Start conversation

You contact us on our Contact page. We’ll call you back, and ask you for some basic details. We’ll outline how we work, to see if you’re happy with our process. If we think we’d be a good fit together, we schedule the initial Discussion by Zoom.
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Establish objectives

This is a Zoom meeting of 30 - 40 minutes. We ask a lot of questions to make sure that we understand what you want to achieve, and that we are the best people for you.

If we think we are the right fit, we’ll let you know. If we do not think we are the best people for you, we’ll let you know that too, and may be able to suggest someone who is a better fit.

This Discussion is to find out;

- who you are

- what you want to achieve

- the scope of the project and any constraints

It is important to know that it is NOT about;

- reviewing your design ideas

- coming up with our design ideas

- solving any specific problems you may have

Once we understand the project and both parties are happy, do we then move on to the next step.

To help with your research, download our useful Project Planning Pack.

Conduct research

As a doctor makes a diagnosis before prescribing a procedure, we research everything that needs to be uncovered before we can move into design.

This Diagnosis is about;

- identifying your best options for the site

- researching all the relevant facts

- exploring ideas not yet considered

This step is NOT about design. When we know the ‘lay of the land’ including understanding your best options, then we can move onto the exciting part - the design!

Explore possibilities

This is where we work closely with you and your brief, and give you a number of design options. Our skill is in teasing out your needs and desires, taking into account all your ideas, likes and dislikes, and producing an inspiring design.
We can give you ball park costs at this stage.

For our full service, which takes you all the way to handover of your dream home, this is the first design stage in the overall process.

If you’d like the benefit of our design skill, but want to keep fee costs down, our services up to this step are the ones for you. You will get plans, sections, elevations and a 3D drawing in paper and pencil format, all dimensioned and annotated for another person to take forward.

What the sketch design stage is NOT is;

- hard line computer drawings

- detailed design drawings

- selection of materials and finishes

- detailed pricing

- planning application

Create drawings

We explore how the project will be built, the materials, finishes and services. This helps us firm up on the design submitted for a planning application if required, and for you, the client, to sign off on the design at this point. Only when this is done can we move onto the next step. We liaise with the consultants whose input is required, for instance a structural engineer, quantity surveyor, building services engineer.

Prepare tender

We put together all our drawings, details, schedules and specifications. Information from other consultants, such as structural engineer, building services engineer etc. come together to form a tender package, which the quantity surveyor sends out to selected contractors for pricing. When the client is happy with their chosen contractor, a contract for the project is signed by both parties.

Inspect work

The really exciting stage! The selected main contractor supervises the work of the entire project. The architect’s role is to inspect the work, to see that it is carried out in accordance with the contract.
Any changes at this stage mean delays, cost overruns, and are disheartening for all involved. This is why our Diagnosis is so valuable - in finding out all the facts about the project at an early stage, it allows you to make decisions early on, and not later, at the most costly stage.