Bespoke oak and polished stainless steel cantilevered staircase in an historic cottage.

Residential

Residential

“Architecture is the thoughtful making of space”

Louis Kahn | 1972, Perspecta Vol. 4

Residential briefs are often complex and demanding; they can involve conflicting needs and priorities, they are often time-sensitive as families evolve and expand, and in most cases they involve existing buildings that have strained to adapt to suit previous occupants.

Often we are given a brief that asks for something specific, such as an extension of a certain type or size; whilst this approach may solve some issues, we endeavour to also explore other creative (and sometimes less costly) ways of helping our clients solve the particular issues they have with their home.

At the start of each residential project, we strive to develop an understanding of every element of the brief we are given and how this relates to the unique way that each family unit, whatever form that may take, uses their home. From this basis, we can work with you to help unlock the potential of your home and extract the maximum value out of your budget.

We have extensive experience in delivering a wide range of high quality residential architecture for our clients, from extensions & alterations for private clients, one-off commissions for new build dwellings, through to conversions of existing buildings to provide residential and/or commercial units as well as small-scale housing developments.

Large modern house with white walls, black window frames, and a sloped roof with red tiles. The backyard features a patio area, green lawn, and garden beds.

What we do

Our work is a collaboration between you and us. The best time to approach us is when you are first considering your project and how to realise your ambitions. Ideally, we would cover a project from inception through to completion on site, in order to provide the most complete support and overall value, but we can come in at any stage and cover any stage of the process, dependent on what you require.

The below guide covers the stages encountered by most projects:

  • We typically offer a free initial consultation, either at your property or via a video call, to meet with you and to understand the requirements of your brief. Often, the brief will evolve during this discussion, as we begin to understand your needs and the way you use your home. It also allows us to get a feel for the property, room sizes, layout and flow, in order to help us contextualise your brief.

  • We will firstly arrange for the existing property or site to be surveyed, either by ourselves or one of our survey partners, dependent on the size and scope of the project.

    We will also sit down with you again to full define the brief, before undertaking our initial planning review and feasibility work. This forms the foundation for the design stages.

  • During this stage, we will begin to articulate your ideas in to an outline architectural proposal.

    This typically takes the form of sketch floor plans and elevations and, dependent on the project, may also involve indicative 3D massing, modelling, material studies, or concept sketches.

    We will then review these with you over a series of design workshops, in which we can talk you through the scheme and answer any questions you have.

    If we feel it would be beneficial, we may also suggest a Pre-Application submission to the local authority. These are usually most beneficial when the property is listed, as it allows for early engagement with the conservation officer, or where the project is unusual or complex.

  • Once we have reviewed the concept schemes, including the output from any Pre-Application discussions, we will begin to formalise these ideas in to a package of information to submit with the planning application.

    Not all projects will require planning approval; we would therefore advise what applications need to be made, and the sequencing of these applications.

    We will also prepare the rrequired supporting documents (Design & Access statement, Heritage Assessments, etc.)as well as collate any application reports required from external consultants to accompany the drawings.

    We will then finalise, submit, and monitor the planning application, liaising with the planning and conservation officers as needed.

  • Once planning approval has been received, we will begin to prepare the detailed technical drawings for your project.

    These drawings outline the detail of the project and how it will be constructed. These will include the detail of your project, and their scope will be dependent on the level of input you require from us.

    Once finalised, these drawings are submitted to Building Control for their approval.

  • Following the technical design stage, we will begin to collate a package of works suitable for tender from contractors.

    This package will typically include the technical drawings, as well as a written specification and schedule of works, as well as other accompanying schedules for elements such as windows, doors, bathrooms, lighting, and finishes.

    This package is then sent to selected contractors for tender. Once received, we review these tenders and discuss and changes that you may wish to make prior to construction. The tender stage also allows us to tailor the project scope, where required, to suit the required budget.

  • Once works begin on site, we will make periodic visits to site to check on progress and to answer any questions the contractor may have, as well as to coordinate and review works with consultants and site inspectors. These may be less frequent at the start of the project (eg. fortnightly), for example during demolition and groundworks, and more frequent (eg. weekly) towards the end of the project when details such as finishes are being agreed.

    As the works progress, we would administer the chosen building contract including the management of change control procedures, making and/or obtaining decisions as necessary for cost control during the construction period, making periodic valuations of the work and certifying payments due to the contractor in accordance with the contract. These valuations are typically monthly, at which point the contractor will make an application for payment. We would review this, raise any queries with the amounts claimed, and once agreed issue a certificate for payment of a certified amount.

    Once the works are almost completed, we will conduct a snagging assessment with yourselves and the contractor, where we will review the completed works for any issues that need to be resolved prior to practical completion. Once these are resolved, we would then coordinate the handover of the works.

    You can then enjoy your new home!

Bespoke oak and polished stainless steel cantilevered staircase in an historic cottage.
A thatched cottage with a bespoke timber-framed orangery extension.
View through a doorway showing a room with wooden ceiling beams, a wooden door, and a window with natural light, with a space of tiled flooring outside the doorway.
Bright, open kitchen and dining area with large wooden table, white chairs, and a kitchen island with bar stools. Features large windows and doors leading outside, recessed ceiling lights, and white cabinetry.
A cozy bedroom with a sloped ceiling and exposed wooden beams. The bed has white bedding and is positioned near a window with curtains. There is a wooden wardrobe and a glass-enclosed shower visible in an adjacent room.
Bespoke oak and polished stainless steel cantilevered staircase in an historic cottage.
Modern bathroom with a walk-in shower, freestanding bathtub, and a vessel sink with a round mirror above it. Light fixtures, a small table with toiletries, and a window with curtains are also visible.
Modern bathroom with dark gray tiled wall and floor, glass shower enclosure with a skylight in the ceiling, mirror, white sink, and various toiletries.
Modern bathroom with large window, marble tiles, green vanity, wall-mounted toilet, and walk-in shower with glass and gold accents.
Modern kitchen with blue cabinets, white countertops, wooden floor, and ceiling lights.
Modern house extension with large glass Crittall windows and stone exterior, attached to a listed Georgian building under a partly cloudy sky.
Open-concept kitchen and living room with large window and skylights, light wood cabinetry, marble countertops, and a beige sectional sofa.
Modern living room with large glass sliding doors opening to a green backyard, featuring a skylight, white and beige sofas, a wooden coffee table, and decorative wall art.
Bright sunroom with large windows, a white sofa with pillows, a glass coffee table, and a view of a green lawn outside.
Open-concept kitchen and dining area with a large island featuring a vase of flowers, surrounded by dining tables, chairs, built-in shelves, and artwork.
Bright, modern kitchen with beige cabinets, a large central island with four white barstools, a stainless steel refrigerator, and large windows letting in natural light, decorated with flowers and kitchen appliances
A house under construction with wooden framing and scaffolding, viewed from above.
A large brick house with a sloped roof, surrounded by tall, lush green trees and an outdoor patio area with a table and chairs, on a sunny day with a blue sky and white clouds.

  • "Highly recommend- very professional, friendly and knowledgable.... will definitely be using them again for our future projects"

  • "Simon was excellent, and applied creativity and attention to detail to the design work he completed for us. I could not recommend him more highly."

  • "Thank you for all your support from beginning to end. It has been an excellent service."