There are many reasons that may spur on the decision to renovate your home; the potential to make better use of existing space, your home needs updating, or a change in circumstance require improvements to be made.
At the start of your project, you will also probably have many questions – How much will it cost? Do I need Planning Permission? What is Building Control? Do I need a structural engineer?
My initial visit is a collaborative, informal chat about your project. This is where we can discuss your ideas, establish your requirements and answer any questions you may have. At this time I will outline the steps required to complete your project. If you wish to proceed, I will then write to you outlining the brief we discussed, indicating my fees for the required services, as well as a time scale for the design and construction works.
We will start by exploring in more detail the brief we developed at the initial meeting, which may present unforeseen potential and raise further questions. At this stage I will prepare layout options and meet with you again to discuss how you wish to proceed. Depending on the project’s constraints and complexities there may be issues which require further investigation and items that you wish are developed now that you have had a chance to review the proposals in more detail.
You may need to appoint other specialist consultants, such as a structural engineer. My role is to coordinate their designs and ensure they are fully integrated.
Once you are happy with the design, I will provide you with a complete set of drawings for your approval and begin to prepare the statutory consent application on your behalf.
Statutory consents are the permissions you are required to obtain prior to undertaking changes at your property. The type of application(s) varies depending on the category of building you own, its location and the scale of work.
In addition to the planning drawings, a Design and Access Statement is required to justify the design to the planning authority. We can assist you by submitting the relevant consents for the proposed work and liaising with the local authority throughout the process.
The more detail you have in the way of drawings, specifications and schedules, the more control you will have on the finished article. A greater level of detail will also give your project the best chance of running smoothly, on time and to budget. We can discuss the appropriate level of detail to achieve the end result you require.
You may have a precise vision for the appearance of certain elements, the junctions between surfaces, the materials that are used and texture of finishes. These will need to be described exactly and clearly illustrated to achieve what you want.
To allow the building works to run smoothly, on time and to budget it is important that you employ a suitable contractor. Estimates should be sought from 3-4 contractors.
We can produce an appropriate package of information that clearly identifies the scope and detail of the project. This will allow the contractors to provide comparable quotations. When the tenders are returned I would be happy to assess them with you and provide advice on which contractor to use.
You may wish to use a formal building contract. I can assist you in the selection and drafting of the contract prior to commencing the works.
If you require, I can act as the Contract Administrator between yourself and the chosen builder; preparing valuations, issuing certificates and managing the post completion obligations of the contract.
Alternatively, I can be available to visit the building site and/ or attend meetings to check on progress of the works and/ or provide an overview on the quality.
I can help you decide which level of service would be suitable for your project and budget.
