Looking for an Architect

hick

hello folks

We are in the process of buying a rural property which we will be looking to extend and renovate.

Property is currently a 1400sq ft 80's bungalow and has out buildings
Upfront the intention would be to rework current building completely and add another 1000sq ft (subject to planning restrictions)
We would be looking for someone that's comfortable working with wood (big fan of green oak) and environmental design (major insulation, passive without restrictions) while working with glass and light budget will be ideally 200k and a major part of th brief will be working to client expectation and budget.
Seeing as internet searches aren't great please feel free to PM preferably with a link to a portforlio.

Cheers Hick

Mellor

hick wrote: »

a major part of th brief will be working to client expectation and budget.

Those two are often at odds to each other.
Something to consider.

hick

agreed mellor but I would say it's the responsibility of the professional to set a correct expectation with the client and keep us grounded. Open dialog on both sides is very important. If something can't be done within budget call it out or find a compromise. In this case (and economic environment) the budget is the budget and it will be a fixed price project. That being said we'll be very open to advice and recommendations and we would hope to have a very positive working relationship, personally I'm very excited about looking at what innovations and designs will be brought to the table!

No6

What part of the world are you in hick?

Poor Uncle Tom

No6 wrote: »

What part of the world are you in hick?

Tut, tut, drunken posting.....:rolleyes:

It is a very good time to get works done at the moment, and once your budget is not too restrictive you should see some exciting results. As No6 askes, whereabouts are you?

johnny_adidas

No6 wrote: »

What part of the world are you in hick?

+1

Tefral

hick wrote: »

agreed mellor but I would say it's the responsibility of the professional to set a correct expectation with the client and keep us grounded. Open dialog on both sides is very important. If something can't be done within budget call it out or find a compromise. In this case (and economic environment) the budget is the budget and it will be a fixed price project. That being said we'll be very open to advice and recommendations and we would hope to have a very positive working relationship, personally I'm very excited about looking at what innovations and designs will be brought to the table!

Im a Quantity Surveyor, so im cynical about budgets. Youll find an Architect that can design something to your budget alright.

To give you a heads up, your going to have changes which will knock on to your budget price. In my experience, clients with houses dont really get a grasp of what they are looking at until the walls are up. Then the changes start pouring in (im not being sexist here) but normally the wife sees where the kitchen is and wants it changed or "that window is too small there" or id "love to add a conservatory here now that i see it."

The futhur into a project you are the more expensive these changes become. In order to win a tender, the contractor will have very compeditive rates, however if you have a change that there is no rate for in the Bill of Quantities, you can forget about him being low price...

Edit: oh and one piece of advice, put in a Rainwater harvesting system, it will save you a packet in the coming years.

hick

Property will be in north wicklow (collective gasp as folk realise the planning implications!!! :eek: )

Cronin_j thanks for the input, agree contingency is important for changes and a fixed price won't take those into consideration, I will be very willing to substitute time up front at the design stage in the hopes of minimizing impacts on the build. I know with the best will in the world you can't plan for everything but I want to take as much time as possible and not rush the planning as from my own work I know how important it can be.

Cheers Hick

DBK100

Cronin_j does have a point about clients often not grasping proposals through drawings and therefore instructing expensive changes when the project gets on site, but careful planning and 3D studies or models of proposals are very useful in communicating design intentions at the design stage.
Too many architects & architectural designers suffer badly from poor communication skills, which are really some of the most important elements of the service.

One of the most important budgeting items when dealing with renovation & extension of an existing building has to be Contingency.
Make sure you allocate a sufficient amount of money as a reserve to allow you to deal with the unexpected items of work that Will arise.
Not only will items you had not at all considered come up, but many work items you had anticipated and budgeted for will end up costing more when fabric is opened up and the extent of defects revealed.

Many people fall in to the trap of 'optimistic budgeting' - taking the maximum sum they can afford (or amount they want to spend) and apportioning it between the various work items.
They can then reassure themselves that everything is manageable.
There are things that cannot be known until the project has begun, so the planning can't be set in stone. When things turn up that cause a delay or further costs, the time or money that is needed can be taken from the contingency.

How much should you allow? 10 - 15% minimum would be prudent for this type of work.

The costs per square foot will be decided by you. Level of specification for bathrooms, kitchens, tiling, lighting, numbers of sockets & switches etc. all impact hugely on costs.
You can decide on 5-star style fittings and fixtures throughout or you can do imaginative things with the products available in large DIY chains.

Budget & schedule carefully but always plan for Contingency.

DBK100

hick

appreciate the pm and the feedback, very useful
agreed on the contingency, My feeling are start off with the budget and then decide what you can get for it not the other way around, compromise and disappointment are cosy bedfellows!