In the first part of this blog we focused on the role of the architect and the specific duties they carry out with regards to house extensions and domestic projects. In this part of the blog we will focus more on the qualities of an architect and the benefits they can bring to a project.
Budgeting
As discussed in Part 1 an architect should discuss budget and build costs before taking on a commission to establish the financial parameters of the project, establishing an area and a rate per square metre. This gives the client a build cost to test against their budget and establishes an initial idea of specification for the project, for which the architect can design accordingly. An architect will not be able to design something guaranteed to be on budget, however they should get fairly close. The build cost is ultimately tested in two ways. On larger projects a cost consultant or quantity surveyor is employed to interpret the architect’s drawings into a cost schedule. On most house extensions there is no allowance for paying for a cost consultant, although this is something that is probably worth the extra money paradoxically if you have an inflexible budget. It is worth remembering though that the only real way of knowing the build cost is to have a builder price the drawings and this is indeed the way most house extensions are costed, through what is commonly known as tendering. This process though is obviously the make or break point for many projects and comes relatively late on in the process. A seriously over budget scheme will have either wasted fees or require further fees for redesign work. Making an over budget scheme on budget is a time consuming and difficult process. This therefore re-emphasises the need for serious and candid discussions up front about the ambition of the project, implicated build costs and available budget.
Impact of Design
It is said often that good design costs more. This I feel is slightly misleading: if by good design we mean high specification or complex forms then this may be true. But nobody would willingly sign up for bad design. I think the point is that we can only commission design – if as a client you are flexible and open minded with regard to construction techniques, simple finishes and spatial arrangements an architect can design something good that costs less. Ironically the benefits of good design can be hard to quantify and do not always translate into immediate financial benefits, which is something the domestic property market is often driven by. Design is subjective – although not completely I may argue – while everyone may have their own ideal space there are still common things that people can collectively identify with as “good design” and these do add value: both financial and in terms of day to day living. It is some of those things we will be looking to identify and expand upon below.
Design Concept
A design concept is an idea which informs a design. Many architects will talk about the concept for a design – this could be an abstract idea (e.g. a specific form, a specific technological idea etc.), often it may be a response to something on or around the site (e.g. existing buildings, landscaping, boundaries and trees, views, orientation, movement of people and vehicles etc.), it could also be related to time (e.g. how the building functions day and night or through the seasons), or it could respond to the hidden layers of the site (e.g. historical uses and forms/layouts, geological data or soil and ground make-up). These are just a few example of common starting points for ideas. Different architects will think differently and be interested in different things. A strong concept will bring a more poetic outcome and a building that is working well on different levels: be it day-to-day use and its functionality, its response to the site or the existing building or its spatial arrangement and light and material qualities.
Poetic Response to Context/Concept
Many people will identify the success of a design as how it integrates into its surroundings or context. This has long been one of the guiding aspects of development control (or planning) in this country and has often been a literal process of “borrowing” from adjacent buildings and historic styles to build more of the same. Architects will often challenge this, as do many planning authorities nowadays, preferring instead or at least considering an interpretation of surrounding buildings and context to synthesise something new, but that still references its surroundings and is consequently of its place. This is a way for architecture to situate itself. A generic approach of applying the same solution regardless of location or individuality of a site is (as practised over the ages by mass builders) frowned upon by most architects, as it would (and has) result(ed) in whole swathes of the country looking the same with no individuality and that can’t be good! That doesn’t mean elements of the design shouldn’t be generic though – there is no point reinventing the wheel either. Just as construction techniques are generic they still have to be evolved for each site depending on various conditions and the design proposal. Elements prefabricated off site are generic but they are often arranged on each site with variation to make something individual. Architects are increasingly interested in how to exploit or express global or generic systems and trends against parameters specific to the project. This can often generate dynamic, visually stimulating results.
Good Planning/Functionality
As mentioned above no-one want to commission bad design – we’ve all got examples of it I’m sure, whether its an aesthetic thing or how something works. Making things work to their maximum ability comes through careful consideration of the user’s needs. We often find this can come down to simple things like making sure doors are in the most efficient position and open the right way and that storage is provided but hidden away, that spaces are flexible and adaptable and respond well to that particular family’s lifestyle. A poor designer can really wreak havoc by not considering certain household processes (recycling, gardening, cleaning, monitoring children), not allowing space for furniture (e.g a lounge with something on each wall – e.g. fireplace, t.v., window and door – is a nightmare for the client to then furnish) or simply not understanding the spatial implications of what they’ve designed (we remember infamously two male TV interior designers designing a garage which couldn’t fit a car in).
Space and Light
This is often heralded as what perhaps make architecture rather than just buildings. Le Corbusier, a famous modernist architect, said: “Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light.” Architects embrace this often by thinking about rooflights – these admit 70% more daylight than windows in walls so create dramatic levels of light and lighting effects. We like the way glazing bars in a patent glazing system cast shadows on a wall and how they move throughout the day – creating dynamic patterns (or moving wallpaper if you like) and work like a kind of sundial – giving a reading of the world outside. These kinds of natural daylighting techniques can radically transform a space: flooding it with natural light can reveal the space to its maximum potential, lifting the mood and spirits of its users, offering up new uses and focal points and offering unexpected views of skies, trees or surrounding buildings.
Architects will often look at full height glazing/windows or panels of folding/sliding doors. Whereas a traditional window with a cill a metre or so above the floor level breaks the relationship with the garden/outside and admits a limited amount of natural light, full height glazing admits lots of natural light and produces a more seamless transition between inside and out. This makes spaces seem larger as well: instead of your eye perceiving the size of the room by a solid wall opposite, the eye is drawn to the garden and beyond, enhancing the feeling of space.
The effect on the mood and spirits of the users cannot be underestimated – we often find after we have designed extensions that families naturally migrate into these spaces and want to make them their main living spaces, because they are light filled often with great views and connections to the garden. A well-lit and well-designed space can stimulate the senses – it has been proved to help people recover from illness quicker and to improve educational results. They can focus the family and provide a space in which everyone wants to be, bringing a sense of togetherness and strengthening family bonds.
Knowledge of Local Authority Procedures
Many will employ an architect to deal with the council on their behalf. On most house extensions and domestic projects this takes the form of two applications – for planning permission and for building regulations approval. Some projects will not require planning permission if the works falls under the remit of permitted development. We will be posting a separate blog on planning permission and building regulations to explain more about them in a bit more detail. In the meantime check here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2362/schedule/made for more information on permitted development rights for homeowners.
Architects are well versed in making planning applications, most of their work will require dealings with the local council and they should therefore know how best to approach each individual application. They are familiar with the different types of drawings required for different applications and normally produce high quality drawings which best illustrate your project and explain it to planners in the terms they are interested in. Architects will explain the process to their clients, explain any potential problems they foresee and strategise a solution for them, prepare the relevant drawings and documentation, make the application (it is usual for the client to write a cheque or pay the council direct for the cost of the application – at Extend My House we include all fees for these applications within our own fee) and then liaise with the planning department and appointed officer, keeping the client informed of how the application is progressing.
Building Regulations get more and more complex as more building legislation is introduced. Most architects keep very much up to date with such developments, putting them in an excellent position to make such applications on behalf of a client. The Building Regulations Application is a technical submission made to the local authority (council) or an approved firm of private building control officers which deals with standards of design, construction, accessibility, safety and environmental measures. A good architect will be mindful of such requirements at the earlier stages of design, which should avoid the need for redesign work just to gain the Building Regulations Approval. However such is the complexity of the Regulations now that some amount of adjustment of the design is normally required, as this can depend on the particular Building Control Officer’s interpretation of the regulations. An architect will produce the complex construction drawings required and liaise with the Building Control Officer in order to obtain a set of approved drawings.
The second part of the Building Regulations approval process involves the Building Control Officer visiting the site during the build to check the construction work is being carried out in line with the approved drawings. After they are satisfied of this, they will issue an approval certificate, normally to the architect, who will normally keep a copy and pass the original over to the client for safekeeping.
Tendering & Building
On larger and/or more complex house extensions and most non-domestic projects there is a stage of developing the building regulations drawings further into a full set of construction drawings which then get tendered to a list of builders for pricing. On simple traditional builds this is not arguably not necessary as most builders are familiar with construction techniques for example cavity walls and pitched roofs. On bespoke projects some further drawings may be required to convey the design to the potential builders.
You may have come across the term “design and build”, where a builder takes over control of a project early on – sometimes this happens after the architect has obtained the local authority approvals but in some cases it can involve going direct to a builder who will then either prepare designs himself for the client or employ his own architect. The latter is not advised as we feel it gives away too much control over the design of the project to the builder and also is a risky strategy in terms of knowing that you’re going to obtain all the correct permissions – something architects, as registered professionals, have to pay close attention to. The point of this kind of one-stop solution is cost-certainty: but this leaves the client exposed to having to monitor and deal direct with the builder and for a successful outcome may rely on having a watertight contract (or a very good relationship) with the builder, which is something in the domestic market that is often overlooked. Without it the client is open to manipulation over costs by the builder as well as manipulation of design.
However the first form of design and build, where a client still appoints an architect or designer initially who then develops a set of “employer’s (client’s) requirements” to tender to a builder at an agreed stage (normally after building regulations approval) is essentially how most domestic projects operate. The “employer’s requirements” can be very simple or very detailed or anywhere in between and form the basis of the contract between builder and client. If the employer’s requirements are few or are very simple, this leaves room for the builder to manoeuvre, potentially offering cost savings but at the expense of knowing 100% what you will get. If the employers requirements are very length or complex, the builder will be more restricted and the price will normally be higher as they may not be able to source materials etc from their normal suppliers and may involve techniques and materials they are not familiar with. It also will incur extra fees from the architect or designer to develop the design further and produce more information for the more complex employer’s requirements.
Many architects will produce a “schedule of works” alongside the building regulations drawings for tendering to builders as this is a document that although will require intensive modification for each project, still has some standard elements to it and can be rolled out for each project much more efficiently than producing individual construction drawing packages for each extension. The schedule of works also functions as kind of panacea for the information of the build – it breaks the build down into elements (such as ground floor slab, first floors, external walls, internal walls, roof, chimney, plumbing and heating, electrics, demolition, external works/landscaping etc.) and references finishes (paints, colours, plaster or dry lining, floor finishes), fittings, materials and products and normally comes with a reference specification to cover workmanship, techniques, bye-laws, British Standards etc. In conjunction and correctly correlated to a set of fairly detailed building regulations drawings this can form the basis of a pretty watertight contract between client and builder, and a clear starting point from which a build can begin.
Many architects can recommend suitable local building firms, or if they can’t, may be able to interview a long-list of builders with (or on behalf of) the client to see who will be suitable for the eventual tender shortlist (normally 3-5 firms are on the tender lists, sometimes more). Otherwise the client may choose, with or without the architect, to draw up their own tender list of local or known building contractors. The architect can review the tenders received from building firms and advise accordingly about which have returned an eligible tender (e.g. they have priced the tender documents accurately – this avoids problems later) and which may be suitable for the project.
Construction Stage
Of course architects can and often do continue to be involved with the project once the builder has been appointed. They can administer a contract between client and builder, attend site meetings, carry out site inspections and act as the client’s agent: liaising with and issuing instructions to the builder on the client’s behalf. Of course with the regular nature of site meetings and the amount of time involved for the architect attending meetings and carrying out administrative duties, this service comes at a significant price and is in reality an exception rather than the norm. It does however bring an extra level of security for clients: being able to consult with their architect and knowing they’ve got a professional onboard to look after their interests: consequently some architects offer to work on an adhoc basis during the build, as and when required, for an agreed hourly rate.
For more information on how our own innovative online architectural service works, please visit: www.extend-my-house.co.uk and choose “About Our Service” from the top navigation menu.
For further reading the RIBA has a PDF publication on its website “Working with an architect for your home” which can be downloaded and found here:
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