Our services for homeowner clients looking to refurbish or extend their home typically follow the process illustrated below. This process aligns with the RIBA Plan of Work 2020, which is the industry standard process for architectural design services, establishing specific milestone stages for certain activities.
We are a client focused practice and, whilst we always put forward our expertise and advice, we listen to our client’s specific wishes throughout the project and we relish exploring the options which might provide them with their perfect home. No two projects are alike because no two sites are the same, and no two clients are the same either. This is what makes architecture exciting, as even if one client’s ambitions might be very similar to another client's ambitions, every project has the potential to result in a completely different outcome, unlocking sometimes unexpected potential.
Our initial consultation will result in a provisional design brief, outlining the client’s end goals. This will establish why they are undertaking the work and what outcomes they require from the project. We then run through a series of set design phases, exploring the potential design solution through sketch models and draft drawings, addressing planning policy and building regulations, before developing the final design for construction.
Stages 1-3 identify the minimum design requirement for a simple residential project, where the contractor takes responsibility for the technical details as he completes the project on site. More complex projects may also require Stage 4: Technical Design and further architectural design services during the construction phase.
Some projects may require variations to the approach outlined below. Sometimes a project requires more detailed design and a planning application is best submitted after Stage 3. If the project requires a full-plans application for Building Regulations, this would typically occur after Stage 4 to ensure sufficient design detail is included to achieve sign-off.
