Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 10, 2021 10:55 pm So a bit of background - we're in Sydney and years ago an architect did plans for an ex-owner, and he's tried to smuggle in every aspect of north-facing conceivable with no apparent regard for layout or practicality - a tiny weird "north facing" courtyard along the side of the house to spider-ridden clerestory windows and a sun-damaged raked ceiling. 5 years ago we moved into the old house (prior to knockdown), and we've been living in the old house since. We find for most of the year we are crowded in the shaded or south-facing parts of the backyard as to avoid the hot sun or avoid having to deal with sunscreen on the kids , sunglasses, packing toys so they don't get destroyed in the sun and so forth. When I spoke to the architect he mentioned off the bat 'oh that was a really difficult site, major issues with solar access' and he estimated $50k to provide plans (which he had completed for the previous owner). I get that midwinter sun is nice but that will flow into the windows and a north-facing verandah (something he didn't have), so there's going to be plenty of winder sunshine, with the added bonus that it's shaded in midsummer (something the architect bizarrly didn't seem to account for). What am I missing here? Why do people hire architects?? I don't really want to say I know better but this has made me uncomfortable to trust a professional and we're not sure how to proceed with the planning. It hasn't helped that every builder we spoke to rubbished the architects plans. Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 2Mar 11, 2021 6:12 am boris594 So a bit of background - we're in Sydney and years ago an architect did plans for an ex-owner, and he's tried to smuggle in every aspect of north-facing conceivable with no apparent regard for layout or practicality - a tiny weird "north facing" courtyard along the side of the house to spider-ridden clerestory windows and a sun-damaged raked ceiling. 5 years ago we moved into the old house (prior to knockdown), and we've been living in the old house since. We find for most of the year we are crowded in the shaded or south-facing parts of the backyard as to avoid the hot sun or avoid having to deal with sunscreen on the kids , sunglasses, packing toys so they don't get destroyed in the sun and so forth. When I spoke to the architect he mentioned off the bat 'oh that was a really difficult site, major issues with solar access' and he estimated $50k to provide plans (which he had completed for the previous owner). I get that midwinter sun is nice but that will flow into the windows and a north-facing verandah (something he didn't have), so there's going to be plenty of winder sunshine, with the added bonus that it's shaded in midsummer (something the architect bizarrly didn't seem to account for). What am I missing here? Why do people hire architects?? I don't really want to say I know better but this has made me uncomfortable to trust a professional and we're not sure how to proceed with the planning. It hasn't helped that every builder we spoke to rubbished the architects plans. Hi Boris The answer is, it's your dream home, you are going to live in it, not your architect so you do it anyway you please. One thing building custom homes has taught me is that nearly every family has their own unique peculiarities and quirks. Our business model is that we have go to peoples homes at night generally after the kids are fed, depending on the job we take either our architect or our designer look at how people live, sit down for a few hours and discuss how they live and whats important to them and then design away. You would be surprised at what some people want. If someone has a terrible idea practically we will provide professional advice but at the end of the day, it's their dream not ours so they can have what they want. Now to the important bit. DO NOT PAY $50,000 to an architect! I can refer to you to an architect who charges $15k check out https://arquero.com.au/ or I can give you designer who will give you a full set of plans, engineering, BASIX etc for around $13k ready to build ( PM me for those details) Boris it's your house if you want it facing west, go for it! My only advice is if you do face it south put some decent eaves on that facade as in Sydney we do get a lot of wind and rain blowing in from the south so water can penetrate doors and windows. anyway good luck Cheers S Simeon McGovern Affordable Custom Homes, We design and build to your budget Ashington Homes www.ashingtonhomes.com.au Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 3Mar 11, 2021 10:39 am Why do people hire architects? Well thats a loaded question but surely your not judging all architects on the basis of just one especially given that "you dont want to say that you know better but...." . Looking for advice on this forum tends to suggest that you simply dont know better. Northern facing windows in not all about direct sun. Spending all your time in the southern section of your house in the winter sounds as dreary as living in England but hey its your choice. Architects are like doctors, you may not agree that taking penicillin actually does anything but years of study will prove otherwise. Also, as Simeon said, its your house, if you dont like what the trained and registered professional is saying get a second opinion, just like you would with a doctor, but you really need to trust someone or youll end up with either a really poor performing and crappy looking home with every design element you can think of thrown in or a home that works in every aspect. Look at it another way, your spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house and you feel the best way to save some is to not engage with an expert on how best to design a building for a particular lot? Well, ignorance is bliss i guess. Why do people pay architects? Because otherwise you just get the wrong project home on the wrong block. Why do people pay architects? Because you "dont know about how to proceed with planning" Why do people pay architects? Because some people are not ignorant enough to believe they know everything. Why do people pay architects? Barbecue if your not buying a project home and you dont pay for an architect you build whats at the limit of your experience and by the sounds of it its not very much. Pay for an architect, or even better a building designer. Itll be the best $50k youve ever spent. Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 4Mar 11, 2021 1:03 pm SejaeD Thanks for the inputs, will keep that in mind. Yes, I need to find someone I can work with and be on the same page. Bimbob To me it's more a question of confidence in whether or not the particular architect can deliver practical and workable plans as opposed to saving money. The other issue I had when talking to the architect, is when I asked the question 'do you know guys who can build it?' or 'do you know the cost?"', the answers were a flat no and no. Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 5Mar 11, 2021 1:13 pm Then most definitely find another architect because it is the architects responsibility to work within a given budget, there is actually scope to sue an architect for exceeding budget without notification and if youre still not comfortable, have them sign a contract that outlines your scope. Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 6Mar 11, 2021 2:10 pm I'll buy in... I appreciate that architects look clients straight in the eye and say "It's going to cost you 50K" straight up front and try they to sort everythings out. On the other hand the salesman/builder offers up free sketches, owns copyright and sticks it to you with $50K site costs when the engineering comes in.... I'm not sure which is worse Ironically neither Architects and Builders made the Trusted professions Survey .. go figure and then fix it. Also to say architects are like doctors is an insult to doctors Let me quote Frank L Wright " Doctors bury there ( worse) mistakes, architects cover them with Ivy" Here's some more irony Architects invented 3D Bim now they are left behind... Ask the Engineer to come along to the Architect/Client presentation.. we need credibility as our renderings look FAKE Get a deposit from the client, tell him it's for the Geo Engineering Our fees form part of the Confidentiality Agreement enjoy the humour Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 8Mar 11, 2021 2:20 pm Sure... You might also enjoy Rich Halls references to FLW in Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Am I crazy if I want a south-facing floorplan? 9Mar 11, 2021 4:44 pm 50k for a design? lol. As wmentioned, speak to a couple. I'd argue that if the home was uncomfortable in the appropriate orientation, there may be other factors contributing to it. Dark matter scientist, can breathe underwater, mind reader and can freeze matter just by willing it. Trust me, its in my sig. I had 28m2 of engineered pavers laid six months back and it was difficult to find someone not taking the pi$$. Internet suggested it should be $85-100/m2 to lay them.… 3 9633 2 5254 The warning is on the sticker on the door too. Second the aluminium powdercoat 6 12609 |