like Amey, are total basic bitch.
Local architects will be 5-15K.
Value depends on where you sit on the @amey >>> @Tenderloin scale

I also know someone who is in a 3 year battle with Resi as they used them and their vetted builders and their house fell down.

They know how to charge, Jesus

^ this

What did I miss?

Fuck sticks getting our roof done and the guy doing the roof has uncovered aĺ sorts of coybow shite ! Bricks falling out of chimneys lead basicly bluetacked on ffs last roofer who did some work was total cowboy and a prick

With regards to the asbestos question:

• An asbestos survey (from an independent surveyor, not one that then wants to offer you a removal service) is £275 plus VAT

• You can get test at home kits for £45/sample

I'm very suspicious of the latter (expertise, reliability, potential harm from needing to disturb a little asbestos) - should I be?

We went for a full survey bvecasue we didnt know where it could be through-out the house. If you know where it specifically is in the house get the test at home kit, i.e. textured celing.

For context our artex was only 8% white asbestos so not really harmful in the tiny amount ou need to test

We can't do the proper invasive survey (presumably more expensive) until we own the place because it involves holes in walls etc.

With this more expensive one it still specifies certain areas (which came up from our building survey).

But there are two main areas: Artex walls and ceilings (almost certainly asbestos) and polystyrene ceiling tiles (hopefully not).

We want that survey ASAP really because I want to rip the ceiling tiles off as soon as we get the keys.

I got the full survery done and paid for by the seller. Our house was built in 1969 so had a high probability of its use in construction, which was raised by the survery. I asked them to prove it wasnt used, they said they couldnt, I said pay the £275 for the survery then.
They didnt poke any holes but they did lift carpets to find the old tiles under it (the house was unoccupied though.)
Once the survery came back positive I got a quote for safe removal and got them to take it off the agreed price.
We got the keys tuesday and all the material was removed by wednesday.

Cost for a pro to do the survey is peanuts compared to cost of house purchase, conveyancing etc.

Time taken for survey is -- I would imagine -- very little compared to time taken to find house, move etc.

I'd suggest you're overthinking this and should get a pro to do a survey, having explained to them exactly what you eventually intend to cut/drill/modify/remove. Not sure there is any benefit to trying to rush through this but there is clearly potential for risk as you've identified. I'd trust an independent expert over a bunch of people on the internet who haven't and won't see the situation in person.

Edit: @spotter 's approach seems sensible

@Cupcakes is correct the professionals looked at the house and knew which areas to test as they have surveyed countless numbers of the same period property.

Just got the chimney done as water was pissing down the inside face. When we got up there it became pretty obvious why - massive great hole in it from where someone had done a shite job (like scratching your head wondering how they thought that was ok kinda shite) and next door's lead was tucked under the tile with no soaker so must have just been channeling water under their tiles (though weirdly they haven't mentioned anything)

I think you're probably right in lots of ways.

It's definitely cheap compared to a lot of the other costs we're accruing (£560 for searches alone today, what the fuck) and yet it is quite a major safety/peace of mind issue.

Hi All, sorry for using this thread for a bit of advice and help, but I was hoping someone could help with some flood damage advice.

My hometown has been flooded in the last couple of days (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/17/italy-storms-people-dead-thousands-evacuated-emlia-romagna) and some relatives and friends were affected. All are fine and well, it's just a case of property damage with basements and lower floors being completely flooded with river water and debris/silts (think floor to ceiling level of flood). Power has obviously been switched off as soon as the flooding started.

The water has subsided and they will start cleaning today. They are not sure how to clean and remove any silts that might have gone inside the electrical system ducts and domestic plumbing and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with flooded basements or any advice at all?

My thinking was rinsing the systems as much as possible and then letting them dry. For the electical system I was thinking removing the plates by the switches and power sockets and running some water down to flush the system, but I don't know if that's stupid or not.

Rinse it and get a dehumidifier for a start to pull as much water as possible the bigger the better.

Do they have the equivalent of home insurance? If they do, their insurer should handle this I would have thought? There's a lot of potential for accidents / getting infected with something awful if you try to DIY it.