'Your Project' Series - Blog 01

Do I need an Architect? Where do I begin?

You may have landed on this page because you are toying with the idea of having some work done to your property, but you aren’t really sure how to proceed. You may be asking yourself some questions like, “Do I need an Architect?”, “Where do I begin?” or “How much will it cost?”. Some of your questions have more complex answers than others and that’s the purpose of this series of articles. So, please read on and follow the rest of our blogs to come.

Firstly, do you need an Architect? Well, it depends. An Architect can add value to any project. A part of this quite obviously lies in largely subjective design input but there are many more benefits. As Architects, we can help you translate your ideas into practical and beautiful spaces. We can help you keep control of your budget. We can help you communicate with other consultants and contractors. We can compile and manage your planning or building control applications. In addition to all this, Architects are held to a statutory code of practice by the RIBA and ARB, and they hold Professional Indemnity Insurance which ensures quality and safety to you, the client.

Or, you may be thinking you might need an Architect but you’re not sure where to begin. You probably already have a fair idea of what you want to achieve from your project but spending some time to really define your brief is critically important. Not only should you think about the extra bedrooms, island kitchen or larger open plan living space you would like, but also the way in which you want to live in these spaces. What will make your project unique to you? Ok, this may not be particularly obvious to you right now but with our help, you will be able to get there.

We have put together a Life Size Ideas questionnaire which may help you start to formulate this brief. It is not essential that your brief follows this format, however. You may already have a fuller, more involved summary, as well as some ideas, images and questions. The form may just be a useful prompt to get a few things understood including timescales and budgets. If you’d like to get hold of the questionnaire, drop us an email and we’ll send it over to you.

We will also be publishing more articles soon which will provide you with information regarding the steps of the process to realising your dream project. So, stay tuned but if you can’t wait, don’t hesitate to get in touch via email or call the office where one of the team will be more than happy to explain and answer any questions you may have.

Team Life Size