Architectural Services for Your Residential Project – Choosing The Right Fit
If you’re starting out on your home project journey, whether that be building your one-off dream home or re-modelling/extending your existing property, one of the first challenges facing you will probably be deciding on the professional that will guide you through the process. Architects are of course expertly suited to carry out this role and are highly skilled and professionally trained to turn your aspirations into reality. Hiring an architect will ensure that you get the best advice from the start, and it will pay dividends throughout the process. Not only will the project be well managed, reducing risks, but you will also add value to your property and recoup the money spent on fees from the savings made by getting the best design for the best price.
However, the profession of architecture is extremely varied and architects and designers can work on a wide range of building types, from large scale buildings like schools and hospitals to small domestic projects. That is why choosing an architect who is tailored to your particular project requirements is very important. Bringing in a specialist residential architect, who is experienced with home design, planning and construction can be vital in delivering a successful home project.
At Gilmour Architects, homes are our speciality and our ethos is to use architecture and design as a tool to enrich the lives and experiences of people and families. We also believe in working closely with our clients through a process of collaboration. This starts with helping you to draw up a brief and exploring design options, to unlock the true potential of your home project and uncover ideas and possibilities that may not have thought about.
Our knowledge of local planning departments and policies is invaluable when it comes to navigating the statutory and planning stages of your project. We have a breadth of experience in working with local authorities across the North and North East and therefore have a strong grasp of local planning issues and can advise on any regulatory issues that need to be addressed.
Similarly we work regularly with local consultants and builders and can therefore advise on the right fit for your project when it comes to the detailed design and construction stages.
Our in-depth experience with home projects also means that we have a wealth of practical knowledge in relation to the detailed drawing and construction of residential architecture (and in particular contemporary home design.)
Our aim is to provide you with professional guidance and independent advice at every stage of the project, which will ultimately reduce stress and leave you feeling confident that you are making the right decisions for your project.
We also appreciate that there is considerable choice for any client when deciding who might be best suited to carry out their architectural requirements. As well as architects, there are also architectural technicians, draftspersons and engineers offering similar services.
However there are a number of factors that set an architect apart from these other service providers. Firstly, architects are highly trained in creative thinking and understanding design solutions. It takes a minimum of 7 years for an architect to become fully qualified and much of this time is spent honing design and creative thinking skills.
Other benefits of working with an architect include;
– Space Planning & Efficiency: A good architect can lay out your spaces in an efficient and practical way. Based on your needs and wants, we make sure spaces are appropriately sized, that they are adjacent to other specific spaces, and that they work well to suit your needs.
– Problem Solving: Architects are creative problem solvers at heart. An architect’s creative input can elevate your design from just OK to something really special.
– Visual Appeal: The design aesthetic of a project is probably the most obvious area in which an architect makes a unique and valuable contribution. We can help create a visually appealing space – one with a character and style that suits your tastes and preferences.
– Materials & Finishes Selection: We stay abreast of the latest construction materials and technologies so that we can recommend materials and systems that fit your budget and save cost. An architect can help you choose materials and finishes that are beautiful, durable, and save you from frequent maintenance and replacement costs.
– Construction Techniques: Having an architect on your team who understands how your building assemblies meet current building control requirements is important. With advances in technology, new building systems are coming on the market with increasing frequency and meeting tougher energy-efficiency requirements. As architects we are well placed to help advice on the right building system and methods for your specific project.
– Cost Analysis: An architect can help review your project budget against your programmatic needs. Architects work with quantity surveyors, contractors and other estimating professionals who can confirm that your budget is realistic.
– Energy Efficiency: A building designed for energy efficiency can reduce utility bills now and for years to come. A good architect will design a building that responds to the site using passive heating and cooling strategies and can also suggest opportunities for other sustainable features.
– Project Management: As architect we can act as your advisor during construction. We attend site meetings and review construction progress to ensure that the project is getting built to appropriate standards and per the construction documents. Sometimes we catch things that are not acceptable and therefore manage and eliminate the risk of expensive repercussions down the line.
Ultimately, choosing to work with Gilmour Architects will mean that you can avail of the above mentioned benefits, resulting in a successful project that creates lasting value.
(To ensure that your designer is properly qualified, look for the word ‘architect’ on their letterhead or website. The title ‘architect’ is protected by law and only people who have completed extensive training can use it.)
Robbie Gilmour
Director – Gilmour Architects Ltd.