Making sure your ready.....

At the start of this year we put together a simple timeline guide relating to a typical residential design programme to help you factor in the right amount of time required before getting your project to site. 

When meeting new clients it is often the case, we have found, that they are unaware of the amount of time the design / planning process can take before even considering planning in a start date on site for contractors to begin work building.

This simple timeline graphic sets out a staged approach in regards to a typical design programme in regards to a small to medium residential extension project on a domestic scale. Based on our experience and gained over the years we estimate that you will be looking at anywhere between 12 and 17 weeks to attain the required design information and planning approvals to either begin construction should you have a contractor already on board and booked in, or to go out to tender to employ a contractor for your project. Should you require contractor you will need to allow at least anothet 2-4 weeks to tender a scheme of these sizes taking your programme to between 14 and 21 weeks. 

So where does this leave you right now if you are considering a building project and for instance, want to start building in the summer, as we know most people will always prefer? 

Well if we factor in the best case scenario of 12 weeks, by starting the process today your be ready to go on site around early May time, which is good time of year to start a project but, you need to take into account, you won't be the only people thinking this, so builders will be busy. 

So let's look at a more prolonged programme on a slightly larger scheme and factoring in the employment of a main contractor through tender.  This brings you to a start date of around the beginning of July.  Again a great time to start on site due to the egood weather. 

There are certain mitigating circumstances within these parameters, such as permitted development rights which means you can skip the planning stage in some instances, radically reducing your design programme and getting you on site quicker.  Permitted devopment isn't always available to every homeowner though, and may be removed from your property due to its age, maybe being in a conservation area or your property having a perticular listing which prevents this route.  All of which we could explain and confirm during the initial briefing stage. 

Our inbox is always open and we are always willing to help and offer advice where we can on subjects like this to make the process as transparent and open as possible for anyone considering starting a project in the near future. 

We hope this blog article has helped you and we are open to any comments.