This is one common request that we get asked at least monthly. So much so that we thought it was worth writing about here in an effort to shed some light on a challenging subject for us to respond too.
These conversations are delicate and it's often during these calls or email conversations that we try to explain that calling up an architecture firm and telling them that you’ve already done the design for your house, you just need someone to prepare the drawings, is like going to your G.P. and telling them that you “already know what was wrong, I just need you to write a prescription”. Now there are doctors out there that might be willing to do this, however they are as rare as finding an architect or designer who will simply draw up your plans. You will probably only find either through a mate of a mate.
The reason we take this approach is most people who are not architects or designers don’t understand the myriad of moving parts to their request and they don’t understand how complicated simply “drawing up some plans” is.
So we're going on the record… it is massively complicated and a lot more expensive than if we design the project from the beginning. Besides the end result always involves major elements of re-design. We know this and we'll factor it in our service agreements.
So the takeaway from this post is fairly simple. If you want someone to "just draw up some plans" you need to find the right sort of person for the project. If all you need is someone to take your sketches and turn them into consenting and construction documents, you should reach out to a drafting service who will gladly undertake your documentation requirements.
You won’t be required to deal with the prickly demeanor that you might receive from some designers, and the cost to provide those drawings will be more in line with your expectations.
If you want to take advantage of the skills and knowledge guys like us apply to our projects, along with the insight and wisdom that is shared through working on projects from the pre-design phase through the concept, development and detailed design delivery, concluding with construction observation or administration, then we might be exactly what you are looking for.
Rightly or wrongly we are hard-wired to want to help every person who takes the time to reach out to us. Unfortunately the reality is just preparing consent drawings based on others design-work isn’t a good fit for ourselves or the clients. We much rather inform someone of that and be helpful, than to move forward and put us all in a difficult position down the track.