Services

We can provide anything from a few sketches or planning application drawings to a full architectural service. We are often the main point of contact for a client, managing the project from inception to completion, including the administration of the building contract. However, we do believe it is important that clients should be able to tailor our service to meet their individual needs (and budget), and with this in mind, the following is a 'menu' of our services:

• brief taking, confirming key requirements and constraints
• sketch / outline designs and development
• planning and building control applications
• detailed design / production information
• tender process
• contract administration during building work

Planning

A sizeable proportion of our work is in obtaining planning permission for clients (who often employ us only for this stage of a project), and we are proud of our track record. We have recently secured some very difficult planning consents, often to listed buildings in sensitive locations.

The ultimate planning achievement however was our Underhill House project, which was granted under Paragraph 11 of PPS7, the “exceptional country house rule”. More on that here: www.aipassivhaus.com/planning.

 

Drawings

Many people find it hard to read architectural drawings, and so can end up agreeing to designs that they don't completely understand. We believe it is vital for successful designs to be a collaboration between architect and client.

Below are a selection of images to illustrate the different levels of detail that architectural drawings can be taken to.

The first image shows initial sketch ideas - positions of fittings, window etc.

The second image, not much more detailed, is of planning permission drawings (permission was needed for the window).

This last image is a construction drawing, literally going into the nuts and bolts of how things fit together.

Many people manage fine with drawings like the first two if they have a decent builder - but spending a little more time and money in the design stage, in our opinion, brings huge benefits in terms of quality of the finished job, as well as greater accountability & cost certainty.
 

3D Visualisation

We use 3d modelling now on almost all of our projects in the early design stages, and we find the benefits to be enormous. We can e-mail our models to clients who can download a free viewer and very easily walk through the model, change the time of day to see how the light and shadows will fall, and even change colours and textures of surfaces.

Kitchen - visual / completed

Dining - visual / completed


Sitting area - visual / completed


The images below illustrate how we can use 3D visualisation to inform the design process even at the detailing stage. 

    

BIM (Building Information Modelling)

The practice implements the latest 3D BIM (Building Information Modelling) software, this enables all information about the building to be generated from a single 3D model, enabling fully coordinated plans, sections, elevations, and more.

Cost

We recognise that for most clients, an architectural commission represents a huge financial and emotional undertaking, and as we aim to make well-designed spaces and the use of architects accessible, our rates are reasonable and competitive for a quality personal and professional service.

The initial consultation is generally free (depending on distance), and fees can then be worked out on an hourly, percentage or lump sum basis. Either way, we will give as close an estimate as possible at the time of appointment.

Our flexible approach allows clients to pick only the services they require or can afford, allowing them to keep control of what they want to achieve with the project and how much they want to spend.