.png)
CHG
Architecture
What Can You Do?
Before scheduling a meeting with us, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get the most out of your initial consultation. It outlines what you can prepare beforehand and walks you through the process from the first meeting to the steps that follow.
What to consider before meeting us...
You have to consider all the information that will be needed in order to have your first conversation. Ie: what are you aiming to achieve, what is your budget, what type of time scale are you looking at? If you would like a bit more detail of things to consider, click 'Read more' to read our tips from a client step-by-step.
Free preliminary consultation
Once the potential client has contacted us, we will arrange to meet on site and discuss their ideas, requirements and budget. From this we will go on to outline the brief for the project and produce a staged written quotation. In it we will itemise our architectural fee and those of the local council and consultants such as engineers.
Step 1. Architectural Survey
Once appointed, we will arrange with the client a time for us to undertake a measured survey of the building in question. This will allow us to prepare a detailed set of existing drawings.
Step 2. Sketch Design
From the existing drawings and the brief we will go on to create the outline of our proposals, around which we begin a design conversation with our clients. We work together to develop a scheme which answers their requirements and they are happy with both aesthetically and financially. It is at this time we can introduce a 3D model, to help our clients visualise the possibilities of the scheme.
Step 3. Planning Permission
This is the stage at which we gain permission for the external look of the proposal. In some cases Planning Permission is not required and we will communicate with the council to obtain written confirmation that it is a 'Permitted Development'. If on the other hand the proposal requires Planning Permission, we will submit drawings and application forms on the clients' behalf and resolve any issues with the Planning Officer. The council has 2 months to make a decision form the date the application has been validated.
Step 4. Building warrant
At this point we develop the drawings from which the proposal will be built. The council has a list of government issued regulations to which our drawings and specifications must comply. We prepare the drawings to show materials, construction method, electrical and drainage layouts, kitchen and bathroom design, specifications and U-value calculations for insulation. If required the engineer would produce drawings, specifications and certification for all the new structural elements.
Once all this information has been submitted and acknowledged, the council has 20 days to respond with points they are not satisfied with or requesting more information. This process can take around 6-8 weeks.
Step 5. Tender
If requested by our clients we can work with them to produce a tender package, on which the builders will base their quotation. Along with our clients recommendations and those builders we have been happy to work with on other projects, we will draw up a list from which to request quotations. We will help our clients choose and appoint a builder and produce Building Contracts and documentation.