Part 3 - How Long Will it Take?
The length a project might take from inception to completion will vary on a number of factors. Site conditions, the requirement for specialist surveys for protected habitats, the local planning authority, and the level of planning policy designations and complexity all have an impact.
Understanding Existing Site Conditions
For example, a site in the green belt with potential for bats and door mice will take a lot longer than a simple urban extension project with no trees or planning constraints! These aspects of a project, and the availability of the consultant specialists required to address them can be outside of our control, but we work hard to coordinate them as quickly as possible for you.
Work Up To Planning
Allowing 1-2 months to undertake site surveys at Stage 1 (Brief and Feasibility) of a project is sensible, during which we can often undertake our work concurrently. Stage 2, Concept Design typically takes 1-2 months from the point of instruction, and our ability to complete it also relies upon your availability to meet, and speed of returning comments!
Stage 3, 'Spatial Coordination' or Developed Design depends on the number of other consultants we need to coordinate with. A simple project might take us 1-2 months to complete Stage 3 and reach a planning application submission, whilst more complex projects and sites could be significantly longer; between 3 and 6 months – longer if it requires extensive Pre-Application submissions, a Design Review Panel, or specialist testing procedures for design features or ground conditions (such as for a Paragraph 80 project).
Therefore, from the point of instruction, you might expect it take 6 months as a minimum before submitting for planning on a simple project, and up to 12 months for more complex sites. The statutory planning process for a Householder Application is, in theory, 8 weeks, whilst larger Full Applications it is 13 weeks. Whilst a few Local Planning Authorities meet these targets, it is not uncommon for them to take substantially longer, and allowing 3-6 months in most cases would be prudent. In Bristol we have experienced long delays over the last year, with even simple projects taking almost 52 weeks!
Getting On Site : Two Stage Tendering
We often undertake a first stage tender process during the planning determination period – to help select a contractor, book them in, and expedite the process. This work is undertaken 'at risk', and therefore is only advisable if your project is relatively straightforward in planning terms, and you are comfortable. To complete Stage 4 Technical Design, including a Building Regulations submission and completion of tender documents takes approximately 2-3 months for simpler projects, and 3-6 months for larger, complex new homes where a number of specialist consultants, suppliers, and sub-contractors are engaged to iron out the details prior to starting on site.
Building Projects similarly can vary enormously, but many small projects such as an extension will take around 6 months to be fully completed. Many of our clients rent an alternative home during this period, which certainly makes life easier for all parties. This is also a cost worth factoring into a budget (see part 2). Larger new homes tend to take in the region of 12-18 months to complete. We are often involved as Contract Administrator during this stage to help keep the project on time, and on budget – holding the contractor accountable to the targets in respect of these matters, and ensuring that quality is maintained in the process. We will provide a timeline for your project and update it at each stage as work evolves.
Conclusions and Takeaways:
Having a good starting point of a brief will help your architect know what you're hoping to achieve, and holding an open mind to a range of possibilities at the beginning is worthwhile and cathartic – allowing work to progress in a collaborative and necessarily converging process from many possibilities to just one!
Complete project costs should be considered early on in the process to ensure that you have the facilities in place to resource it, and keeping a contingency in mind is always worthwhile.
Completing a typical project to transform your home, or build a new one is likely to take in the region of 2 years for a smaller or simple project, and up to 3 and a half years or more for a complex or larger project respectively.
If you work with us, we can bring our significant experience and expertise in delivering projects for clients, and help to save you having to learn lessons the hard way. Lean on us, and we will guide you through the process as smoothly, and effectively as possible.
Taking The First Step, Barefoot.
Our first step is always to meet prospective new clients in an Initial Design Consultation (IDC) where we can explore all of these issues and much more with you, and begin sketching ideas to get excited about! We'll work with our feet on the ground, and head in the clouds to design something unique, ecological, and together with you. So if you're wondering about how to transform the way you live, and need a vision of how to get there, get in touch to take the first step, Barefoot.