Here, Doug Hughes, Principal Architect and Managing Director at Hughes Architects looks ahead and how many homeowners consider moving for more space when in fact they could remodel the home they love instead of moving.
So we’ve all recovered from the new year celebrations, broken the resolutions and now we’re looking ahead to the Spring for some better weather and brighter days.
Quite often at this early time in the year when I’m with friends and acquaintances they’re telling me how they’re thinking of moving or wanting to do “something” with their home in the year ahead.
It’s the usual story of living somewhere for a period of time and feeling the need to do something different.
Most of the time it’s about moving to a new, larger home to cater for the growing family, or in some cases down-sizing now the children have left. In both cases it’s a case of a deciding whether to just look for a new property or simply consider expanding the existing one.
It’s normally at this point I’m asked if I could “come up with some drawings.” My general response is “we do a bit more than just draw buildings.”
In fact they seem surprised at what we do as architects and planning consultants. The long-held belief – wrongly so – that we simply draw or design to design a home or property couldn’t be further from what we actually do.
From initial designs, to final plans; dealing with the planning application to managing the build and construction, where required.
From planning to managing
So what do we do? Okay, in very basic terms when it comes to residential properties, we actually meet and talk to clients about what their idea is and what they want out of it. It’s at this point we begin the process.
From initial designs, to final plans; dealing with the planning application to managing the build and construction, where required.
So very basically, we can deal with the whole process without the client having to worry about anything, other than moving into their new home or enjoying their refurbished or extended property.
Of course, not everyone wants or needs that level of help. But my advice is that it can be more cost effective and completed on time by involving an architect in the whole process than just the “drawings.”
So what should you do before talking to people like the team at Hughes Architects? Here are some essentials:
• What is your brief, or wish-list, for the project? • What do you want the project to achieve? • How will the space be used? • What is your overall budget?
Our job is to talk to you, listen and understand what you want to achieve. We can then work with you, discuss the budget, develop solutions to maximise that budget and create a space that is just what you want.
It’s also important to appoint a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Chartered Practice, such as Hughes Architects.
We comply with strict criteria covering insurance, health and safety and quality management systems.
