Terms of Service:
Our fee will be estimated fully once we have conducted a free initial consultation and been given a description of the work you intend to carry out. It does not include maps, structural reports, local authority fees etc. Ordnance Survey maps are required for planning applications at 1:500 and 1:1250 scales. These cost an additional £40 per application.

Our fee is due once the initial drawings are ready for submission to the local authority but does allow for changes that you wish to make before they are submitted to the council. The initial plans we produce will be to Local Authority planning application standards and therefore the majority of the fee will be required if you decide not to proceed.

Each application is judged by the local authority on its individual merits, we therefore cannot guarantee planning approval. However, every effort is made prior to the submission of any application to ensure a successful outcome.

It is your responsibility to inform us at an early stage of any development restrictions placed on your property. For example, restrictive covenants, tree preservation orders, requirement to obtain permission from house builder, public sewers or water courses etc. These may have been imposed by the developer, previous occupant, local authority or utility company.

We cannot accept any responsibility for discrepancies in the exact position of boundaries or disputes with neighbours. If there is any doubt about a boundary or land ownership etc., clarification should be sought by you at an early stage.

If a United Utilities drain runs through your property you may need to enter into a ‘build-over agreement.’ This will be your responsibility and it is advisable to check with the asset protection department before planning any building work.

Any changes to the drawings that are necessary to obtain planning and building regulation approval will be done under the initial fee. However, any changes other to those mentioned will be charged for at a minimum of £75. No responsibility is accepted for any amendment to the plans required by the local authority that does not meet with your satisfaction or variations from the initially discussed scheme which are necessary to meet with current building reg's.

Clients should be aware that where it is proposed to build on an area of poor ground or close to trees, the local authority building inspector will make the final decision as to the type & depth of the new foundations. This may result in a significant increase in the cost of construction. Where poor ground or trees are anticipated, it is advisable to obtain an initial quote from a specialist foundation contractor prior to requesting the production of plans. No soil investigation will be conducted by us.

If structural calculations (or other specialist services) are deemed to be necessary by either the local authority or Simon Mason Designs Ltd, payment for these services will be required from you in addition and separate to our fee. These details may be required by the local authority before approval is granted. They may include structural reports, protected animal surveys, tree reports etc. Furthermore, the plans may need to be amended in accordance with advice of the appointed specialist.

All ‘intellectual property’ remains the property of Simon Mason Designs Ltd. However, the copies of the relevant plans issued to you will be yours to use as you see fit. All work is Copyright Protected.

4 Copies of the plans will be forwarded to you once the applications have been made to the local authority. Any additional copies will be supplied at a cost of £15.00 per copy. We can also forward copies to local builders should you wish us to. If at any time after the initial measured survey of a property, you decide that you no longer wish to proceed with the scheme, you will be charged for the work carried out to date.

The Party Wall Act

Act 1996 Where it is intended to build adjacent to the boundary between your property and an adjacent property, you are legally obliged to serve notice in writing on the owner of the adjacent property outlining the nature of the intended work. Notice shall be served in writing one month prior to commencement of the work. Where the proposed work involves an excavation within three metres of an adjoining property and below the adjacent properties foundation, or any part of the new building encroaches on the boundary, you must obtain permission in writing from the owner of that property. Any disputes that arise under the act must be dealt with by a surveyor who is independent of Simon Mason Designs Ltd.

Further information and specimen letters can be found at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partywall