Help with what to do first on design / planning / research

[Weebles]

We are going to knock down our 1960s timber frame bungalow and build passive in its place so we now need to think about what to build and how.  What is a rough idea of the order in which we should do things?  Engage an architect first?  Seen posts here about an independent assessor (what is one of those, and why do we need one)? Happy to throw time at the problem (whilst we save some money for the eventual build) but seriously don't know where to start.  Any pointers?  Any other considerations?  What would you do first?

[Crofter]

It's never a waste of time to look up recent planning applications in your area. Get a feel for what the planners are going to want to see. Might save you a chunk of time later!

[reddal]

Think hard about what you want to achieve, what your priorities are, what aspects are most important to you, what aesthetics you care about etc etc. Try to build that into a clear vision of the project from your point of view.

Once you have that try to find an architect/designer who buys into your vision and you think can help deliver it. The ideas will evolve and change of course - you shouldn't be married to them - but if you don't have your own vision you end up with someone elses.

Then work out carefully how much you think it will cost to build your project - add on 20% contingency and call this your budget. Then multiply that number by 1.5 to see what its actually going to cost and work out how you are going to pay for it!

[ToughButterCup]

Here's a checklist; it's about briefing an architect, and it's meant as a useful set of starting points for your own thinking. The list isn't definitive. There's also a downloadable print out that goes with it.

Ian

[Gimp]

Devise a brief of what you want to inform/instruct the Architect as to what you want. This needs to be clear as otherwise your Architect may question and pull apart what you want and again you'll end up with their vision. To this end consider doing some plans to take along and sketches/cut out pics of what you are looking for. Spending some time on this to really have it thought through will help a lot. On this point consider a decent building designer on a cheap rate to work through this with you even up to outline planning permission stage. This should help a great deal in getting your vision up the road quickly with an Architect saving on cost and at outline planning stage getting feedback from planning which will give an idea of what to focus on/amend on full planning submission. 

[le-cerveau]

This is similar to what we are planning and I now have planning permission (see my blog).

We didn't go off OPP as there was/is an existing house, we are just replacing, so went straight for (on advice) Full Planning Permission.  Ours is over twice the volume though the same basic footprint.  It will depend on what you are planning, what is nearby, we are on a street so has to blend in with the existing houses.  From my blog you can see I went to our Architect with over 20 pages of ideas and diagrams of what we thought, so if you have a vision put it down as others have said.

Cost wise I am also using 20% as my contingency figure and pricing everything at full RRP (so if you can get a discount, order from Europe, it is a bonus)  That way I have a realistic idea of what it should cost (eye watering).

I would recommend sitting down by yourselves writing it all down and drawing it out, then leave it for some time and come back to it and review it, we did this for the best part of a year before engaging our architect, and as you say you are in no hurry don't start spending too soon!

[Gone West]

Have an idea of what you want your house layout to be. How many bedrooms, separate dining room or open plan, ensuites? Draw up lots of sketches of different options and play around with them. When you have an idea of the internal layout do the same for the external look. There's plenty of time later to get an architect involved. We did this for about a year while we were dreaming about starting the project. If you've got basic design software try that.

[Jeremy Harris]

We did pretty much exactly what Peter suggests above.  In our case we also had around a year's enforced delay (plot boundary problem that had to be resolved) so we used that time to refine the design.

I found that my wife found it difficult to visualise spaces from a drawing, so once we'd pinned down what I thought were the core design elements I made a model, at 1/50th scale, using foamboard.  If you can draw to scale, then making a foamboard model is surprisingly easy I found.  The stuff cuts easily with a sharp Stanley knife and it's about the right thickness for external walls.

I ended up making around 6 models before we got the final design as good as we could get it.  Very well worth doing, as it meant we got exactly the sort of internal spaces we wanted, with plenty of storage space where we could get at it easily.

We didn't use an architect, but that was really because I just couldn't find one at the time who understood what we wanted.  We were lucky, in that after a fair few iterations the design sort of came together by itself, so in the end an architect may not have been worth it anyway, but I think that was more by luck than judgement.

If you have got a good idea of what you want, and have most of the key features worked out, but just need the design "polishing" and decent drawings put together, then it's worth considering using an architectural technician, rather than an architect, as they are a lot cheaper.  My experience was that the only person I found that I could have comfortably worked with was an Architectural Technician, he was a very down-to-earth chap who really understood what we were after.  Unfortunately, when we came to need his services he'd retired, so I had to do all the drawings myself.

[Gimp]

Changes to the original idea/concept design are perhaps the most important factor in designing your building OP. This tends to happen a lot in the design process and is in fact integral to it. Indeed it is highly unusual for a design to remain largely unchanged from original intent. In designing think about the materials that will go with the design and basic structural concepts of what is supporting what. Read some books/articles on design and consider site and location. The more worked through a design is the better it can be for the occupants. It does not have to be complex or funky but at the same time a degree of aesthetical thinking and practicality of the proposed design or design ideas to the site are important. So it may take many months to go through all of this whether it is yourself or someone you employ to take you through it. Main thing is you get someone who is willing/able to spend the time to properly consider the design and location. Not someone who is going to come up with an initial response and not spend proper time developing it. A house is more than just an ill-conceived box to plonk down. 

[tonyshouse]

Have a wish list, draw what you want 100 times, ask friends, 

I set target u values low, no thermal bridging or bypass, have an air tightness target, energy use, (all better than PH)

decide on 3g, low maintainence, robust, some high tech features, 

I also have a list of don't wants/won't tolerate - flat roofs, parapet walls, box gutters, internal drain pipes, tf, SIPs, dormer windows, cemented verges, non fail safe showers or baths, keys on window handles or inside of doors, draughts, woodburners, plastic windows, the list goes on.

Edited June 2, 2016 by tonyshouse

[gravelld]

This might sound dumb but what if you have absolutely no idea about costs? Can you approach an architect with the possibility of nothing happening?

[tonyshouse]

Dream on!  No seriously they should give you sufficient of a meeting so that they can give you prices and win you over.

there are standard charging scales (that I have never paid) which cover every stage of a project 

do as much as you can yourself, deciding sketching floor plans photos or links of what you like. 

 

[Declan52]

Drive around your area and see what new builds are going on at the moment. Might be some you like the look/ shape of. Some sites will have a board on the fence with an architect's details on it.Take pictures of any or even other houses you like for when you go to see one.

List what you like about your present house, size of rooms, window size or position , hallways etc and then list the stuff you hate.

Remember that when you go to see an architect that you want him  to use all your information to design YOUR dream house not his. If you don't think you and him/her will be able to work together or is just not listening then walk away.

[Ferdinand]

Read the free design ebook devised by Caliwag of this site.

It is designed to help you find out about the right questions to ask, and to broaden your horizons.

Someone will have a link.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Ferdinand

[Crofter]

Try here:

https://issuu.com/solotimberframe/docs/self_build_design_advice