Architects test the feasibility of your vision through various visual and communicative studies, whilst assessing the relevant codes, site limitations and potential pitfalls that would otherwise become costly if overlooked.
Not hiring an architect can be risky, especially for complex projects as architects offer a wide range of services and expertise that can save you stress, money and ultimately lead to more successful projects.
By leveraging the architect’s experience and communication skills you can get a higher quality property for less without compromising aesthetics or functionality. A better return on your investment.
Moreover, an architect provides essential project management throughout the project at all stages by coordinating with contractors, engineers and other stakeholders. A role that is pivotal for successful projects acting as a type of quality control measure and the main point of contact between all parties involved.
Understanding your goals, preferences and lifestyle is an important step to designing your dream home. During this process architects need to fully grasp what needs to be done to provide a service that fully satisfies your needs and aspirations. After initial site meetings and conversations, the architect will produce a detailed brief or employers’ requirements that allows all parties to be completely clear about what is required to ensure the final product is as you originally envisioned.
Alternatively, if you are not quite sure about what you want, the architect will be able to develop initial designs, produce plans and arrangements you may not have thought were possible! This can be done through means of sketches, 3D designs and 2D schematics to help you get a comprehensive idea of what the final product will look and feel like.
Being able to communicate information clearly in a common-sense system of references and annotations is an essential skill for any architect, and this attention to detail should be present throughout all stages of work. Namely the plans, elevations/sections and detail drawings are essential assets for any project to be coordinated accurately with minimal headache. Without this done properly through an architect’s master drawings a project will likely be a disaster.
There are various stages throughout the life of a project that will require different levels of information. See below for following stages:
After an initial site visit and meetings with the client, the architect should produce a brief outlining what the client and developers’ goals and ambitions for the projects are, and how we can create a strategy to best realize this vision. We can use this as a solid foundation to base a set of sketch proposals and highlight any site limitations by means of desktop studies and site surveys.
Each planning authority may have a different set of interests and limitations for property developments. It’s important to have an architect involved at this stage to ensure your project obtains the relative planning permissions, or whether you even need planning permissions. Either way a set of drawings will be needed to ensure the project is properly planned.
Codes and building regulations change very often and keeping on top of these changes are crucial. At this stage the project will be developed even further in terms of the level of detail to ensure that building control at your local authority have been provided with all the relevant drawings to get their approval or set of conditions for build. This step will be needed in both planning and permitted development situations.
One of the most prudent stages in the property development process is ensuring the builder accurately prices the job. The tender stage allows the building regulations drawings to be taken further with the addition of specification of materials and products so that the builder can price accordingly and accurately. If the price of a project exceeds the budget initially set out by the client, this is the stage where adjustments should be made so that everyone can agree on what the project will cost and keep the surprises down to a minimum.
Once the client and the builder have agreements on a cost estimate we will issue a revised set of fresh drawings with all the compiled information from the discussions during the tender stage and provide a concrete set of documents for the builders on site to confidently build from. This makes it clear to everyone involved what the most up to date drawings are and ensures everyone is working from the same hymn sheet. From this point onwards the architect responsible will oversee the project, working with site manager and liaising with suppliers to sign off on sub-contractors’ drawings. From this point onward regular site visits are crucial to ensure quality control is managed throughout the construction phase, and to ensure the health and safety of workers.
Towards the finish stages of the project, the architect will go to site and perform ‘snagging’ duties, which is a form of identifying and documenting defects in trade finishes execution. This ensures that the final property is compliant with all relevant regulations being adhered to, along with any relevant tests that need to be done for the certification and warranties to be facilitated.
With a collective of close to 100 years of experience within architecture and construction, we at PHD associates have successfully helped build many projects since Simon Howard-Dobson founded the company in 1983 providing a full range of Architectural, Surveying and Town Planning services in a range of different sectors to across the UK.
We provide design services to a range of projects such as luxury residential, mixed-use developments, extensions and alterations plus more, so if you are looking for innovative solutions to your dreams and property development vision, then you have come to the right place.
Book your free initial consultation with us today to kickstart your vision!
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