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Submit plansHi, we were approached by a structural engineer offering Professional Consultant Certification (PCC) for our barn conversion, quoting £5k+VAT. Since researching further I've found quotes for as little as £1930 (inc VAT) and one offering an upgrade to a full Building Warranty for £8K all in.
I've tried to find out what more I'd be getting for the extra £3600 but the only advantage seems to be as many visits as we need compared to the four standard visits at key stages by the other companies. He has since offered to extend his guarantee from six to ten years for the same £8k but am I right in thinking this isn't a warranty as such?
Also surely the building inspector would visit when we need him. We would still be paying separately for any structural calculations too. Any advice would be welcome thanks.
A 10 year structural warranty, although it looks expensive, is insurance backed and will pay up if there is a major defect in the same way that your car gets fixed if you bend it.
Structural Warranty providers will also provide Building Regulations approval under Approved Inspector arrangements which means that one inspector can address both Warranty and Building Regulations issues which can save time and hassle on site.
Architect’s Certificates and the like are not insurance backed and rely on the professional concerned having professional indemnity insurance cover – in effect, you have to sue them if there is a problem. If you want basic certification, as you’ve already found out, there are much cheaper options including an Architect’s Certificate which would offer similar cover and it’s not clear what this structural engineer is offering in addition to this. If you are using an architect or a reputable designer, then they would be offering to arrange the structural calculations as part of their service and these would be covered under their certification.
In my opinion, insurance backed 10-year structural warranties make good sense – for your own peace of mind, for your lender and, importantly, any future lender should you sell the barn within 10 years of completion. If you do opt for a 10 year Structural Warranty Cover, then buy from one of the recognised providers who offer a tailored product that will meet your needs. A good place to start is Self-Build Zone.
Mike Hardwick, Build It expert