THE DESIGN BUILD PROCESS
In our experience the process of working with an Architect or Surveyor when
undergoing any kind of building work can best be described in a series of stages. You
may want involvement with all, or just some of these. In most cases they are
sequential and we would usually advise completion of one stage before moving to the
next which is a good way of controlling professional costs.
The stages are:
Stage 1 – Feasibility Study
Stage 2 – Planning Application
Stage 3 – A Building Regulation Application and information for construction
Stage 4 – Finding a Builder
Stage 5 – Contract Administration (Including Advice on a Suitable Contract)
Stage 6 – Post Build Services
Some of the services that The Design Studio can offer with its colleagues / associates
include:
• Architectural design
• Planning permission / building regulation approval
• Production information / going out to tender
• Helping you find an appropriate builder to carry out the work
• Obtaining competitive estimates
• Party Wall and boundary disputes
• Contract Administration / cost control services
• Planning specialist advise
• Specialist help in cost control / cost planning predictions etc.
• All forms of civil and structural engineering advice
• Specialist planning advice
Stage 1 – Feasibility Study
􀃖 What are my requirements, what do I want to build?
􀃖 What are the possibilities? Are there alternatives?
􀃖 How much will it cost?
􀃖 Will I need Planning Permission or any other consents?
􀃖 What will the planners allow me to do?
􀃖 What effect will the proposals have on the value of my property?
The feasibility study is an informal meeting and sketch based process where we work
with you to answer the above questions quickly and efficiently without incurring any
significant costs.
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􀃖 What does this usually involve?
• Meetings and a site visit with you to discuss your requirements and explore
possibilities. Help you put together a wish list or ‘brief’. You may already have a
detailed brief to take forward, or you may just have an idea of what you would
like and an open mind to alternatives that we suggest.
• Preparation of sketch alternatives, usually hand drawn at this stage to keep costs
down.
• Informal discussions with the relevant Planning Authority to assess whether
Planning or other permissions (Listed Building Consent, for example) would be
required and their likely reaction to a formal application.
Depending on the nature of the work and degree of involvement you require a more
accurate estimation of all costs can be assessed at this stage.
Stage 2 – Planning Application
Assuming the feasibility stage has provided the right answers the next stage is a
detailed planning application. Planning permission is the Council’s way of saying,
“yes, you can proceed with the development”.
􀃖 What do the planners need to know?
Planning departments do not require any high level of technical information; they just
really want to know information like:
• What the proposed building will look like
• What the current building looks like (if it exists)
• The purpose to which the building will be put
• What the parking arrangements are.
􀃖 What information do the planners require in order to make a decision?
The Planners make a recommendation in respect of an application based on a set of
regional and national policies. To demonstrate that a proposal complies with all the
relevant polices a planning application will usually require:
• The taking of accurate information about the current site. This will often
involve a measured building or topographical (ground levels etc.) survey
which can be undertaken by one of our in-house surveyors.
• Preparation of more detailed floor plans and elevations to show how the
building will work and what it will look like. These will usually be CAD
(computer drawn) drawings… accurate information that can be altered
efficiently.
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• Preparation of accompanying written documentation demonstrating how the
proposal complies with the relevant planning policies and information such as
how energy efficient the completed building will be.
• Depending on the nature of the proposal we will discuss with the planners to
determine whether any other information is required, such as
􀂃 An Environmental Impact Assessment (unlikely for domestic
extensions)
􀂃 A tree survey (performed by a qualified Arboriculturist, likely if there
are significant numbers of trees on the site)
􀂃 A bat, owl or newt survey (often applicable in older buildings or
buildings near water)
􀂃 A pollution assessment (if the site has, or is suspected to have any
polluted ground or materials)
􀂃 An eco / walk over desk top study.
If any of these are necessary we can arrange everything on your behalf.
􀃖 How long does the formal planning process take?
Planning permission usually takes 6 – 8 weeks from the time the application is
submitted. In order to save costs, we normally advise clients not to proceed with any
further detailed construction information or building regulations until planning
permission has been granted.
􀃖 How does the planning process actually work?
The whole process essentially works via the planners (Planning Officers) making a
recommendation to a Planning Committee of lay people (Local Councillors) based on
whether the proposal complies with their policies. In most cases, as long as a proposal
is in compliance with the relevant policies and the Planning Officer makes a positive
recommendation the chances are this will be endorsed by the Planning Committee,
but a decision can be political and the Committee can always overturn a Planning
Officer’s recommendation; this is where lobbying local Councillors can be useful if
done in a sensible way.
􀃖 What if planning permission is refused?
In some cases planning permission may be refused. In this case we will advise you on
further options which might include an Appeal. Appeals are made either by written
representations or through an informal hearing. Although planning permission
usually takes 6 – 8 weeks from the time the application is submitted an Appeal is
currently taking somewhere between 4 and 6 months from the time a refusal notice
has been issued. You can only appeal if you receive a planning refusal.
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We may recommend the involvement of Planning Consultant or other Specialist
􀃖 For how long is planning permission valid?
Usually 3 years from the date of the approval. This time soon goes and it’s worth
making a diary note for a year after the event so you can review a way forward.
Once you have started the development (starting implies a serious undertaking such as
digging foundations or undertaking substantial demolition) work can be deemed to be
valid indefinitely, i.e. the permission doesn’t require renewing after 3 years.
Renewing an application is more complex as one has to re-apply for planning
permission providing an update of all the previous information. There is no easy way
of renewing an existing application.
􀃖 Can I still make changes once permission has been granted?
Yes, in some cases…. the Council now have a system of allowing planning
amendments provided a form is filled in and a fee (usually £25) is paid. If the
amendments involve anything other than simple window or door changes, it is likely
that a fresh application will be required which stresses the importance of getting the
initial application right in as much detail as possible.
Stage 3 - Building Regulation Application and information for construction
This is a compulsory application to the Local Authority Building Control Department
(a quite separate department), and it is designed to demonstrate that the proposed
building will be constructed in accordance with national minimum standards (the
Building Regulations). We only normally recommend applying for building
regulation approval provided planning permission is in place.
􀃖 What are the Building Regulations? What information is required for an
application?
The Building Regulations are primarily to do with Health and Safety. They cover a
large number of issues, such as ensuring that the building will be structurally sound,
ensuring that there are protections against fire with clear means of escape in the event
of fire, that the building is well insulated and thermally efficient and so on.
􀃖 What information does Building Control require?
Ensuring that the building is structurally sound is performed by a separate Structural
Engineer who will provide Building Control with a set of calculations. In our
experience a close working relationship with the Engineer is extremely beneficial. We
share premises with a firm of Structural Engineers and therefore usually involve them
informally from the very start of a project to provide suggested designs that not only
meet your requirements but are structurally efficient and sound. This can save time..
and therefore cost.
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Most applications these days also require quite a complex thermal calculation to show
they are energy efficient. This is called a SAP calculation and we will often quote
separately for doing this.
􀃖 When can I start work?
We always recommend that approval is obtained prior to commencement of work on
site if possible. This usually takes around 6 weeks from the time of submission until
approval. You are entitled to start the work before full approval is granted once a
building regulation application has been submitted and acknowledged but this must be
‘at your own risk’. The Council retains the right to come back and request more
information or changes, which could be difficult if the work has been started.
Our quotations for obtaining building regulation approval are for just that, at this stage
we do not get actively involved on site or provide any further information other than
that which is necessary to obtain building regulation approval. We’d be happy to
provide further help such as full construction information / drawings and contract
administration. These are covered under later stages – see below.
So what is the difference between building regulation information and construction
information?
Building regulation information purely provides information to sow compliance with
the building regulations. It doesn’t need to cover for example:
• Detail setting out information, i.e. setting out dimensions for construction
purposes
• Detail specifications for interior finishes such as floor finishes, wall
finishes etc.
• Decorations
• Type of kitchen installation, bathroom, sanitaryware details
• Larger scale drawings showing how wall connects to the roof or the wall
connects to the floor and to the ground.
At the back of this document, we have shown a typical detail that would normally
satisfy Building Control. The same drawing is taken into further detail to allow
for construction…. spot the difference!
To some degree, the extent of detailed information required will depend on the
experience of the builder undertaking the work. Construction information also
helps to eliminate risks and, in most cases, the cost of preparing this information
is more than justified by the tendering exercise… based on full information as
opposed to basic building regulation compliant information.
Stage 4 – Finding a Builder
How do I find a builder? This is a really valuable part of the service that we can
offer. We have nearly 30 years experience in matching builders to clients and their
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projects. We work with a number of contractors both small and large. We monitor
trends in prices and tend to know what a particular builder is good at doing. Builders
with whom we work regularly tend to look after our clients for obvious reasons!
What are the advantages of competitive tendering:
• Provided one approaches builders of appropriate experience, generally 4 or
5 on a job of an average size, prices received will be typically wide ranging.
For example, on a job of a contract value of £225,000 one could be
receiving tenders below £200 and approaching nearly £300.
• If an accurate specification and detail drawings and prepared, this will
inevitably lead to a more accurate tender / estimate.
• In other words it is up to the builder how he interprets the requirements, how
he prices the work required and who he approaches by way of subcontractors
and building suppliers. It will also depend on the builder’s
infrastructure, i.e. has he got a yard, has he got offices, has he got contract
managers; lots of factors will effect the approach.
• We check priced documents on receipt of tenders and prepare a tender
analysis advising on the tenders received. We will then advise you on the
type of building contract which is appropriate to your project.
Should I use a building contract? Yes! it covers in detail the essential parts of the
agreement such as payment, retention, insurance, an incentive to finish the project /
damages etc.
Stage 5 - Contract Administration / Cost Control Services.
What does this involve / do I need it? Typically the following will be included as part
of the above services:
• Attending pre-contract site meeting with chosen contractor to discuss
programme organisation.
• Preparation of contract documentation. Arranging for signing of contract
documents by both parties. Supplying all necessary information to contractor.
• Setting up project page on website with private password for access to
drawings, cost schedules and minutes.
• Checking contract programme of works. Monitoring the process and the
quality of work by periodic site visits.
• Preparing monthly reports to you on progress and actual contract expenditure.
Administering the terms of the building contract during progress of the works.
• Assessing valuation application submitted by the building contractor, issuing
valuation certificates on your behalf. Preparing and updating a draft final
account. Agreeing a final account with contractor and handing over record
drawings.
Management of the project on site is usually carried out by the Contractor’s Contracts
Manager who is able to control sub-contractors, resources and his build team. Some
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people mistakenly think that an Architect or Surveyor fulfils a management of the
project on site role. This is not the case as they are not there all day every day
carrying out typically visits only once every 2 or 3 weeks depending on the stage at
which the project is at.
Stage 6 – Post Build Services
What happens beyond completion of the project?
We can help you set up a building maintenance manual to cover not only the new
work but the existing building. This will include general advice on maintenance.
We can do an energy audit, in most cases we will have done calculations in relation to
the new work. If this is an extension to an existing building, we can look at the whole
building complex and advise on energy consumptions and ways in which these
consumptions could be reduced.
We can prepare a Building Manual to include ‘as built’ drawings etc.