"My architect was very approachable and friendly. He gave me lots of good advice and ideas."
Mrs Stila, Liverpool
About Architect Your Home
Click the question to reveal the answer
1. What are the benefits of using Architect Your Home rather than going straight to a builder?
Going straight to a builder means you miss out on the important design stage. It sounds obvious but builders specialise in building things and architects specialise in designing spaces. By using Architect Your Home you will end up with a home that is right for you and that you’ll love living in. You will also ensure that your investment is maximised and the finished project adds value to your property – badly designed extensions can reduce the value of your property.
2. What criteria do you use when selecting an architect for me?
We select your architect primarily on region. Because many regions have their own style of property it means your architect will have experience working on a similar property. The architect is also likely to have worked with your local planning office before, which can be very useful if you need to apply for planning permission. All of our architects are Riba chartered practices who are very experienced residential architects and have gone through a full selection and training programme by Architect Your Home so you can be assured you will be getting the best possible advice.
3. How do I know I will get an architect that designs a style I want?
All of our architects are experienced residential architects who are able to work across a range of designs and styles. The Architect Your Home system was created to ensure homeowners get the designs they want rather than having an architect impose a style on them. All projects start with an initial visit – the interactive design session with your architect. During the initial visit you will be heavily involved in the design process – your ideas and feedback will be encouraged to ensure the final designs are exactly what you want. To date Architect Your Home has worked on over 3000 homes spanning a huge range of client briefs and styles. Have a look at our gallery to see the types of projects that we have worked on.
4. How qualified are your architects?
As well as being fully qualified Riba chartered practices, all Architect Your Home architects have also undergone a strict selection and training programme with Architect Your Home. This way you can be certain you are getting expert advice from architects experienced in residential projects.
Yes. The objective of the initial visit is to make sure you are fully informed and in the best position possible to make a decision and move forward. Your architect will review all the options with you and discuss the implications of each option. They will be available to answer any additional questions you may have.
6. What is the structure of the company?
Architect Your Home is a licensed network. This means that architects apply to join our network and we select architects based on a set of criteria. All of our architects are Riba chartered practices who are experienced in domestic architecture and have undergone a full training programme so you can be sure you will receive high quality, professional advice.
We do not believe anything constructive can be achieved in a free 45 minute sales chat. Our initial visits are designed to get your project going as quickly as possible. What typically might take 6 weeks of to-ing and fro-ing between you and your architect can now be achieved in one of our initial four and seven hour visits. We ensure you are fully involved in the process, in control and clear about what is happening.
8. How do I know whether I need a half or full day visit?
It generally depends on the size of your project. As a guide, if you are carrying out a single project on one level then a half day will be sufficient. If your project involved more than one element such as a kitchen extension and a loft conversion or a double storey extension we would recommend that you take a full day. Any remaining hours that are not used during the initial visit will be held in credit for further services.
9. What happens during the initial visit?
During the initial visit your architect will spend time asking you questions and finding out what you want to achieve. They will discuss the options that you have available along with the feasibility and implications of these options. They will then take measurements of your property and sketch out a plan of your property as it currently exists. Once this is completed your architect is now in a position to draw up initial design sketches to help you visualise your design and provide input. These drawings will be yours to keep so that you can refer back to them at a later date. The initial visit is designed to be an interactive session so you will be heavily involved in the process providing information about your lifestyle, your ideas and your feedback on proposed solutions. By the end of the initial visit you should be fully informed and in a position to move forward with your project.
10. What are the next steps after the initial visit?
Your architect will discuss recommended further services as laid out in the services menu before they leave you at the end of the visit. They will then send you a costed list of these and you can then select the services that you want your architect to carry out for you - for example, scheme level drawings or planning permission submissions. The menu is designed to be as flexible as possible allowing you to use your architect as much or as little as you want. To find out more about our further services visit our further architect services area.
Planning permission
1. What is planning permission?
For domestic properties, planning consent relates to changes in the appearance or use of buildings such as an extension to a house, or a conversion of a house into flats. Planning should not be confused with the Building Regulations that are entirely separate - you can find a description of these in the next section. Planning can be one of the main hurdles to clear when thinking about making changes to your home and needs to be given consideration from the start. It may be possible that your project can be done within permitted development - Architect Your Home will be able to advise you of this during your initial visit.
A common misconception is that because other houses in the street have, for instance, roof extensions, this will automatically mean that yours will be allowed. This is not always the case as planning policy does change over time. Your architect will be able to give you advice relating to current planning policy that will help develop the design solution.
3. What is permitted development?
For small extensions and alterations, your proposals may fall within your Permitted Development Rights which means that planning permission will not be necessary. There are a number of limits on height, volume (in cubic meters) etc. that your proposals need to be within for permitted development to apply. If your project is eligible for permitted development we would recommend that you apply for a Certificate of Lawful Development to confirm this. The application needs to be supported by suitable drawings and calculations and Architect Your Home can help you with this.
4. How can I find out more about my permitted development rights?
Betternest.co.uk is a company that specialises in all things Permitted development, if you want to know more about what these rights allow you to do simply go to www.betternest.co.uk to learn more.
The government also plans to reform Permitted Development Rights in 2008, for the latest news on Permitted Development Right Reform and how it might affect you and your property you can request monthly updates by emailing ‘PDNews’ to info@betternest.co.uk
5. Are there different planning rules for a listed building?
Buildings of particular architectural interest are often officially Listed and thereby protected. Many residential buildings are listed Grade 2 which means that all alterations (not just those to the outside or original parts) have to be approved under Listed Building Consent. Making a Listed Building Consent application is similar to making a planning application - but with a few differences. The process may be handled by a conservation officer within your local planning department or might be referred to English Heritage and there is no application fee. As with standard planning permissions Architect Your Home can help you with this.
6. Are there different planning rules for a conservation area?
Living in a conservation area usually means that changes to the external appearance of your building will be a particularly sensitive issue. You will probably need to complete an application for Conservation Area Consent. Again, it is advisable to check with your local planning department or ask Architect Your Home to do this for you.
7. What will I need in order to make a planning application?
For most Architect Your Home projects your design will need to be taken to the stage of scheme level drawings. Architect Your Home can help with the design, the drawings and even submit your planning application for you. As a guide it generally takes 8 weeks from submission of a planning application to a decision. Please note you will require a location plan and a statutory application fee to accompany your application.
8. Will your architect know my local council?
More than likely. That’s why we select an architect close to you.
Building Regulations
1. What are Building Regulations?
Not to be confused with planning, the Building Regulations are there to ensure that buildings are made to a minimum quality standard for such things as structure, fire escape, drainage, ventilation, insulation and so on. The regulations can often seem unreasonable, but they are all there for good reasons. Building regulation matters are usually handled by Building Control Officers in the Building Control Department of your local authority but increasingly private licenced inspectors are an alternative. Unlike planning, there is no committee and you should not have to endure a long wait for approvals.
2. How do I apply for Building Regulations’ Approval?
There are two ways to apply for approval under the Building Regulations: the Full Plans method or the Building Notice method. Building Notice Method: Most people find that a Building Notice is the simplest and most appropriate for alterations or extensions to domestic properties. You should not need specific drawings for this and your builder can look after the process on your behalf while undertaking the works. To do this the builder simply completes a Building Notice form and submits it to the Building Control Department - this has to be done at least 48 hours before work starts on site. Once again there is a fee to pay - check with your local authority. Once the work starts, the Building Control Officer will visit the site and make arrangements with the builder to visit at specific points through the progress of the works to check that the works are up to the minimum standard that the regulations require. He/She may also request supplementary drawings and information. When the works are complete, you can ask the Building Control Officer to give you a certificate to confirm that everything has been done to the required level.
Full Plans Method: The 'full plans' method of application is more involved as it requires the submission up-front of detailed drawings that show a great deal of information, such as the fire escape routes, ventilation capacities, for instance. Many people find this somewhat 'over the top' for a domestic project. However Architect Your Home can produce the full plans for you if you, in consultation with your architect or your builder, feel that this is the preferred route.
Party wall agreements
1. What is a party wall agreement?
It is very common with alterations to domestic buildings (even for detached houses) that action under the Party Wall legislation will be necessary. Works that affect a wall, fence or any part of your neighbour's structure, within certain specified distances will require notification to adjoining owners in accordance with the Party Wall Act 1996. This notification can be a complicated procedure and can take a good deal of time. We recommend that if you might have an issue with party wall legislation, you approach a Party Wall Surveyor who will be able to advise you and guide you through the process.
Selecting and working with builder
1. What drawings will I need for my builder?
The scheme-level drawings will form the backbone of the information your builder will need. However you will need to go through the drawings with your builder and architect before works start to agree the appropriate level of detail. Many builders do not need full detail drawings in order to build standard building elements. If the design contains elements that are particularly complex or unusual, it is sensible to get Architect Your Home to prepare detail drawings of these elements. If you want more things added to the drawings or any additional help we are here to help you through the process.
When choosing a builder, make sure that you can check the company out. A good starting point is to ask friends, neighbours or other homeowners who have recently had work done close to where you live, if there is anybody they can recommend. Once you have chosen some possible builders, contact them for a list of references and follow these up even if they came highly recommended. If you want help with this process your Architect Your Home architect would be able to handle this process for you.
3. What sort of things should I be looking out for?
For large or complex projects, a standard form of building contract that requires a contract administrator is definitely the recommended route to follow. Architect Your Home can of course also perform this task for you.
For many domestic projects however, people regard this approach as rather over the top and simply resort to working things out directly with the builder. If you follow this route, the drawings that Architect Your Home provide you with will help to define what it is the builder has agreed to build. Nonetheless, it is very important that before your builder starts work, you have a written agreement stating the work to be done, the price agreed and the time scale involved. There is a very simple standard form of contract agreement now available that has been specifically designed for such circumstances called 'JCT Building Contract for a Home owner/Occupier'. It is easy to read and covers most of the important areas.
Some important things to remember:
- hours of working: how many days a week, what time they start and finish
- use of facilities & services: toilet facilities, water supply, electricity, telephone etc.
- access and storage: agree where the builders can store their materials and how they should come in and out of the building, who holds keys etc.
- regular meetings: it is good to agree to meet formally to discuss progress every week or fortnight.
- foreman: agree whether you will have a full time foreman on your project from start to finish - this is generally a good thing but might make the price more expensive.
- additions and extras: agree how any additions or changes that you might want after work has started would be agreed and priced.
- over running: agree what happens if the work takes longer than the builder has indicated up front.
- payment schedule: the best way is to agree a timetable of payments that goes with the timetable of completed works
Costs
1. Can AYH tell me exactly how much my project is going to cost?
The cost of a building project is extremely difficult to predict particularly before it is fully designed. There is a myriad of factors that can affect the price including geographic location, size, scope and complexity of the work, amount of structural work involved and level of specification required, to name just a few. Your architect will be in a better position to give you an idea of costs once you have discussed what you would like to achieve and he/she has seen what is involved. To find out a ball park figure for your entire project go to our cost estimator
2. Do you have any tips on how I can control my budget?
- Agree all the details up front.
- The more details that you can tie down the better. A set of detail drawings will illustrate these decisions in a way that can be quantified. This will leave less opportunity for unforeseen extra costs to creep in at a later date.
- Your choice of fittings and finishes
- The cost of a luxury fit out can be five or ten times the cost of a basic or budget fit out. Contrary to popular belief, the choice of fittings often is the most influential issue to affect the cost of a building project. Try not to change your mind as last minute design changes are a sure fire way of losing control over your budget.
Renovation Insurance
1. Do I need to arrange specific insurance?
Most home insurance policies exclude cover whilst a property is undergoing renovation or alteration works and do not provide cover on an unoccupied property. You will probably need to arrange specialist ‘All Risks’ renovation insurance to adequately cover the property being worked upon. These types of policies cover the entire project and include public liability, employers liability as well as legal expenses which can be useful if you have a contractual dispute. Don’t assume that the contractors insurance will adequately cover you and your project. To find out more about renovation insurance visit our complimentary services area.
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