Residential Architectural Services

We provide full professional Architectural building design services helping turn your dreams into a reality. Out design process involves helping our customers with the development of their brief and regular meetings to facilitate requirements in detail. Our design approach is based on extensive understanding of the built environment and contemporary building techniques.

Our award winning practice takes majority of our architectural projects through to completion, and as such we have a wealth of experience in dealing with contractual relationships and coordinating the various consultants involved.

Domestic Extensions

Ranging from internal and external alterations, through rear extensions, outbuildings, loft conversions to basements, we provide full design services from initial briefing to planning and building control approvals. We compile tender documents, and provide on site contract management.

New Builds

We work closely with our clients to develop a considered and imaginative design for homes that are resilient, ‘hyggelige”, with deep connection to the home owner. Each one of our projects gets a personal attention and is tailor made for our clients

Initial Meeting

You fill out our easy to use residential briefing documents and schedule a meeting with our designated designer at our office. Bringing the briefing document, photographs and any plans/drawings of the current site, we will sit with you and develop an initial overall objective for your project. This half hour meeting is free of charge

Initial Consultation

We will meet with you at your home/site where we discuss your overall objectives for your home and start developing a brief. During the visit we will measure and sketch a survey of the existing spaces and using these we will sketch initial drawing proposal/s for the site. Following the meeting we will send you the initial design prief, drawings and our fee proposal. The initial consultation is scheduled at either 4 hour or 7 hour consultations (depending on scope) and charged at an hourly rate.

These initial drawings are of course just that – initial!  More description and pleasure will come from development of scheme level drawings (SLD’s) in plan, section and elevation suitable for seeking statutory approvals, the first stage of which is the need to obtain a “Planning consent”.  In some cases a consent is needed from conservation due to the building being listed or in a conservation area.  Some three dimensional drawings may well be appropriate to illustrate and convey the shape and appearance of the extension.

We have also summarized how we calculate architectural fees for residential projects. Each project is unique and we provide a bespoke service. so in order to give you an accurate estimate please contact us directly.

The range of Architectural services we provide is based on the Royal Institute of British Architects.  Beyond scheme level drawings (SLD’s) and the further development of drawings for the “Building Control approvals”, what you may require from us will be dependent on your strategy for procurement, and we will review these matters at the appropriate time. Unless otherwise agreed, we work under the ACA FSA 2012 with 2015 amendments appointment contract.

The work can be broken into three stages;

• A – Planning stage
• B – Pre-construction stage
• C – Construction stage.

Architectural briefing meeting and idea sketches

A – Planning stage

Work required for the Planning Stage includes;

A1 – Carry out a detailed measured survey of the property in order to produce digital (CAD) drawings showing plans, sections, and elevations. These drawings will be used throughout the project and are initially required for the planning application (PA) or Permitted Development (PD) submission. For smaller projects we can provide this service for you, or alternatively you can use a registered (RICS) Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Surveyor.

A2 – We will produce a full set of existing and proposed drawings required for the Planning Application or (Permitted Development) Lawful Development Certificate Application. The production of the proposed drawings will include liaising with you over the design. We will also liaise with Building Control, and a Structural Engineer as necessary. The planning submission will also include a written Design and Access Statement.

Planning application stage

A3 – Submitting the application – this is filling out the application forms, uploading the drawings.

*The first application could be in the form of a pre-planning application where options can be discussed with your local planning officer. A Planning Application can be submitted following the planning advise. If there is not a significant time pressure involved, this could be an option to smooth the process.

A4 – Location Plan –  a 1:1250 Ordnance Survey map is required as part of the planning application.

A5 – After submitting the application, We will liaise with the Planning Case Officer as necessary.

A6 – Landlord License to Alter (LLA): in cases where the property is a leasehold, depending on the conditions of the lease, the proposal must be submitted to the Landlord for approval. The LLA application can be time consuming and may involve negotiations. It is therefore important to consult the landlord early on in the process.

A7 – Other consent: This depends on the project, but some applications are best done early in the building process. This includes application for a build-over-license from your local water and sewage company.

B – Pre-construction stage

This stage of the Architectural services will be carried out following planning approval and includes;

Building Control Application stage

B1 – Building Control: General Arrangement construction drawings (GA) for Building Control. These are drawings that we prepare and submit to the local authority Building Control Office or a privately commissioned Approved Inspector for a drawings check. This submission also requires the structural engineers drawings and calculations. In addition to being sent to building control, these drawings are used as part of the tender package for costing by the contractor.

B2 – Depending on the amount of glazing proposed, Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) (heat loss) calculations may also be required. SAP is a measure of the energy efficiency of a property and is the calculation from which an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is generated.

B3 – Appointment of a Structural Engineer. The structural engineers design and calculations (foundations, beam sizes, roof structure etc) need to be incorporated into the construction drawings mentioned above. The structural engineers drawings and calculations form part of the Building Regulations submission. The structural engineer will base their fee quote on the planning application drawings.

B4 – In addition to the GA construction drawings, other drawings are required to show the elements of work not included in the GAs. These include detail construction drawings and ”fit out” items such as; floor finishes, door types, joinery, electrical layouts, kitchen layouts etc. These drawings form part of the “Tender package”. The tender package also includes the GA construction drawings mentioned above, and a Schedule of Works.

B5 – A Schedule of Works. This is a written document describing items shown on the drawings, and listing items not shown on the drawings. This is used as a tool for pricing the works and also works in conjunction with the drawings to describe the works. The schedule is later used to value the on-site works during the construction stage.

B6 – Specifications to a level specific to the project scale. Construction specifications, also called specs, are the details for the work that needs to be completed in a construction project. These details include information such as materials, the scope of work, installation process, and quality of work.

Building Process Tender stage

B7 – Tender; It is usually the case that all of the above are sent to the tendering contractors for pricing. Accurate information will be required on the drawings and documents mentioned to ensure that contractors can accurately price the works. Detailed information will also ensure that all details of the design are clarified prior to construction. This will also ensure a better control on maintaining the design, and on costs when the project reaches site.

B8 – When the prices have been returned they will be checked. It may be necessary to make changes to the project in order to reduce costs. This is also where you can make decision about project phasing.

B9 – Party Wall Awards might need to be issued. In such cases a Party Wall Surveyor will need to be appointed. The neighboring properties have the right to appoint their own party wall surveyor and this is at your expense. The Party Wall Surveyor will need to do conditions surveys of all buildings that are subject to the Party Wall Awards. The conditions surveys are a safeguard to yourselves as well as your neighbors.

C – Construction stage.

Once the contract is signed and the contractor is ready to set up on site the Architectural services will shift to on-site contract administration.

C1 – A contract will be drawn up between yourself and the contractor. The type of contract will depend on the scale and complexity of the project.

C2 – Account must also be taken of the new CDM 2015 Regulations. It may be necessary for you to employ a consultant who deals with this.

C3 – It is important to advise your home insurance company of the construction and coordinate any advise or instruction from them with your contractor.

Building process site work

C4 – During the construction stage we will make regular site visits. We will liaise with yourselves, the contractor, the engineer, suppliers, and Building Control to ensure the works are built as drawn and that any issues encountered are resolved correctly.

C5 – We will also make regular valuations of the work and will issue Payment Certificates based on the valuations. These are usually issued fortnightly. The work we do during the Construction Stage is charged on a time basis and invoiced monthly.

C6 – At the end of the construction process we will issue snagging lists and sign off on Practical Completion certificate. The contractor will visit the site to mend any defects up until the signing off on the Final Certificate 6-12 months after completion.

Final Handover

‘Practical Completion is a contractual term used in the Building Contract to signify the date on which a project is handed over to the client.

The final certificate is certification by the contract administrator that a construction contract has been fully completed.

The cost of the professional service, including Architectural Services depends on the scope and complexity of the scheme. Regulatory authorities may request additional information from your architect or specialists depending on the scale and location of the project. These may include Construction Management Report, Traffic Report, Daylight Calculations and so forth.