Environment
Here at Clive Elsdon Building Design we care a lot about the environment and about keeping our fees as low as possible. This means that we produce Paper Prints as little as possible.
Planning & Building Regulations
All our Planning Applications are made digitally via the Planning Portal Website and our Building Regulation Submissions are made either digitally to the relevant Local Authority via the Submit-a-Plan Website or by email direct to an Approved Inspector such as JHAI Ltd or Green Door (for example).
Consultants
We also supply all our Structural Engineers, Ecology Consultants, Surveyors etc. with drawings either as AutoCAD DWG files (right up to the AutoCAD 2015 release) or in PDF format. The same goes for other documents, all of which we supply digitally.
Clients
As with Planning Departments, Building Control or our Consultants, we supply our Clients with Digital Versions of documents, usually via email and usually in PDF format. In 99% of cases this seems acceptable and we have had very few clients over the past three years who have not been able to accept digital versions of drawings or documents in one form or another.
Large Format Paper Prints
Like most architectural businesses our size, the requirement for large format paper prints is small and it would be uneconomical to have in house facilities to print anything over A3. This means that A1 and A0 prints have to be sent out to specialist reprographic firms, of which there are few and far between in the area we are based. The nearest firms (that we know of) are in Newcastle and Darlington.
So why use A1 & A0 size drawings?
After the Planning Stage it is difficult to fit the detail required onto an A4 or A3 drawing, so invariably an A1 or even an A0 size drawing is needed for a Building Regulation or Construction Stage Drawing. On larger projects, these sizes of drawings are needed at earlier stages.
Can we supply paper prints?
Yes. We understand that in some circumstances it’s the only way, but printing costs! It is a true fact of life. It costs if we do it in house, it costs if we have to send it out to a specialist supplier. It costs no matter what the size, A4, A3, A2, A1 or A0. It costs financially and it costs the environment!
To help the environment as well as keep our fee quotes as low as possible we normally exclude the cost of paper prints. Of course, if we feel that we have to print them for a meeting for example, we will do. However, unless we have clearly stated otherwise, any paper prints that are requested by clients, consultants, builders etc.are all a chargeable extra. Who the charge is made to will depend on the agreement with the client at the beginning of the project or when the situation first arises.
How Much?
Printing costs vary depending on the size and quantity of drawings and the number of prints required from each one. There is also the delivery costs involved. In particular A1 or A0 Drawing’s usually have to be posted to us for distribution.
A single A1 print is likely to cost about £2.16 + P&P / Delivery . If there were multiples of the same drawing or multiple drawings there may be a saving on the unit price. (Price for A1 print correct as of 30th April 2014. Price may vary.) Smaller drawings, especially those we can print in house will be cheaper, a larger A0 drawing will obviously be more expensive.
Think Before You Print.
You often see that on the bottom of an Email. We think that you have to think even harder before printing or requesting a print of a large format drawing. We know most of our clients and regular consultants agree.