Some sketched plans of an existing ground floor from a recent house design workshop
So you’ve been considering making minor home redesign changes, within your house. Through shared ideas, you have the concept. What happens next?
Home redesign, i.e. opening up walls, redesigning your kitchen, better space planning, can all be achieved from our first visit workshop.
The information we provide at this visit might mean that you may not need further plans from us. Alternatively, further input from us can be provided, all explained, so read on!…
For Simpler Projects, Your kitchen and Living Area Reconfiguration Works can be Initiated Quicker
After the workshops we provide, you need to choose your preferred option.
We advise our clients to get budget costs from the workshop drawings before commencing any further. This allows value engineering at an early stage to keep to budget.
You probably will have some minor changes to make. During this top up design session (which typically lasts approximately 1 hour), I will hand draw this final option, and I will hone the design and determine the final scheme.
You need structural beam calculations if we do openings in the walls. I can put you in contact with a Structural Engineer to arrange this type of work.
In this case, a time-saving Building Notice application rather than a Full Plans Submission of Building Regulation Drawings could be the way to go. This can be done with our workshop plans and the structural designs. The builder would then work very closely with the Building Inspector during the building process.
Just to make you aware, this path saves you both time and money that otherwise we would charge for Full Building Regulations plans, etc. We present you the cost options at our first meeting.
Are There any Risks Involved if you take Shortcuts with your Home Redesign?
The Proposed Ground Floor from a recent design workshop
The sketched plans that you receive from us after the completed Workshops are not Full Plans Building Regulation Drawings. However, a skilled and experienced builder working with the Approved Inspector can work without full plans. The downside is it is more risky in terms of building costs, as the builder faces issues as they emerge, and might alter their cost estimate later on.
It is a recognised way to develop small projects like kitchen and living room reconfigurations in Victorian or 1930’s semis, in partnership with your Builder and Approved Inspector.
You would need to approach your builder and put him in contact with us, so that we make sure that he understands the sketched plans for the home redesign, and arranges the structural engineering with you, if so required by the scheme.
A meeting with our Technical Associate Alan Varley might be needed. This would be to assist the builder, and solve technical questions before the works starts, or as they come during the building work. We would provide a detailed fee proposal for such service.
The risks are minimised by taking these procedures.
What do you need to take the shortcut?
To get to this stage you will need the hand drawn sketched plans from the first workshop (and any drawn up at the session) a skilled builder can deal with this small scale project aided by the Structural Engineer and Approved Inspector.
On the contrary for more complex larger projects we can go down the full Plans Building Regulation Stage design route.
We can provide you with a full detailed survey and CAD plans of developed design and Building Regulation drawings. Our suggested fees would be as proposed on the brief presented at the first workshop.
The benefits of this route for larger home redesign projects are;
* Detailed CAD plans.
* Determined and resolve possible abnormalities.
* Better determined fixed costs by your Builder that will be based on our detailed plans.
We can work with our client to agree the appropriate service to suit the scale of project at the best economic level.
(written by Magda Haener & Alan Varley)
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