Getting to know you – A Four Step Approach

Why do we have a staged approach to new project enquiries?

• You benefit from our experience of our 12+ years of working on high quality residential projects.
• We want to establish a working relationship with us before committing.
• Avoid trying to run before we can walk.
• This enables us to carry out some research in order to establish a firm foundation for design options.

Following an initial enquiry, our process involves the following steps:

Step 1: Listening (Introductory Call)

A short zoom call (15-30 minutes) to establish if the project is a fit for the practice and to see if we are a fit for you, to gain a basic understanding of the project requirements and discuss (high level) budget and timescales.

Step 2: Familiarisation (Meeting up) – Fixed Fee Charge

A meeting at your home/property or site (around 60-90 minutes) where we will:

• Review current function & design of your home/property (or carry out a site analysis for new homes)
• Clarify issues and discuss (high level/concept) options
• Discuss project aims and thinking
• Discuss the look and feel of the project
• Agree an outline brief

Step 3: Vision (Initial sketch layout options) – Fixed Fee Charge

Following on from Step 2 and after the face-to-face meeting, we will prepare the following:

• Look at spatial requirements, connectivity and flow, orientation and energy efficiency
• Prepare freehand sketch layout drawings of possible layout options
• Provide a ‘ballpark’ cost estimate, based on previous similar projects
• Outline a preliminary design and construction programme

Step 4: Proposal (Tailored Services Quotation)

Based on our work carried out above, we will arrange a meeting and discuss the fee proposal for our services which will be tailored to your project and our understanding of the services required. There may also be different options for levels of involvement which can be discussed. We will review the draft appointment documentation so that the terms of any future appointment are clearly articulated.

Getting it right – the Feasibility Stage

If you’re happy with our Fee Proposal, we visit the property and carry out our Measured Survey. The measurements we take are used to create drawings that we will use to develop our Sketch Proposals.

If the project is a new build, we will visit the site and carry out a Site Survey (for large or complex sites we will use a survey company to do this).

At this point, you’ll also benefit from our employment of a Cost Estimator to give a detailed analysis of the cost of the proposed work. Niche Design is unusual in doing this – but we believe it’s worth investing in a more detailed breakdown at an early stage.

We’ll then have a second meeting, in which we confirm:

• design: On most projects we produce a 3D computer model of our proposals to help you understand and experience how the space and design works with your existing house or on your building plot.
• cost
• timescale

Getting Permissions

Once we know you’re happy with everything so far, we can take your project to the next level.

Getting Permission

Planning Permission

You can place the whole process of getting Planning Permission in our capable hands. Niche Design has dealt with all relevant local authorities in the region. This knowledge proves invaluable when submitting  proposals. We don’t waste clients’ time by submitting proposals that will be rejected. These are the types of permissions that may apply:

• Householder Planning Permission
• Change of Use, such as for a Barn Conversion
• Certificate of Lawful Development
• Listed Building Consent

Estimated time allowed for Permissions:

Most domestic projects: 8 weeks
Large or major work: 13 weeks

Detailed Design and Building Regulations Approval

This is the full set of Technical Drawings for your project and will take into account issues such as the performance of proposed materials.

Detailed Design underpins the success of any project and Niche Design is renowned for producing exceptionally good drawings.

These will be used for submission of Building Regulation Approval, to your Local Authority or an Approved Inspector.

We will also use the Detailed Design to put together a Package of Information to help builders and contractors give you an accurate price for the work.

A Structural Engineer will also be brought in at this stage, to examine issues such as ground conditions and to develop the structural design.

Getting built

If you choose to continue to use the expertise of Niche Design beyond the Detailed Design stage, this is how we could help. If required, we’ll take you all the way to completion.

Tender Packages

Many of our clients request this service because it saves them a lot of time. Many building contractors comment that the high quality of service here makes a huge difference to the smooth running of their work.

We send out Tender Documents to a number of skilled and reputable contractors that we can recommend.  They receive from us a Schedule of Work, which is a detailed description of all aspects of the project, to be used in conjunction with the Detailed Design drawings and specification.

Once we have agreed on the right contractor, we will prepare a Building Contract for the appointment.

Contract Administration

This is where we stay with you all the way through to completion. During construction, we make regular visits to the site to oversee the works and check they are progressing in accordance with the contract documents.  We oversee payments to the contractor and check all work is completed satisfactorily before issuing the relevant Final Certification.