Stage 1
Preparation of your brief – Where it all begins
We start with helping you to prepare a brief. This is all about turning your aspirations into a deliverable and costed plan.
After initial discussions, we’ll meet with you to discuss your ideas, matching your aspirations and budget.
We’ll then go with you to visit the site to explore project feasibility and look at possible orientation, layout and size. Following this we will create a brief that acts as a guide or reference point throughout the duration of the project. Preparation work also includes:
- Site appraisals including possible constraints and opportunities on site, in the surrounding area, and relating to adjacent buildings
- Reviewing any existing building surveys or drawings
- Preliminary cost indications, helping you to get a ballpark idea of the investment required
- Pre-application planning discussions including potential pitfalls that we could help to overcome
- Advice on any need for consultants or specialist information
At this stage, we’ll challenge and inspire you and encourage you to be adventurous.
Stage 2
Concept design – Translating ideas into sketches and models
This is where we begin to translate the brief into exciting preliminary concepts that will give you an insight into how we could meet your aspirations. We will then build on this to develop detailed concepts using 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Virtual Reality (VR) techniques to bring your project to life. As well as giving you a good idea of how your property will look, this allows us to efficiently plan, design, construct and manage the project. We will carry out:
- Design meetings with you to gather your feedback and input
- Production of 3D model & VR Fly Through content for your review
- Coordination with any consultant information
- Considerations around spatial arrangement, the visual impact and aesthetics of the project, and the best materials to use
This is where your project gets incredibly exciting. It’s at this stage you will be able to accurately visualise what your building, interior or landscape will look like. Next, we move onto the developed design.
Stage 3
Developed design – Designs for planning permission
Following concept design, we’ll create detailed designs and move toward the planning approval process. Planning can be challenging. Our aim is to provide trusted leadership to navigate the process. We work hard to ensure any involvement with your local planning department is as constructive as possible. At this stage, design concepts become clear, detailed drawings for the planning department to review. This stage also includes:
- Applications to planning, conservation area and listed buildings applications where applicable
- Design and access statements (a report that accompanies and supports your planning application, explaining how your proposed development is a suitable response to the site and showing how it will be accessed)
- Discharge of planning conditions (applications for the removal or variation of a condition following the grant of planning permission or listed building consent)
We cannot guarantee that a planning application is successful. But, we are confident in our abilities to work closely with the planning authorities to achieve a positive outcome for everyone involved.
Stage 4
Technical design – Developing designs for construction
After obtaining planning consent, we will fully develop your designs and provide technical information required by Building Control to meet building regulations and by contractors in order to provide quotes or tenders. This is a detailed stage of our work. Communication and clarity is critical. We are committed to providing clear, in-depth construction detailing to remove ambiguity and provide quality assurance. This stage includes:
- Production of technical plans, sections and details
- Coordination of all consultant information such as structural engineer guidance
- Building regulations applications
- Building specification and schedule of works details
- Invitations to tender, tender appraisals and reports
- Advice on selecting contractors and building contracts
Our experience will ensure that your chosen contractor and other suppliers are reliable, trustworthy and offer value for money, providing peace of mind.
Stage 5
Construction – Managing the build
Managing a project on-site can be a complex and time-consuming process. Clients often rely on us to project manage this process for them, something we do on a regular basis. We work with the contracting and supply chain teams to ensure your project is built on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards. We can monitor progress and keep you updated on the building work and we can also visit the site with you if required. This part of our process includes:
- Preparation of contract documents
- Construction management and regular site inspections
- Contract administration including architects instructions and certification of payments
Stage 6
Hand over – It’s over to you
As your project nears completion, there are just a few checks to go. At this point in the process we will:
- Make final inspections to ensure your property has been finished to the highest standards
- Provide as-constructed information (this defines any defects or deviations to the designed model that may have occurred during
- construction)
- Provide advice and support on resolution of any defects
- Agree the final account and issue a final Architect’s Certificate
We always want to inspire and delight our clients and end-users with imaginative, beautiful, impeccable buildings, interiors and landscapes. We believe that once we hand over your project to you, it will prove to be liberating and enriching.