Planning Procedure

Ohhhhhh dont look good

yes but that is the way it is. Do you really think that you can just show up and start building/renovating without any regulations and plans?
Not to mention that I am sure that this is a common EU requirement, and at the same time I am sure that the price for these plans and documentation is just a fraction of what you will pay in Germany, France or Spain...

Clearly, a number of people on this forum did think they could renovate without plans and from the evidence of my own eyes it is a common belief amongst Bulgarians. As for the requirements being similar to the UK, they are not, nor is everything which is apparently required based on EU law.

As to the cost of architectural fees they are higher than those I paid when renovating a ten bedroom hotel in Scotland a few years ago and completely out of proportion to either the work involved or the size of a renovation project on a typical Bulgarian house.

well first, I believe that it depends on what and how much you "renovate".
Second, a friendly advice- find another architect!!! My expat experience (especially in Canada) shows that a lot of people abuse of foreigners, not to mention that in your case you don't speak the local language which makes you more vulnerable.
Third, me and my both parents are civil engineers and I can say that planning costs in BG are definitely not as high as in Scotland, so find another architect. Take care!

I largely agree with Kakarutto that you desperately need another architect, preferably one that is not going to calculate 1000 % over the actual price.

As someone who does a lot of planning applications in the UK let me tell you its the same the world over all Local authorities are gearing up to take as much cash as possible, they introduce more and more chargable requirements into the planning process, environmental studies wildlife reports, desk top studies, land usage, refuse plan, escape and emergency, 106 agreements are all in place to increase red tape and costs.
They are making it so complex and long winded not to mention expensive that people will just not bother unless they have loads of money to do it......
Nothing new there then...........

You are addressing your remarks to the wrong person as I do not have an architect in Bulgaria. If you read the thread thoroughly you'll find my purpose is to search for an architect. It seems to me your purpose in joining in this discussion is not to find solutions but pass remarks not based on the content of the thread which has gone before.

The costs I have seen discussed are not those levied by the public authorities but by private practise architects. I would be very surprised if fees levied by public authorities are anywhere as high in Bulgaria as they are in the UK.

As for your concern over my vulnerability I think I can manage even without a thorough command of Bulgarian. In my experience communicate is hampered not by lack of a common language so much as a lack of willingness to communicate.

I suppose you consider your profession gives you some special knowledge n the area but my experience as a client who has commissioned more than one scheme in the UK is enough to guide me in how I analyse costs here. If you really want to help rather than simply pass smart remarks perhaps you would describe the circumstances in which each of the items listed is necessary and what the correct fees should be. If I can help you in this my very limited experience is that three separate people have produced similar levels of cost from different architects and I, frankly, think that what they have been told and what I have been told is, at best, misleading.

If you think these were "remarks" than I can tell you you are wrong, I just tried to give you an advice as a person who lived in Bulgaria for about 25 years. But I suggest that you first read your own words and try to imagine how "unfreindly" they are.