Services

We offer a range of services which can be tailored to suit your project and your budget. 

For a full project service, this would follow the sequence of stages described on our process page. Otherwise we can suggest other service packages to suit your project. Visit our cost page for information about our fees. 

STAGE ONE

• Meeting with You

  The first step is to meet with you at the property to introduce ourselves and discuss what you have in mind for your project. This gives us a chance to understand your ambitions, your budget and your priorities and get to know you. This meeting also allows us to become familiar with the property and assess constraints and opportunities that the building and site might offer. Our discussions would generate an outline brief for the project. We do not charge for initial meetings.

• Services Offer

  Following our initial meeting we would prepare a proposal for you to consider. This would confirm the outline brief and any relevant factual information about the project, including budget. It would set out proposed services and fees and the terms upon which we would be engaged to act as your architect. Please refer to the services page of our website for further information on services and fees.

• Feasibility 

  Should it be advisable to undertake an initial assessment of feasibility, such as researching planning policy or legislation or looking further into potential constraints and/or costs, we would prepare an appraisal so that you can decide whether to proceed with the project further. 

• Measured Survey 

  We would undertake a full measured survey of the property and produce a set of ‘as existing’ drawings, normally at 1:50 scale.

• Outline Design 

  We would produce a set of ‘as proposed’ drawings based on the outline brief and meet with you to discuss them. These drawings would also explore options so that you can consider the pros and cons of each, so that a preferred scheme can then be taken forward.

• Planning Approval 

  If Planning Approval is required we normally recommend that the scheme is submitted to the Local Authority for consultation in order that any potentially contentious issues can be resolved. We would then prepare and submit a Planning Application on your behalf. In some circumstances, work can be approved under a Certificate of Lawful Development or under recent ‘Larger Homes Extension’ legislation rather than requiring full Planning consent, in which case we would prepare similar applications on your behalf.

• Cost Estimate 

  Should you require an initial estimate of the building construction cost to be prepared before embarking on Stage Two, we would prepare this either before or after Planning Approval has been sought.

STAGE TWO

• Design Development 

  Working closely with you, we would prepare more detailed design documents for the scheme so that builders can be invited to price for the build. These would include construction drawings, a specification and a schedule of work. This would involve discussing the choice of finishes and fittings with you and firming up on layouts (eg. kitchen, bathroom and electrics).

• Other Consultants 

  We would advise on the engagement of other consultants required and invite them to quote for their services. Other consultants may include a Structural Engineer, Party Wall Surveyor and/or specialist energy consultants and/or tree surgeons. We would work closely with these consultants and integrate their work into the design development documents.

• Tender 

  Once the design development documents have been finalised and you have approved them, we would put together a list of builders for tender, check on their availability and credentials and then issue the tender invitations. Most clients prefer to go out to competitive tender, but alternatively, if you have a reputable builder in mind we would invite him/her to price for the work. Once tender returns have been received, we would check and compare them and you would then select the builder you would like to employ.

• Building Contract

  We would advise you on the most appropriate form of building contract to use, how the building contract operates and any issues that need to be resolved before it is signed. We would convene a meeting with the builder and yourselves to finalize arrangements and then prepare the building contract for signing prior to start on site.

• Building Regulations 

  Our design development documents would highlight factors that are subject to the Building Regulations and demonstrate compliance where necessary. As required, we would make a submission on your behalf to the Local Authority Building Control department before works start on site.

STAGE THREE

• The Build 

  Once the build has started on site, we would attend regular site meetings with you and the builder so that progress, quality and costs are monitored and recorded. We take a ‘hands on’ approach to the build, answering queries and providing the builder with any additional information he/she might require. We are able to explain any technical or contractual aspects of the build to you so that you can take an active role in the process. We are able to advise you on any decisions that you need to take as the build progresses and their implications.

• Contract Administration 

  We would administer the building contract to ensure that its terms are complied with, deal with any agreed variations, issue instructions on your behalf and certify the value of work completed as it progresses.

• Completion 

  Once the build is completed, we would make sure all the necessary paperwork is in place, such as Building Control certification, guarantees and operating manuals. We would then issue a completion certificate, advise on the resolution of any subsequent defects and then prepare the final certificate and account.