Our fees for a Full Service package are usually calculated as a percentage of the contract sum and are negotiated along a sliding scale depending on the size of the project.
We are always happy to discuss your requirements and tailor a package to suit your needs.
Architects' professional training and experience means that they can interpret and respond to any realistic brief they are given. At your initial meeting we will discuss your intentions and ideas. Your architect will listen carefully to what you have to say, and will take and develop a brief which covers not only design aesthetics but also the function of the building, running costs, budget and timing. Only after you have seen and approved initial sketches, the ideas will be translated into detailed designs. At an early stage we can help you define a range of costs for your project.
Yes. Not only will we provide better value for money, in many instances we will save our clients at least the equivalent of our fees. Professional attention to detail will save money both immediately, through the most efficient use of space and the careful selection of materials and finishes, and in the long term through environmental sensitivity, energy efficiency, low running and maintenance costs.
There are formal safeguards too. The contract your architect recommends with the builder may contain a clause that allows you to claim damages for every week the project unreasonably overruns and disrupts your home or professional life. This is doubly important because a project which runs over time will often run over budget too. As work proceeds, your architect will save you time by dealing with problems and disagreements as they arise, leaving you free to concentrate on your own life and work.
After the building is complete, a percentage of the builder's account will be held back for six months (or a year on larger projects) as security against any problems that may arise. This is known as the defects liability period.