FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I am thinking of an extension to my house, can you quote for the works involved?
I require a 3D model of the proposal, could you provide us with a quote?
I have had a consultation, when do we expect a fee letter to arrive?
What are the main fees associated with a project?
We would like to tackle the whole project in one stage, is this achievable?
Do you pay the Planning Application fee?
Are there any other fees associated with the project I should be aware of?
When do I expect your invoice?
I have recieved your invoice but we have not submitted an application yet, why is that?
What happens if payment is not made within 14 days?
What happens if I can not pay the fee?
I have paid by a BACS transfer, can you confirm the money is transferred?
Do you pay the Building Control fee?
I would like a meeting to discuss the design, is this possible?
Not really, we offer guide prices which can be found here however every project is different. It is recommended that we visit the property, discuss the works involved, see if there are any planning implications and then we can offer you a quote. If you are interested in a visit, please contact us for a consultation.
We can convert old drawings to digital copies to help us progress with the project, however it is still recommended to visit the property.
Yes we can, send the detail to us and we’ll be happy to offer you a quote for a 3D model.
Yes we can, send the detail to us and we’ll be happy to offer you a quote for a colour elevations and colour site plan.
You can expect a fee letter in the a couple of days after a consultation. If we need to consult with planning or building issues, we may consult a third party and the fee letter could take a little longer to compile.
The main fees associated with most projects are the design and planning fees in order to gain the neccessary planning permission. This is described in a fee letter sent to you after every consultation. After planning permission is granted, we send another letter that outlines the next stages to develop the drawings further for construction and pricing purposes. Depending on the works proposed, the drawings may require additional input such as Structural Engineer, SAP calculation, Party Wall matters as well as Building Control or Approved Inspector services. If any of these services are required to complete the project, we will outline the cost involved in the fee letter.
It is very difficult to provide an estimate of the building regulation costs because we do not know the scale of the proposed works involved. Once the design is finalised and submitted to the council, are we able to provide a more accurate quote for the building regulation and construction stages. For some projects, we can provide a guide price for the building regulations and construction stages.
If you are confident of exactly what you want in terms of building an extension or new build, we can compile both the planning, building regulation and construction fees into one fee letter. However there is an element of risk involved as many of our clients like change their mind as the project progresses, whether its moving a wall or reposition a toilet. These changes will incur a additional fee to amend the construction drawings and could have a knock-on effect if any structural design has been produced by a structural engineer. To avoid any pitfalls, we always advise our clients to carry out the project is two stages, the first is to achieve permission from the council and the second is to develop construction drawings to enable accurate quotes from builders. We advise all our clients to spend the time, talk though and evaluate their proposal to ensure its exactly what you want and if you decide on any changes during the planning stage, we would be perfectly happy to oblige because we have not developed any construction drawings yet nor incurred any additional fees in the process.
No. We never request any fees upfront. After each design stage or stages, an invoice will be sent by email for the correct amount. You have 14 days to pay the payment in full.
No. We do not take responsibility for paying the planning application fee. Once the drawings are finalised, we will complete the application forms and submit the planning application on your behalf. The Local Planning Authority dealing with the application will issue a reference number and offer appropriate methods of payment. We will forward this information to you so you can the pay the fees either over the phone, online or by cheque. The planning application will not proceed until the fee is paid in full.
The only additional fees associated with the project is printing and an Ordinance Survey Map if required. We charge a rate for printing subject to our terms and conditions. There are no other hidden extras associated with the project unless we notify you. Substantial changes to the project will be subject to an additional fee and we will notify you if this happens.
You will expect an invoice for the works if a stage or a number of stages are completed within the project. This is mostly after a planning application is submitted on your behalf or completion of the building regulation and construction drawings. We intend to issue invoices every other Saturday morning.
We like to give clients as much time as possible to reflect over the drawings and come back with any changes if necessary before submitting an application to the council. However in some cases, the clients may want more time or there has been a change in circumstances that we are not aware of. We appreciate that all our clients have busy lifes however we can only offer so much leeway waiting for a response to keep our business operational. As a guide, we normally offer 7-10 days to respond back to us with comments or request any changes to ensure project momentum, however an invoice for the works will be forthcoming if no comments or changes are received after this time.
We will place the project on hold until payment is received. As we have many projects running simultaneously, the project will lose priority and momentum which could result in a delay.
You need to bring this to our attention immediately and see if a payment solution can be resolved. If no payment is forthcoming, our last resort would be to terminate the project.
Every invoice describes the stages involved and the necessary fees as agreed in the fee letter. Payment can be made by BACS, cheque or cash. We do not accept credit card or debit card payments over the phone.
No we do not accept Paypal.
If you would like confirmation of money transferred, feel free to phone, text or email.
No. We do not take responsibility for paying the building control fee or any other third party fee. Once the building regulation and construction drawings are completed, we will either complete the paperwork associated if you are using the Local Authority Building Control or an Approved Inspector, however any payment to any party is solely your responsibility. With some builders, they prefer to recommend their own Approved Inspector and therefore the builder will deal with this matter.
We are perfectly happy to meet and discuss your design intentions however there will be a charge. In order to keep costs reasonable, much of the discussion is compiled by email which we treat as a free service. We do offer a free meeting after a measured building survey is carried out on the property.
Not sure where to begin?
Call 01793 920265
07944 486178
8am - 6pm Mon - Fri
Tell us about your project?
hello@benwill.co.ukor send a message
20 The Marlestones
Old Town
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN1 4NADriving directions and map
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