FROM YOUR FIRST BRIEF TO A COMPLETED HOME

What plans do you have for your new home? Or your existing one? What kind of budget are you working with? This will be the focus of Step 1. Namely getting to the heart of what you want for your home and costing up the project so you have a clear idea of budget.

We’ve had the discussion. We’ve got the budget outlined. Now it’s time to get all that together into a brief which details exactly what you want to happen with your home. This stage will also include initial designs – including hand drawings, computer drawings and 3D models – so you can see what’s possible with your project.

This is where we bring the local authority into your plans. Initially, that’ll be in the form of open discussions about the project, the answering of any questions that they might have about the project and the public consultations with residents about the proposals. We’ll then move on and submit a formal planning application that details everything the local authority needs to know about your project, from design drawings and plan elevations to Design Statements and associated consultant reports (think tree surveys, soil investigations, Basement Impact Assessments – anything to do with your project that will need to be taken into account).

This is where we finalise the design and create a 3D model that’ll show you your new home or modification from every angle. This design will be reviewed by contractors later to account for key systems, like plumbing and electrical systems.

Now that we have a finalised design, it's time to turn it into reality. This involves initiating the tender process, where we invite contractors to submit proposals based on the detailed information provided by our consultant team. We bring in experts like Quantity Surveyors to itemise the materials needed for the project and estimate costs accurately. Structural Engineers provide designs for key structural elements such as beams and columns, ensuring the building's stability and safety. For specialised requirements like installing a home cinema, we may engage Audio Visual engineers to provide expertise. Once we receive their contributions, we meticulously review them to ensure they align seamlessly with the original design. This collaborative effort ensures that the final tender and construction drawings accurately reflect our vision while meeting all technical requirements and budget constraints.

Here we get to know contractors who can help us realise your project. We get references to review and visit the contractors so we can see projects they’ve completed and get an idea of what they can bring to your project. Once we have that information, we can then advise you on which contractors are best suited to the project’s specifications.

Time to start building! Here our duties are dependent on you and the kind of service you’d like from us. It may be that you’d like us to manage the build and ensure that the contracts are adhered to and the work progresses in line with the agreed timescale and budget. Perhaps you’d like us to be the contact point between you and the contractors and consultants involved with your project. We can even double as the Principal Designer and ensure that all applicable health and safety, risk assessment and building compliance practices are followed.

The moment you’ve been waiting for. Sure – there’s the red tape. Like signing-off on the build and ensuring that all statutory requirements are adhered to and completed. But yes – this is when you can step across that threshold and see that original vision realised. We’re just as excited at the prospect as you are!