If he charges, it should be the structural engineer on the receiving end of the bill.

It is between the architect and the structural engineer but the latter should receive the bill.

As someone who is a Civil Engineer who designs stuff (and leads a team who do this) and who also buys Engineering Services, there is no way that I would be paying for a redesign if what was originally conceived is not buildable. (As an aside, you would be surprised how often unbuildable designs are cooked up)

As the customer you are responsible for all fees due to any cause, act of god or stupidity.

Just kidding. If I was the customer I'd be damned if I'd pay for the professional's mistake.

Wot they said - and please record that conversation so we can all laugh at him trying to justify why he should be paid extra for being incompetent - maybe ask him where in his quote the "incompetency surcharge" is listed?

Echo the above. I would have thought that the architect's fee should have included the input from the structural engineer, as it is information the architect requires for him to complete the project. So I'm not clear why there was a separate charge for the structural engineer in the first place (unless it was originally specified that there would be).

Thank you all: sometimes I think I'm going mad when crazy things like this that are so ridiculous happen, but I am reassured here that I am not. Cheeky bastard is trying to charge us for 2.5 hours more work, to rectify his mistake... and at £100 an hour...

We have drafted an email, but are waiting awhile before sending it in case the builder finds any more issues that he needs to resolve.

There have already been numerous errors on the architect's/structural engineer's parts, but, up to now, we and/or the builder have been able to put them right by using our common sense and experience.

This last phase (starting sometime in July) is the most daringly difficult, structurally, and we need to ensure we are not left high and dry if there is another hidden problem.

Clearly this is not going to end well with the not-an-architect architect. Unfortunately, there are no RIBA architects around here for us to pick from, so we had to take what we could get. And of course with no professional association to complain to...

No the 'architect' shouldn't charge for the 'extra' - unless he had a specific 'unless something comes up' clause in the fine print.

In which case I assume you would have spotted it straight off and queried Exactly What Does This Mean? Because you come across as someone who is Really That On The Ball - unlike some of your contractors.

I suppose you could always have a 'Senior Moment' and include not-an-Architect's Firm's name in a blog entry - in the name of Public Interest, and for the information/protection of any of your Readers living within the range of his apparently somewhat limited competence?

Sharon - the reason I don't name firms or places and am deliberately quite vague about location etc is that it would serve no purpose, and, when one lives in a very small community, it is a good idea not to get on the wrong side of people. Everyone knows everyone else and is related to most of them.

And fortunately, yes, Mr BW has significant experience in contract law from work roles he had, which has come in very handy several times just recently. I swear that companies do not check contracts returned to them signed. We frequently cross out and/or amend bits we don't like before scanning and emailing back. Not once has anyone queried or refused our amends!

Thought it might be something like that. Should we ever have to relocate to your vicinity, an extremely unlikely event but one never knows, I'll try to remember to enquire of you privately!

Having said which, we've found some pretty good tradespeople down here just off the south coast. Mainly by personal recommendation. But down here there are so many more persons around to ask!