A perfect match on Design for Me…
Architects Simon and Jon were appointed by Alice Regester and Dominic Cook to find the best design solution for their Surrey bungalow renovation.
Alice and Dominic from Esher, Surrey were in need of the right architect to help them extend and reconfigure their 3-bedroom bungalow.
Back in October, they posted their brief onto Design for Me and quickly attracted interest from a number of residential architects, in their area and beyond.
Simon and Jon run a small, innovative architecture studio in Southwark, London. With a wealth of residential experience behind them, they formed their practice in 2013.
They both have a passion for small but interesting projects and like working with private clients to help them make the most of their homes.
De-bungalow-ing…
One of Alice and Dominic’s main objectives was to inject some originality into the plan. They didn’t want their bungalow to feel like a typical suburban bungalow. Upon meeting at the property, Simon and Jon were excited by the opportunities contained within this brief and the clients quickly embraced their creative approach. After speaking with a couple of other potential architects and obtaining fee proposals, the Alice and Dominic decided to appoint Simon and Jon in December last year.
The clients’ wish list:
- A big kitchen with island
- Open plan living
- Five bedrooms
- Lots of glazing & natural light
- Curb appeal!
- Raise value to £1m
- Heaps of storage
The site in Esher, Surrey
Predicting costs
One of the major design considerations in any project is cost, and it’s important to have a clear understanding from the outset. To help with this, Jon and Simon gave some approximate guidelines based on similar projects they’d carried out in the past.
Estimated build costs
- Refurbishment: £700 per sqm
- Loft conversion: £1,500 per sqm
- New build: £2,000 per sqm
(All costs exclude VAT, fees and disbursements and assume a reasonable level of specification)
Options
Simon and Jon came back to the clients with a number of options to consider, with helpful indicators of cost, pros and cons and even whether they would be able to stay living at the property during construction. By splitting the project into phases, the clients could decide to do the first phase immediately, and save the rest of the work for another time when their finances allow.
Visualisation
With 7 as the favoured option, Simon and Jon produced concept drawings to help Alice and Dominic better understand the potential.
Design development
After weighing up the options and having further discussions with Simon and Jon, their ideal solution was starting to materialise. There were aspects of many of the above options they favoured, and Simon and Jon managed to bring them together, presented in the form of the physical model as seen below.
What’s next?
With the concept design agreed, the next phase is to submit the planning application. When preparing the above proposals, Simon and Jon had already begun research into the likelihood of obtaining permission. The prospects look favourable – the house is not within a conservation area and there are precedents for side and rear extensions on similar properties close by.
We look forward to hearing from Alice and Dominic, Simon and Jon as the project progresses, and will keep you updated here too!
Finding the right architect
The key to a successful renovation project is good research and planning. Choosing the right architect is a critical first step, but we know that finding the right one can be a bit of a minefield. This is exactly why we set up this website in the first place! Just like Alice and Dominic’ did, register your project below and we’ll help you to find the right person for your project in no time…
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