It is unfortunate that designers get quite a hard time when it comes to their prices. It is often thought that they are overrated and overpaid. This is possibly because it is difficult to quantify what a designer actually does. Of course, as in any industry there will those whose prices are highly inflated. The cost of employing the services of a qualified designer is a small percentage of the actual cost of building works. In my opinion this is money well spent will do their utmost to take you through the Planning and Building Regulation process as a minimum. A word of caution though, cheap is not always best, so ask to see examples of previous drawings. Do they belong to a professional body? Is the quotation based on a fixed price or an hourly rate? Will the service progress at a speed that you are happy with or is it led by the designer? (BACK TO QUESTIONS)