Terms and Conditions
You should read the terms and conditions set out on this page carefully before using this web site and prior to using any design and/or service provided by PM Consulting Engineers LTD.
Terms and Conditions | Guisborough | PM Consulting Engineers LTD
Your use of PM Consulting Engineers Ltd website is subject to these terms and conditions. You should visit this page regularly to read the latest version and read our privacy policy at the end of these terms and conditions. Access and use of the website constitutes acceptance by you of these terms and conditions.
1. Disclaimer
1.1 The website and material relating to its information, products and services (or to third party information, products and services), is provided ‘as is’, to the extent permitted by applicable law without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. Please note that, whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material included on this website, it is made available for general information only and does not constitute professional or legal advice.
1.2 We do not warrant that the operation of this website will be uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or represent the full functionality, completeness, accuracy or reliability of the materials. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including, without limitation:
-loss of profits
-indirect or consequential loss or damage
-any loss or damages whatsoever
arising from use, or loss of use of, data, arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
1.3 Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude PM Consulting Engineers Ltd liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence (as such term is defined by the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977), fraud, misrepresentation as to a fundamental matter or any liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
1.4 These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
1.5 PM Consulting Engineers Ltd reserves the right to change or amend these website terms and conditions (including the privacy policy) and the content of the website at any time.
2. Intellectual property
2.1 The names, images and logos displayed on this website which identifies PM Consulting Engineers Ltd and/or third parties, together with the text, graphics, images and all other intellectual property, displayed on this site are the proprietary material of PM Consulting Engineers Ltd and/or third parties. Copying any of this material is not permitted without prior approval from the owner of the relevant intellectual property rights. Requests for such approval of PM Consulting Engineers Ltd materials should be directed to our offices giving details of your intended use of the relevant material and include your contact details.
3. Virus protection
3.1 We make every effort to check and test material at all stages of production. It is always wise for you to run an anti-virus program on all material downloaded from the internet. We do not accept any responsibility for any loss, disruption or damage to your data or your computer system which may occur while using material from this web site.
4. Linking policy
4.1 You must ask permission to link directly to pages hosted on this website. We do not permit our pages to be loaded into frames on your site. Our pages must load into the user's entire window.
4.2 We only link to our sponsors or partners.
PM Consulting Engineers Ltd is not responsible for the content or reliability of any website to which it is linked and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Linking to or from this website should not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over the availability or content of the linked pages.
5. Indemnity
5.1 You agree to indemnify and hold us,PM Consulting Engineers Ltd, agents and employees harmless from any claims, action, demand, liability or costs due to or arising out of information you provide to us, including without limitation, any liability of us, PM Consulting Engineers Ltd, subcontractors, freelancers, agents and employees to any person in respect of any claim of infringement of copyright or other intellectual property right, defamation, libel or breach of confidence.
5.2 We limit our liability to 15x (Fifteen times) the cost of ANY service or product provided by PM Consulting Engineers LTD. This includes but is not limited to, Structural Design and Calculations, Building Surveys and Reports, Construction Drawings, Planning Permission Drawings and Site Inspections.
6. Privacy Policy
6.1 We collect personal information from you when you complete our online eQuotation or when you register interest or support. We undertake to treat that information in accordance with this policy.
6.2 We will hold your personal information and use it only for the purposes described below. We will not supply your personal information to anyone else without first obtaining your consent, unless we are otherwise obliged or permitted by law to do so. We are not responsible for the data collection and use practices of other companies to which this website may link. We do not use cookies on this website.
6.3 The personal information you submit is only used internally by PM Consulting Engineers Ltd for the purposes of sending you publications, quotations and e-mail updates about developments on this web site and updates on services we offer, and to alert you to information about our organisation and our services that may be of specific interest to you.
6.4 You may request at any time that we cease sending you this information by sending an e-mail to info@pmce.co.uk with your name, address, e-mail address and details of service(s) you no longer wish to receive stating your name, address, e-mail address and details of the service(s) you no longer wish to receive.
6.5 You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to have any inaccuracies corrected.
SERVICES:
7. Quotations
7.1 Quotations given by PM Consulting Engineers Ltd are given in good faith and are subject to change at our discretion. Where quotations change we will endeavour to advise you of this in writing as soon as we are able. We are not obliged to proceed with any quotations given.
7.2 Invitation for PM Consulting Engineers Ltd, or its representatives, to visit the site is deemed as acceptance of the quote given and any work carried out is chargeable. Where projects are terminated for any reason we reserve the right to charge for work carried out to date. Please note that ALL site visits are chargeable (please see section 19. Site Visits)
7.3 Quotations are valid for 90 days (from the date of quotation).
8. Party wall Act, Site Boundaries
8.1 Assumed site boundaries and assumed drain runs will also be detailed but are always assumed. The onus is on the applicant to confirm any discrepancies prior to Local Council application stages. No underground geological or drainage surveys will be carried out on site and are not included in our quoted fees.
8.2 Prior to any site construction works your attention is brought to the Access of Neighbouring Land Act 1992 and the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 and any subsequent amendments. You must obtain prior written consent of the owner/s and occupier/s of any land upon which it is necessary for you to enter in order to construct, externally finish, decorate or in any other way carry out works in connection with this development including future repairs/maintenance or to obtain support from adjoining structures. Detailed copies of this Act are available from your Local Authority. Planning permission and Building regulation approvals can be granted but you must obtain party wall act consent for you to carry out the works as detailed in the approvals.
8.3 Where gallows brackets or other design works affecting the party wall are specified, it is your responsibility to consult with your neighbours and a suitably qualified Party Wall Surveyor should be appointed, failure to do so may have implications for your project and incur extra costs.
9. The Party Wall Act covers:
9.1 a] work on an existing wall or structure shared with another property
b] building a free standing wall or a wall or a wall of a building up to or astride the boundary with a neighbouring property
c] excavating near a neighbouring building.
9.2 It is important to note that the Party Wall Act requires at least one months notice [ in some cases two months] of 'planned start of work' to be given to the neighbour/s. The minimum time period should be sufficient to enable a written agreement to be made regarding boundary ownership, positions access etc. If your neighbour/s do not grant you written approval then your proposal may have to be revised to the satisfaction of these parties.
9.3 We strongly advise you to discuss the proposal with your neighbours prior to submission of Local Authority applications to avoid disputes before, during or after construction. As this Act has legal implications, if you do have any doubt as to your obligations under this Act then please consult your legal advisor or a Party Wall Surveyor.
9.4 A planning approved scheme can detail encroachment on or over land that is not under your ownership. Typically this may be rainwater goods, foundation, drain, wall or roof structures. Planning permission does not grant access rights, or give any right of ownership over adjoining property/land. It is the applicant's responsibility to establish the ownership and legal position of the boundary before carrying out the work shown on the scheme drawings. Where it is necessary to gain access to adjoining land/property, to carry out Building operations, or to allow inspections or work, it is recommended that written permission is obtained from the owner of the land/property.
9.5 Boundaries: Any encroaching building work on or over your boundary is to be with the adjoining owner/s written consent. Boundary walls, where demolished must be replaced in their historic position unless other legal agreements are made in their relocation.
10. Site works & Underground services
10.1 The building contractor and applicant is to check all dimensions, angles and levels on site prior to commencement of work. In the event of any discrepancies in this scheme no liability will be accepted once work has commenced.
Any discrepancies are to be reported in writing with details, drawings and dimensions where appropriate. Local Authorities or other interested parties may have to be updated as a result of any discrepancies and work must not progress until all parties have approved revised plans/construction details.
10.2 Our building specification relates to a building regulation application and a contractors reference for quoting only. Your contractor will be responsible for confirming exact material specifications and measurements on site. If materials of a different specification, to the approved specifications, are used, then the onus is on the contractor to gain the approval to the suitability of these materials with the building control officer. If site demolition/construction works reveal different elements of structure than those detailed in the approved plans then work must not progress until the Local Authority has approved revised methods of construction or revised plans/details.
10.3 Any work over, or near any public sewer to be to the approval of your Local Utility Company drainage engineers department and your Local Authority Building Control department. If underground services are revealed during excavation then construction methods/details may have to be revised to the satisfaction of Local Utility Company drainage engineers department and your Local Authority Planning or Building Control department. It is the applicants responsibility to accurately establish both the line and level of any underground services that are near the proposed extension foundations. Utility companies do charge an application fee for extensions that are to be built over or near public sewers.
10.4 No desktop studies or surveys will be carried out with regard to any underground services running through your site or any adjoining site. The client is responsible for confirming, wherever possible, the location of any underground services. Any existing or proposed underground services, as indicated on the scheme drawings ie drain/cable /sewer or rainwater pipe runs etc, will be assumed. Contractor/Applicant to allow contingency for unforeseen drainage work arising when site excavation work commences.
No desktop studies or surveys will be carried out with regard to the site soil/ground conditions. Contractor/Applicant to allow contingency for unforeseen foundation work arising when site excavation work commences.
10.5 We accept no liability for the condition of any existing structures that may affect your proposal. If in doubt - ASK.
11. Local Authority Planning & Building Control, Completion certificate, Site Inspections & Decision notice conditions
11.1 The building completion certificate: This certificate should be issued by Building Control on satisfactory completion of all the site works. We would advise you, the applicant, to obtain this completion certificate prior to release of final payment to your building contractor. The onus is on the applicant/Contractor/Local authority to oversee site construction works and that the relevant site inspections are carried out and that any remedial work is carried out, as applicable, to the satisfaction of the Building inspector. This certificate may not be issued if the Building inspector is not satisfied with site works during inspection.
11.2 Planning and Building Regulation approvals may have attached conditions. The onus is on the Contractor/Applicant to ensure that all conditions are complied with as detailed in the approval documents and approved plans , structural design and specifications. If these conditions are not complied with then the Local Authority may take enforcement action, which may jeopardise the future sale of your property. Often plans and specifications are revised during the Local Authority application stages. Any discrepancies between the planning approved scheme and the building regulation approved scheme are to be reported to us prior to any site works.
11.3 Building regulation approved plans-Where plans are passed, if the building work is not started and proper notice given to Building Control within an expiry date of depositing the application, a further notice will be issued under Section 32, Building Act 1984 stating that the deposit of the plans is of no effect. A new application and fee may be requested.
11.4 The applicant or contractor must, by law give formal notice [ contact your Local Authority or Approved inspector for notices] to Building Control prior to the commencement of site works.
11.5 Planning approved plans-Where plans are passed the development permitted shall begin before the expiry date on the notice of decision.
14.6 All works to approval of Local Authority Building Control Inspectors and Planning officers.
11.7 All work to comply with the current Building Regulations and subsequent amendments whether detailed in these scheme drawings and specifications or not.
11.8 We do not guarantee a planning approval, or that our planning permission drawings will not require amendments in order to meet the planning departments requirements, the planning decision will be based on numerous factors, ie residential design guidelines, neighbours objections, loss of light and privacy issues etc.
11.9 If for whatever reason planning is rejected then you have the option after the decision is issued to submit a planning appeal and a planning inspector will then make a final decision. You do need to ensure you have reasonable grounds of appeal.If it is possible to address the reasons for refusal of planning permission then we can submit a revised scheme to your planning department, this process can take another 10 weeks as a general guideline.
11.10 It is expected that the client will have made independent pre-application enquiries with their Planning department and neighbours as to the feasibility of the proposal prior to the engagement of our services.
114.11 We do not guarantee a building regulation approval as in certain circumstances, for example, underground services, public sewers, existing ground conditions cannot show compliance with the building regulations and as such a Building regulation application will be rejected. It is common practice for the building inspector to provide a plan check comments schedule, we will work with you to amend or revise the drawings where practical however additional fees may be charged for these works.
11.12 Additional applications and scheme revisions will be quoted for under a separate quotation.
12. Structural Design Calculations
12.1 Structural engineers calculations may be required for your proposal, unless explicitly expressed otherwise, these will not fall within the scope of your original quotation, an additional quotation will be required if structural calculations are requested by Building Control during the application process.
15.2 We will exercise reasonable skill and care in carrying out our services.
12.3 Unless expressly agreed in writing as a qualification to this clause, we shall not be liable for the performance of any other person or company not engaged by us, nor responsible for checking or reporting on their performance.
12.4 Whilst we make every effort to check and validate information supplied by clients and third parties, we cannot be responsible for errors arising directly or indirectly from incorrect information supplied to us or our subcontractors / freelancers. Any amendments arising from these errors may be chargeable.
12.5 Our design will be undertaken in accordance with the Building Regulations and the relevant British Standards and Euro Codes, subject to professional judgement. Calculations and drawings will be checked by Building Control, an Approved Inspector and / or their checking engineers and occasionally, due to different interpretations of standards, modifications are required to our submitted drawings and or Structural Design Calculations. Therefore works on site should only be commenced after written receipt of approval from Building Control or the Approved Inspector - No liability will be accepted for issues arising without written approval being received, construction must not commence until calculations have been checked and approved in writing.
12.6 Calculations should not be relied upon without this Approval in place. Any changes to the calculations must be reported in writing prior to installation of steel work etc; minor differences with bearings etc can have a dramatic effect so clients must follow calculations in there entirety once approved.
12.7 Issues arising from Architects Drawings must be reported to ourselves in writing. Any changes from the plans in comparison to what is discovered on site must again be reported to ourselves in writing- calculations must NOT be used if any differences between drawings and site conditions are found.
12.8 No liability will be accepted from errors of 3rd Parties (this includes, Architectural Technicians, Architects, Clients, Builders, Building Control inspectors or Engineers).
12.9 We reserve the right to use Contractors and freelancers for elements of work such as Structural Surveys, Structural Calculations, Construction Drawings, Mortgage Certificates, Asbestos Surveys.
12.10 All structural engineers calculations supersede any notes and dimension shown in the issued plans and specifications, unless stated otherwise, any conflicts to be reported before work commences.
12.11 All existing walls that are intended to accept additional loading's from the new works including their foundations should be inspected in consultation with the Local Authority / Approved Inspector Building Control inspector on site to verify their load bearing capacity and structural condition. It may be necessary to partially or completely rebuild walls and or underpin foundations.
12.12 Existing lintels or foundations taking new increased loading to be exposed and assessed for suitability to carry new loads, to satisfaction of Local Authority / Approved Inspector Building Control inspector.
12.13 We limit our liability arising through any claims to 15x (fifteen times) the value of any of our services.
12.14 Without prejudice to any other exclusion or limitation of liability, damages, loss, expense or costs, the liability of PM Consulting Engineers LTD for any loss or damage (‘the loss or damage’) under this contract shall be limited to that proportion as it would be just and equitable for PM Consulting Engineers LTD to pay having regard to the extent of its responsibility for the loss or damage and on the assumptions that:
i.
All other consultants, contractors, subcontractors, and advisers engaged in connection with the project have provided contractual undertakings on terms no less onerous than those made by PM Consulting Engineers LTD to the client in respect of the carrying out of their obligations in connection with the project.
ii.
There are no exclusions of or limitations of liability nor joint insurance or co-insurance provisions between the client and any other party referred to in this clause and any such other party who is responsible to any extent for the loss or damage is contractually liable to the client for the loss or damage; and
iii.
All the parties referred to in this clause have paid to the client such proportion of the loss or damage which it would be just and equitable for them to pay having regard to the extent of their responsibility for the loss or damage.
iv.
The total aggregate liability of PM Consulting Engineers LTD for all loss and/or damage in respect of all defaults occurring in connection with the same Contract shall in no event exceed Fifteen times the amount of the fees payable for the Services under the Contract.
15.15 If you are unsure of this or any of the information within these terms and conditions please raise this in writing prior to proceeding with a quotation or construction provided by PM Consulting Engineers LTD.
13. Important notice to applicants (Plan Drawing Services).
13.1 The Council is required to publish your applications on its website and make available for public viewing and consultation and elsewhere. This includes your application form, your proposed scheme and any supporting information you or we provide if we are acting for you as agents. On occasions we submit site photographs or supporting statements with your planning application.
Your application form will contain your name and address and will also include your telephone number(s) and e-mail address. Please only provide information belonging to you that your are happy to be made available to others for public viewing in this way.
14. We reserve the right to assume site boundaries.
14.1 Your legal site boundaries/ownership as detailed in your property deeds take precedent over any boundaries that are detailed on the Local authority applications. No liability will be accepted in relation to clarifying your legal site boundaries. If you do have any doubt as to the extent of your legal site ownership then please consult your legal advisor.
14.2 During the site survey assumptions may have to be made in relation to your site boundaries and the structural fabric of the building. This is mainly due to fitted carpets and inaccessible areas such as ceiling voids, floor voids, outbuildings, trees or shrubs, dangerous structures, undefined boundaries or trespass onto neighbouring land etc. Unless explicitly requested we will not open up areas which are covered and will rely solely on a visual inspection.
14.3 If you consider that the site boundaries detailed on your scheme drawings are not in the correct position please provide a detailed dimensioned plan detailing any discrepancies prior to the submission of you Local Council Applications. This is important for clients who are intending to build near to a neighbouring boundary.
14.4 It is important to establish your boundary position with your neighbours prior to site construction works and to agree in writing the position if any new walls, foundations, eaves and gutters on/over or near the shared boundary. If after site works commence and the site is cleared to make way for the new buildings and boundaries conflict with the approved building positions then you may have to revert to the planning department to revise the scheme to accommodate the boundary positions.
This would normally be by way of a Non Material Amendment Planning Application to an approved scheme or a new planning application if the proposed revision is considered to be a material change to the approved scheme. Please ensure you and your building contractor have read the conditions of all your planning and building regulation decision notices.
15. Scheme drawings, Cross sections & Building Specifications
15.1 Our cross section foundation detail is a standard detail that will apply to most extension foundations. However in some cases these foundation details will have to be superseded and redesigned as construction work progresses.
15.2 There may be other geological issues when you are planning an extension, ie there may be old coal mines, contaminated or built up land, sewers, wells, supply pipes etc or the sub soil conditions may be different to that anticipated, ie you may not dig to solid clay, all of these issues will have an impact on your extension foundation.
15.3 The Building Control Site Inspection Officer would normally approve the foundation trench prior to construction infill.
15.4 We would suggest that trial holes are dug and investigation works are carried out prior to site construction works. Your contractor can then establish what ground conditions exist on site and can include this when quoting for the works. You should hold a contingency budget allowance for unforeseen geological issues as site work progresses.
15.5 Building Control, neighbours who have built extensions in the vicinity, or your conveyancing solicitor may hold historic information on any geological ground conditions that mat affect your proposal.
In some cases, particularly with new builds Building Control may ask for a previous history of the site to determine risk of contamination or a laboratory soil report to identify and contaminants. Details can be requested to remove contaminants if identified by the site investigation report.
If further geological reports are required then you will need to contact specialist geological contractors who will be able to provide this information for you.
Your legal advisor should have informed you if the site is contaminated or if there are any other development restrictions when you first purchased the property.
15.6 Any consultants fees or specialist reports are not included in PM Consulting Engineers Ltd services or quoted fees.
15.7 The specification document and scheme drawings, etc are intended to be used for Building Regulation and Planning approvals only. We accept no liability in relation to disputes/delays/ arising from site construction works. The service we provide to you excludes any liability for consequential loss or financial damages.
15.8 Whilst we take all reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained within the issued documents is accurate and up to date, no liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions.
15.9 Once issued, if you are in any doubt as to the validity of information made available in the specification document or the scheme drawings, or if you wish to rely on this information, then it may be in your best interests to seek verification by contacting us or seek further assistance from us or your solicitor.
15.10 On depositing of the local authority application/s the applicant is deemed to have viewed and approved the scheme drawings and specifications.
15.11 All scheme drawings and specifications are protected by Copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or part without our written consent.
15.12 At all times the specification document is to be read in conjunction with the scheme drawings.
15.13 No dimensions are to be scaled from the scheme drawings.
15.14 Scheme drawings/specifications and structural calculations are subject to revision during the application process and occasionally during site construction works. If any of these are issued to the client/contractor prior to approval stages then they are to be used for guidance for tendering purposes only. Any revision maybe subject to an amendment fee.
16. Permitted development & Certificate of Lawfulness applications.
16.1 This application is made to the LPA to assess if your proposal is exempt from planning permission, the LPA issue a Certificate if they consider the proposal to be exempt.
16.2 If for any reason planning permission is required then a planning application would then have to be submitted and additional costs would be charged.
16.3 If a Certificate is issued and you decide to build under your Permitted development rights then it is the Contractor /Applicants responsibility to ensure that the development is carried out within the allowances as detailed in the Town and Country Planning [ General Permitted Development ] Order 2015 and any subsequent amendments. In certain scenarios and for the applicants benefit we sometimes need to separate the scheme drawings into 3 separate applications, ie A Householder Development Application, a Permitted Development Application and a Building Regulation Application. There is an administration fee payable of £ 290.00 for this, it is an optional application route and we would advise you of the benefits in each particular case.
16.4 Please ensure that your property has not had its permitted development rights removed under an Article 4 direction, affected by a planning condition, you are in a conservation area, AONB or a restrictive covenant or similar.
17. Payment & Fees
17.1 Our initial design consultation fee is £60.00, which involves the Visit to Site to discuss proposed works or measuring the property or site. Further site visits at the request of either the Applicant, the Contractor or the Local authority after the plans have been deposited [ or after the initial site visit and design consultation] are chargeable to the client. These fees are based on a £100.00 initial travelling fee, thereafter £50.00 per half hour or part thereof. E.g. surveys as deemed necessary by the Local authority / drainage surveys / highway crossings / Local water board reports / etc or an Applicant who would prefer to discuss the proposed scheme drawings on site.
17.2 Agents signing on behalf of clients must ensure that they have informed the client agency the fact that they have instructed us on their behalf and bring to the attention of their clients our Terms of Business. In the event that a client defaults on payment and they have not been informed of this contract by the agent, then the agent can be held responsible for the outstanding fees.
17.3 All hard and PDF electronic copies of plans, building specifications, Structural design materials and all other documents issued by us will remain the property of the company until full payment is made. For this reason documents should not be used or relied upon until payment has been made in full. No liability will be accepted under any circumstance if payment has not been made in full.
17.4 If after the site survey and design consultation additional elements are added to your initial brief that we have previously sent you a quotation for, we reserve the right to increase the quotation on a pro rata basis. This will be explained to you in writing if this becomes the case. Example, you are issued a quotation for a single storey extension and onsite your brief changes to a single storey extension and a loft conversion.
17.5 In projects where we act as your agents our fees will be due seven working days after first issue of draft plans. We consider the issue of draft plans to be the first issue of plans to the client whether this is one plan or any other amount up to and including a full set of plans and specifications. In proposals where clients act as their own agents our fees will be due on initial site survey.
17.6 If payment for our services is not received within our specified payment terms then other projects may take priority in our booking out procedure, which may result in delayed local authority application or delayed amendment of plans.
17.7 Our quotations remain valid for 90 days from date of issue with the condition that plans are submitted to planning and building control within 3 months of the site survey, if plans are not submitted within this timescale then a new quotation would need to be completed and any difference in our fee would be required in order to proceed.
17.8 Design alterations. Amendments or further information/clarification requested by the Planning department, Building control or client to the scheme drawings after submission are chargeable to the client. Our fees charged will be based on £50 per half hour and £100.00 per hour or part thereof in logged time.
17.9 We require at least 3 clear working days to update the Planning Department with a revised scheme. We cannot be liable for deadlines imposed by the Planning Department for receipt of revised schemes that are for less than 3 clear working days.
17.10 The 'client inspection period' is the period commencing from our issue of draft plans and including 14 days thereafter inclusive.
17.11 Planning and Building regulation updates [after the plans have been approved by the client and submitted to the Local authority] are chargeable to the client at a one off fee of £190.00 per update. Clients do have the choice to only make a planning application first followed by a Building regulation application. Our fixed fee is based on submitting the planning and building regulation application, to run concurrently. There is a 20% surcharge if you instruct us to make a planning application first and a building regulation after, subject to planning approval being granted.
17.12 Minor amendments requested outside the client inspection period may be subject to a fee at our discretion.
17.13 Major design alterations or design alterations that did not form part of the original specification or quotation or on site design notes, as deemed by us, requested by the client at any stage are chargeable to the client at a rate of £80.00 per hour.
17.14 Site location plans and block plans 1:1250 and 1:200 or 1:500 are chargeable at £20.00 per Plan. These extracts are required for all applications. If you provide these extracts there is no charge.
17.15 Scheme drawings can only be issued in non editable formats, i.e. PDF. These drawings must only be used for reference purposes only. If you, your contractors or subcontractors ie structural engineers, use or revise the scheme drawings then no liability will be accepted for any inaccuracy as detailed in the scheme or any revised scheme.
17.16 Local service board enquiries are occasionally requested by Building control. These detail public service pipes that may affect your proposal.
17.17 Additional applications. Planning / Building regulation / listed Building consents that are not detailed in our quotation will be quoted for separately if required after the initial site survey. We include one householder planning application and one Building Regulation application in our online quotation, additional planning applications [for householders], i.e. Certificate of Lawfulness for proposed use or Prior approval Applications or Planning re-applications will be charged at £390.00 per additional application required. Commercial planning applications are not included in our online quotation system and will be quoted for separately.
17.18 Local Authority fees will be due when you instruct us to deposit the application/s with your Local Authority. The Local Authority invoices the Applicant for site inspection fees, if applicable, after commencement of site works.
17.19 All works to comply with relevant codes of practice and British Standards and to be fitted to the manufacturer's instructions.
17.20 Contractor/Applicant to comply in all respects with the current Building Regulations and related Building / British Standards and Codes of Practice, whether detailed in this scheme or not.
17.21 Additional records. Which may be required by the local authority and are chargeable to the Applicant. You will be provided with a quotation if this is required. Ie Photographic records for Listed Building applications.
17.22 Information at the request of either the Applicant, Contractor or the Local authority after an approval has been issued will be subject to a fee.
17.23 Copy fees. Additional scheme drawings and specifications, photographs, etc are chargeable to the Applicant at £15.00 per set.
17.24 Invoices that remain outstanding which are not settled in accordance with our payment terms will be subject to a 5% administration charge [of total statement value] or a minimum fee of £20.00 [whichever is greater] per monthly statement or reminder issue. i.e. a statement or reminder will be issued every 14 days from date of first invoice.
17.25 Active applications with related invoices that remain outstanding [which are not settled in accordance with our payment terms] will be archived after eight weeks of invoice.
17.26 Release administration costs of £60.00 will be incurred to convert archive projects to an active application.
17.27 Structural Engineers, Party Wall Surveyors and Sewerage Providers; If the client contracts their own independent specialist consultants, ie Structural engineers, Party Wall Surveyors etc or requires additional input or drawings/sections with regards to securing local utility companies approval then we, the Company, will charge an involvement fee for liaising with the client, the clients consultants, sewerage providers and the Local Authority for the following: Verbal and email or written communication including advice, negotiation, drawing revisions, administration and additional Local Authority applications or updates that may be required, in an effort to resolve any issues. For example, plans may need revision arising from a neighbours request after applications have been deposited or decisions have been issued by the Local Authority or Building Control request clarification of insufficient information or detailing in a structural engineers package supplied by the clients structural engineer.
17.28 If a multiple application is made ie. Planning/listed building/building regulation etc we will issue the Local Authority decisions to you the applicant when we receive notices from all the departments of the Local Authority. ie We will email the Applicant with the decisions/notice, etc enclosed.
17.29 Please ensure that there are no legal restrictions that may affect your proposal / application, e.g. restrictive deeds ie [If you pay a rent charge or similar you may have to seek the charge owners consent to develop your property.] / leases /Article 4 directions / covenants, mining works etc. as once we are instructed either verbally or otherwise our fee is non refundable.
17.30 We draw your attention to The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and any subsequent amendments.
17.31 Please ensure you are aware of all potential costs [ as applicable] involved with your proposal ie. All Local Authority fees including site inspection fees, easement charges, new site access fees, legal fees and any other professional fees that may arise during the application process. Also our additional design costs where requested by yourself or a third party.
17.32 On acceptance of our online quotation we will arrange to visit your property to carry out a measured survey and design consultation, at this stage you will have agreed to our terms and conditions.
17.33 If for whatever reason you decide not to proceed any further then we require notice of cancellation in writing. We will then invoice you on a pro rata rate for the work carried out on your verbal or written instruction.
17.34 Additional copies of Drawings, Surveys and Structural Calculations will be provided at our discretion and a charge of £100.00 per copy will be incurred.
17.35 Payments for all PM Consulting Engineers LTD works will be due within 14 days of the invoice. Failure to do so may result in charges and interest being added to the original invoice.
17.36 If payment is not received within 14 days of the original invoice then a reminder will be issued.
17.37 If payment is not received within 14 days of the date of issue. Interest will be calculated under The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 on any invoices not paid on time and will be charged along with the compensation fee. Overdue invoices for private individuals will attract interest at the Statutory Rate of 8% per annum. The legal and non-legal costs (whether or not legal proceedings are instituted) incurred for enforcing the claim and collecting the debt including the fees of the collecting agencies and solicitors shall be reimbursed to us.
18. Our agency terms
18.1 Our service, obligations and responsibilities to you as agents is completed once the Local Council has reached its decision stages, if an application is withdrawn, or after four months from when your plans are first issued, whichever comes sooner.
18.2 Local Council applications that are deposited or decided outside of this agency period may be chargeable to the client at our discretion. For example if you instruct us to make applications outside of this agency period then you will be charged an agency extension fee of £90.00 per month.
18.3 We reserve the right to withdraw our agency services or submit a further quotation for agency extension after twelve months have lapsed since the first plan issue.
18.4 We reserve the right to withdraw our services as agents to the client at any time, if we deem that the applicant / client has acted unreasonably.
18.5 We strictly do not act as agents for applicants who follow the Building Notice procedure or who start site construction work prior to the approval stages.
19. Site Visits
19.1 All PM Consulting Engineers LTD visits to site are chargeable
19.2 A visit to site, prior to any quotation being given, will be charged. Prices start from £60.00
19.3 Visits to site may be incorporated into our quotation. Where this is the case, the quotation will explicitly express this. Where the quotation does not explicitly incorporate site visits, each site visit is chargeable. Prices start from £60.00
19.4 Where a site visit has been arranged and subsequently cancelled or rearranged with less than 24 hours notice the full amount of the intended visit is payable. Any cancellations or rearrangements of site visits with more 24 hours' notice may incur a penalty charge of £30.00
19.5 Where a site visit has been arranged, someone must be present on site for the arranged time. Where there has been a site visit and no one is non site, the full amount will be payable.
19.6 If you are running late to a site visit, please inform PM Consulting Engineers LTD as soon as possible, lateness may result in a missed appointment and you be charged the full amount for the intended site visit.
19.7 Any missed, cancellation or rearranged site visits may fall out of the scope of any quotation provided and will be subject to the terms outlined fees.
20. Other advices
20.1 We advise you to contact your Buildings Insurance Company and inform them of your intended construction works and obtain their written approval to the works prior to commencement. Also ensure that you have adequate cover in place to your requirements. eg if structures subside due to inadequate foundations or ground conditions or if the contractor causes any structural damage or otherwise on site.
20.2 We advise you to ensure your contractors have adequate insurance cover in place to cover all eventualities during and after site construction works.
20.3 We would also advise you NOT to schedule a start date for contractors until you are in receipt of all the relevant Local Council and other approvals, as applicable, ie planning approval, building regulation approval and Local Water Company approval, as applicable. PM Consulting Engineers accept no liability for any works carried out prior to these approvals being in place, this applies to all Drawings and Structural works.
20.4 Often there are delays in obtaining these approvals, ie planning re submissions or planning appeals due to rejections, this can lead to unexpected 3-6 month delays of an anticipated start date. We cannot be liable for any delays and cancellation of contractors etc due to delays in obtaining all the necessary documentation.
20.5 Telephone calls between you and us may be monitored or recorded for the purpose of maintaining and improving our service standards or for reference purposes or for training our staff.
20.6 In the areas affected by the building work, provide low energy light fittings (fixed lights or lighting units) that number not less than 3 per 4 of all the light fittings in the main dwelling spaces of those areas. (excludes infrequently accessed spaces used for storage such as cupboards and wardrobes).
20.7 Existing water filled central heating system to be extended throughout new extension with new wall mounted radiators to suitable heating engineers design. Radiators to be fitted with thermostatic control valves.
20.8 All electrical installations to be in accordance with current regulations, and certification to be provided.
20.9 All gas plumbing installations to be carried out by approved GAS SAFE registered installers.
20.10 Wholesome hot and cold water supply to be made available to kitchens and sanitary areas including water of a suitable quality to any flushing devices, as per Approved Document G.
20.11 Drawings and specifications not to be used by a third party for the manufacture or provision of elements and materials such as: steel beams and connections, staircases, doors, windows, trusses, kitchens, etc. Contractors involved with such, should carryout independent site surveys and enquiries prior to manufacture or supply and any discrepancy to be reported.
20.12 If you are in any doubt as to the validity of information made available within these pages, or if you wish to rely on this information, then it may be in your best interests to seek verification by contacting us or seek further assistance from your solicitor.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
PM Consulting Engineers LTD may use artificial intelligence ("AI") and AI-assisted technologies as part of the delivery and administration of its professional services. This may include, but is not limited to, assisting with the drafting, formatting, proofreading, summarising, reviewing, research, administration, and preparation of reports, correspondence and other project documentation.
AI may also be used as an assistive tool in certain aspects of engineering workflows. However, AI is not used as a substitute for the professional knowledge, experience, judgement, or responsibility of our engineers.
All engineering advice, designs, calculations, assessments, reports and other professional deliverables issued by PM Consulting Engineers LTD remain subject to appropriate review and professional oversight by suitably qualified personnel. AI-generated or AI-assisted content will be reviewed and, where appropriate, verified before being relied upon or incorporated into a final professional deliverable. Responsibility for the professional services and deliverables provided by PM Consulting Engineers LTD remains with the Company and its appointed professionals, subject to these Terms and Conditions and any applicable appointment or engagement.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
Where AI systems or third-party AI service providers are used, PM Consulting Engineers LTD will take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect confidential, commercially sensitive and personal information. Information will only be submitted to AI systems where the Company considers it appropriate and lawful to do so, having regard to the nature and sensitivity of the information and the applicable data protection requirements.
Personal data will be handled in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation and the Company's Privacy Policy. Where third-party AI services are used, information may be processed by the relevant service provider in accordance with its applicable terms, privacy arrangements and data processing practices.
Clients should therefore notify PM Consulting Engineers LTD at the outset of any appointment of information which is subject to specific confidentiality, security, contractual, regulatory or other restrictions that may affect the use of AI-assisted services.
Accuracy and Professional Responsibility
AI systems can produce inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or misleading information. Accordingly, AI-generated or AI-assisted material will not, in itself, be treated as authoritative engineering advice or a substitute for professional assessment.
PM Consulting Engineers LTD will apply appropriate professional judgement when reviewing AI-assisted material and will not knowingly rely upon AI output where it has not been appropriately checked for the intended purpose.
Nothing in this section limits or excludes any liability or professional responsibility that cannot lawfully be limited or excluded under applicable law. The use of AI does not alter the scope of the services agreed with the Client, the applicable standard of professional care, or any other provision of these Terms and Conditions.