Getting a project started: the Initial Design Consultation
February 1, 2022
It's the beginning of a new year, and lots of people are naturally thinking about the year ahead and contemplating a project for their home, plot, or community. We’re always delighted by new enquiries for your once-in-a-lifetime eco home, self-build, exciting extension, or community projects, and beyond a quick introduction, the best way to start the process off is with one of our Initial Design Consultations.
Choosing the right architect could be a daunting process, and we recognise this, and try to make it as enjoyable and engaging as possible! In order to give people an idea of who we are, how we work, and what our initial thoughts are, we use the IDCs as a great way to meet, get to know you, and to see if we're well aligned with one another. When you're looking to appoint someone for your project who will have a big impact, it's important that you feel you are in the right hands; that their attitude, approach, ideas and projects 'feel' right. We find that you can't spend too long with a client in the early stages of a project; sketching, talking, sharing ideas, and getting to know one another really well. At the end of our IDC process we produce a succinct summary report for you, containing all of the sketches undertaken together, a summary of your brief and budget, and a detailed schedule of fees showing our 3 different service levels specifically tailored to your project. We find that this process begins to tease out initial ideas, explore possibilities, and allows you to see our working process in a really transparent way. Whether you choose to proceed with us or not, you'll have helped to set your project off on the right foot.
We offer these Initial Design Consultations at £400 + VAT (dependent upon your location), and the meetings usually last around 2.5 hours. This fee is discounted from our total Stage 1 fee if you choose to work with us. The IDC always takes place on site and covers the following:
Review of the plot/building - what are the limitations and opportunities?
Timescales for the project
Your requirements and ideas (the brief)
Planning risk and processes
Our initial thoughts and design ideas sketched out
Project budget and likely construction costs of different elements of work
Other consultants required
Managing risk - working with (or without) an Architect for the different work stages
Setting up a master plan/phasing of the project into stages
Builders vs Contractors - different contractual relationships and their implications
The consultation isn’t intended to be a conclusive design exercise - more of a 'starter for 10' to give you a flavour of what it's like to work with us, and give you some ideas of how to move the project forward. The IDC forms a part of our Feasibility Design Stage (RIBA stages 0-1). At the end of the consultation we can leave you with any sketches we might have done (we will bring our iPad Pro along) and provide a fixed-price fee for continuing with us as Architects.
Contact us at info@barefootarchitects.co.uk to arrange your Initial Design Consultation.
