Planning / Design & where to start

Curious Geroge

Hoping that someone may be able to help here. We have a site, a general idea of our likes and dislikes but would like to get an architect to do a couple of designs that may allow us to expand on our thoughts of a 4*4 two story house. Since every architect has there own style and ideas, is it possible or allowable to have architects tender for the job (by tender I mean submit idea's and allow us to go with the architect that best suits our wants?). thanks

BryanF

I would suggest you interview several architects, look for their work, ask for references/ seek recommendations from friends. then do your homework on them.

gigino

BryanF wrote: »

I would suggest you interview several architects, look for their work, ask for references/ seek recommendations from friends. then do your homework on them.

Is it true some or most architects will charge about 500 " consultation fee" ( refundable if it goes ahead ) for such an interview / service ? ( visiting site, giving ideas etc )

Will23

Curious Geroge wrote: »

Hoping that someone may be able to help here. We have a site, a general idea of our likes and dislikes but would like to get an architect to do a couple of designs that may allow us to expand on our thoughts of a 4*4 two story house. Since every architect has there own style and ideas, is it possible or allowable to have architects tender for the job (by tender I mean submit idea's and allow us to go with the architect that best suits our wants?). thanks

you could try this and you would probably get some architects to bite and give you their ideas free of charge/or in a tender.

However would you go to a number of different lawyers and ask for their advice on a case before you pay them, on the basis that you will take up the cheapest advice, or that closest to what you want to hear, and pay only him/her? would they do it?

architects design, it is what they sell... it is the thing that makes them most different from all other construction professionals. you are asking for their 'product' before you pay them for it...

as i said above, i'm sure you will get some people who will do his for you.. i just find it frustrating that this is expected..

by the way, i think bryans post above is useful advice, this will help you get what you're looking for..

BryanF

I recently obliged a client when asked to quote for an extension with an initial sketch layout of what I felt they wanted.. 3 weeks on, they have not made a decision (there still considering things, money, other archs & not building at all) But I'm out a half days site visit + a couple of hours sketching and more time than that considering their design before I put pen to paper... (I find that once I get excited about a design, I cant stop till I'm happy, an have actually redesigned this scheme since, which may never even be passed to the potential client)

In a larger job where the rewards are greater I understand that Archs can take the risk and spend time trying to win a bid but imo not with a domestic house

1. My question to you is how do you propose to compensate the Archs that are unsuccessful?
2. Shouldn’t the time taken to design a home to your needs be rewarded?
3. It’s a design process, if you’re not happy shouldn’t they get a chance to change it?
4. Also should I have given my thoughts in writing to a potential client that may take my ideas/solutions elsewhere?

George I'm not having a go..:) more of a rant

If your concerned this/paying to much - I suggest that the stages are clearly broken down into early sketch, pre-planning, sketch agreement/ acad, planning , tender, construction, site supervision, certification.. With a clear understanding that if your not happy you can walk after any given stage, once that stage is paid for.. Not ideal from the Archs perspective but things can be done like this..

best of luck

Will23

BryanF wrote: »

I recently obliged a client when asked to quote for an extension with an initial sketch layout of what I felt they wanted.. 3 weeks on, they have not made a decision (there still considering things, money, other archs & not building at all) But I'm out a half days site visit + a couple of hours sketching and more time than that considering their design before I put pen to paper... (I find that once I get excited about a design, I cant stop till I'm happy, an have actually redesigned this scheme since, which may never even be passed to the potential client)

In a larger job where the rewards are greater I understand that Archs can take the risk and spend time trying to win a bid but imo not with a domestic house

1. My question to you is how do you propose to compensate the Archs that are unsuccessful?
2. Shouldn’t the time taken to design a home to your needs be rewarded?
3. It’s a design process, if you’re not happy shouldn’t they get a chance to change it?
4. Also should I have given my thoughts in writing to a potential client that may take my ideas/solutions elsewhere?

George I'm not having a go..:) more of a rant

If your concerned this/paying to much - I suggest that the stages are clearly broken down into early sketch, pre-planning, sketch agreement/ acad, planning , tender, construction, site supervision, certification.. With a clear understanding that if your not happy you can walk after any given stage, once that stage is paid for.. Not ideal from the Archs perspective but things can be done like this..

best of luck

ya my post was more of a rant too.. sorry. Bryan put it much better than i did though.

hope things work out for you!

Will.

Curious Geroge

Will23 wrote: »

you could try this and you would probably get some architects to bite and give you their ideas free of charge/or in a tender.

However would you go to a number of different lawyers and ask for their advice on a case before you pay them, on the basis that you will take up the cheapest advice, or that closest to what you want to hear, and pay only him/her? would they do it?

Its true, I'm asking in advance but I cannot afford to take a punt on paying someone for a design that I would not like and would that may not be applicable to local planning officers. I dont think that the same rule would apply, if someone designs something, its not something you can take away from them, the architect would have the ablity to see whatever plans I move forward with an would have a case if I built his deisgn without him been involved; as I understand it, the architect would own the deisgn that is presented to me therefore I would be asking for a list of fee's unfront so I know if his/her design can even be reviewed as we have limits on what we can afford to pay.

Curious Geroge

BryanF wrote: »

I recently obliged a client when asked to quote for an extension with an initial sketch layout of what I felt they wanted.. 3 weeks on, they have not made a decision (there still considering things, money, other archs & not building at all) But I'm out a half days site visit + a couple of hours sketching and more time than that considering their design before I put pen to paper... (I find that once I get excited about a design, I cant stop till I'm happy, an have actually redesigned this scheme since, which may never even be passed to the potential client)

In a larger job where the rewards are greater I understand that Archs can take the risk and spend time trying to win a bid but imo not with a domestic house

1. My question to you is how do you propose to compensate the Archs that are unsuccessful?
2. Shouldn’t the time taken to design a home to your needs be rewarded?
3. It’s a design process, if you’re not happy shouldn’t they get a chance to change it?
4. Also should I have given my thoughts in writing to a potential client that may take my ideas/solutions elsewhere?

George I'm not having a go..:) more of a rant

If your concerned this/paying to much - I suggest that the stages are clearly broken down into early sketch, pre-planning, sketch agreement/ acad, planning , tender, construction, site supervision, certification.. With a clear understanding that if your not happy you can walk after any given stage, once that stage is paid for.. Not ideal from the Archs perspective but things can be done like this..

best of luck

Hi BryanF, I understand your questions and thanks for the information. Under normal circumstances, we would be going directly to a planner as we would not have been able to afford to have an architect involved but suggestions from friends who have done it always say if they had the chance they would involve an architect. Since we're limited by budget, choosing the right one is very important to us and I would assume that most architects that are experienced would have a book off designs that would have been completed in the recent past (6-8 years) and would simple provided those to show me there ideas. I understand that less experienced architects would have to spend the time. I just want to find a simple way to find someone that would have suitable designs that could be applied to our "wants" and "needs" while also passing the local authority needs.

observer2u

Surely you'd base a decision to go with an architect based on their previous work rather than having all of them starting to design different schemes

Curious Geroge

observer2u wrote: »

Surely you'd base a decision to go with an architect based on their previous work rather than having all of them starting to design different schemes

i think so, proven good design the would compliment what we would like. since it would be acceptable to approach some with pictures of the site and location details, i'd hope that they may be able to show suitable designs and we can work from there. i would'nt want someone to design anything, just show me what there current designs may suggest.

sinnerboy

Curious Geroge wrote: »

i'd hope that they may be able to show suitable designs and we can work from there. i would'nt want someone to design anything, just show me what there current designs may suggest.

That is absolutely the way to go. In fact i'd go so far as to don't use someone who can't show you a lot of previous completed projects. Don't be afraid to ask for references from previous clients too.

gigino

some - if not many - architects do not have a great portfolio of residential work on view on their websites.....so it can be hard to choose.

sinnerboy

You need to meet and speak to people. You can't source everything with a mouse click

No6

George, its hard to tell you where to start but you sound like you are very worried about the possible fees you may be charged. You should be able to get an idea of fees upfront from most professionals although bear in mind that every design should be site specific tailored to your brief and not any old plan transplanted onto your site. Agree the cost of a preliminary site visit and a discussion on the brief before you commit to anything with a designer, some charge for this some don't. Anyone with local knowledge will be able to give you a good idea if you will get planning or not and if what you are looking for comply's with the local authority's housing design guidelines.

If you ask a few architects to design a house and then use one of the designs but not the architect unless you pay them for it you will be in breach of their copyright. If you do pay them for the design you are entitled to build one house to that design, some may provide a design only service and will quote you for that, others may not.

Paul4As

I had 4 Architects out to look at the site I wish to build on....for a free consultation.
They were only with me for about 30 minutes to an hour, but I treated it like an interview.
You obviously look for a bit of passion from them, even when they are told it's probably only going to be a 3 bedroom bungalow of about 120 square metres!
You get ideas on where the septic tank is likely to go, what is the average cost per square foot for the county is etc.
All of them worked to a fixed fee (which they emailed to me a few days later)...so you know what they will charge for usually the 2 phases...Planning Permission and Construction (tendering and 5-6 site visits).
The Mayo County Council Planning website is good as you can search the applications by Agent name. Hence I could easily pull out all the drawings submitted by the Architects I "interviewed" to get a feel for their style.

braftery

Nearly all architects will agree to initial meeting without charge so you can both get a feel for each other. In the end it is your relationship with your architect and his understand of you that will help with his design for you.

Most Architects do have a style and if you look at photographs of a number of their projects you can normally see the style coming through.

Before you go and talk to anyone;

1. Sit ON YOUR OWN and put your own requirements for your potential new home in writing.

This should include the following;

Numbers of rooms, names of rooms, find references of houses you like, and houses you dont like !!, anything that is important to you about the build, eco, low energy, size, price limits, etc etc.

2. Get your partner to do the same.

3. Sit down together and compare what you wrote down.

4. Discuss (in a civilised manner!) the differences between your ideas and work out compromises.

5. Combine both your thoughts into one set of ideas in a prioritised manner.

This will form your brief !

Use this brief when you are talking to any potential architects. If your brief is sound then you can use it to measure the responses you get to your brief and make sure they are designing a house for you and not for themselves.

Lastly, have fun

Good Luck !

Innish_Rebel

braftery wrote: »

Nearly all architects will agree to initial meeting without charge so you can both get a feel for each other. In the end it is your relationship with your architect and his understand of you that will help with his design for you.

Most Architects do have a style and if you look at photographs of a number of their projects you can normally see the style coming through.

Before you go and talk to anyone;

1. Sit ON YOUR OWN and put your own requirements for your potential new home in writing.

This should include the following;

Numbers of rooms, names of rooms, find references of houses you like, and houses you dont like !!, anything that is important to you about the build, eco, low energy, size, price limits, etc etc.

2. Get your partner to do the same.

3. Sit down together and compare what you wrote down.

4. Discuss (in a civilised manner!) the differences between your ideas and work out compromises.

5. Combine both your thoughts into one set of ideas in a prioritised manner.

This will form your brief !

Use this brief when you are talking to any potential architects. If your brief is sound then you can use it to measure the responses you get to your brief and make sure they are designing a house for you and not for themselves.

Lastly, have fun

Good Luck !

well said