The design process
When you first contact us we will usually arrange a meeting to look at your project and to give you our views on feasibility and planning prospects. We bring to the meeting our long experience on design, construction, planning and conservation. Once we understand your proposals we can quote a fee but we make no charge for the initial meeting. When you commission us you need to decide how far you want us to proceed with the project, we are always ready to work on a step-by-step basis. There are usually six stages as follows:
1. Brief
Some clients know exactly what they want – others make use of our knowledge and experience to work up a list of the accommodation required.
2. Sketch scheme
Working closely to the brief, we produce a series of sketches to give you a flavour of the design. We usually discuss these with the Planning or Conservation Officer to gain their reaction
3. Final design
Once the sketch design is amended to your satisfaction we work up the final design drawings and prepare applications for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent. We may need to co-ordinate other consultants to deal with structural, ecological and cost issues.
4. Working drawings and tender information
Once the consents are obtained, the next step is to produce the technical drawings and obtain Building Regulations consent. We then work up the details of the project and where necessary prepare a Specification and Schedule of Work or work with a Quantity Surveyor to produce a Bill of Quantities.
5. Tendering
Using our knowledge of contractors, we put forward a list of the best and help you to prepare a shortlist. Contractors are invited to tender or in some cases a selected contractor is invited to negotiate a price. A contractor is set up and the project can commence.
6. Administration on site
We take a high proportion of our projects onto site carrying out inspections, monitoring progress, checking valuations and issuing certificates. We see the project through to completion and return 6 or 12 months later to carry out an inspection of any defects that might have arisen.