ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND PLANNING
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Free Initial Consultation and Estimate
This is the first step in your architectural journey. We offer to visit and meet you to discuss your project requirements allowing us to consider your brief and follow up by sending an estimate of cost for our and other third-party services that are envisaged as part of the planning and building regulation process.
At this stage we will endeavour to advise as to whether planning permission is required, the local authority planning fees, planning portal fees, and building regulation application fees.
We will endeavour to be comprehensive.
Site Surveys
Sketch Design
Once you’ve instructed us, we’ll visit your home or plot and take detailed measurements of everything so we know what we’re working with, and can get an idea of the location, existing building, and its possibilities. Armed with this information and knowing what you want from our initial discussion / client brief, we can move onto the exciting part of the design.
With the basic drawings, our skilled team of designers will get the best out of your existing home, design your dream extension, or design a fantastic new build dwelling. We don’t just do residential we offer design for all types of buildings as can be seen from our extensive portfolio.
Having good-quality architectural drawings at this stage will help further down the line, as they are easier to convert into any technical drawings you might need for pre-application, planning permission or building regulations drawings.
Sketch proposals will be sent to you for approval prior the making of a planning application.
Planning Permission
Once approved we will finalise the drawings adding any additional information and submit the drawings to the Local Authority using the National Planning Portal on your behalf.
As part of the planning application sometimes it is necessary to obtain third part reports such as ecology and arboricultural reports if third party reports are required then these too will be submitted. Its essential all reports are submitted to avoid a delay in the application being registered.
We will closely follow the progress of your application checking the LA website and advising if matters raised by consultees or the public need addressing.
TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTS
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Building Regulation Drawings
Tendering (if required)
Construction
Party Wall Agreements
These are a necessary upgrade of your design drawings to provide working drawings to ensure your project meets statutory requirements on a range of things from structural integrity, soundproofing, drainage, thermal performance – and many more. We can handle this part, but we also need assistance from experts such as structural engineers, energy assessors and occasionally party wall surveyors.
The drawings ensure your design meets UK building regulations and, when approved either by the Local authority Building Control or by an approved Private Building Control, mean your contractor has a set of detailed instructions on how to build. The drawings and specification will be building regulation compliant.
If you require more construction information to allow tenders then this will involve you selecting your required finishes such as flooring, doors, ironmongery, joinery, tiling, sanitary ware, decorations, etc and for us to upgrade all drawings, specification to confirm choice and providing further details to show extent of floor and wall finishes. We recommend you appoint a Quantity Surveyor for them to prepare a Bill of Quantities for contractors to Tender. The QS will recommend and include as part of the tender a suitable Building Contract. The package ensures all contractors price the work on an even basis. Contractors will be asked to confirm the contract duration and produce a programme of construction.
Once tenders are received the QS (and us) will recommend who has provided best value for money and arrange meetings with the successful contractor and at least one other, so you can make a choice. This will allow you to meet the contractor and take a view who you are most satisfied to proceed.
Once the contractor is appointed and dates for commencement and completion are agreed the contract can be signed in readiness to start. During the work there will be regular meetings to view progress against programme and deal with any matters arising. You, the QS, us, and the contractor’s team will meet and discuss all issues relating to the project, if changes are made involving changes in construction resulting in either an addition or an omission then the QS will advise on cost saving or addition and we will raise a Contract Instruction to cover the variation. The contractor will provide a monthly update matters relating Health and Safety Matters including the CDM Regulations 2015.
Some works may involve obtaining Party Wall Agreements and are important documents that you’ll need if you’re going to build an extension or other outbuildings that affect your neighbours.
We do not offer this service but we can advice a third party.
Please refer to the Party Wall Act 1996.
OTHER SERVICES
Professional Consultant's Certificates
A Professional Consultant's Certificate of inspection and completion are documents issued by a Professional Consultant on a new build or newly converted property that confirms the quality of the build and can be used to raise finance on it – they’re very useful documents to have.
We can offer this service and it is important to have a PCC in place should you require a mortgage or sell in the future.