Is it an architect I need?

ThyJones

Hi there, I may be answering my own question here, but not 100% sure so could do with some advice please.

We want to do a fair bit of work on our house, but over a number of years. I'm fairly handy with DIY but know my limits and want to begin working through the house. My problem is, i'm looking for someone to design something like a mini master plan - taking an overall suggestion of what we want, and then designing it and breaking it down in to sections, ie do the porch as project 1, project 2 could be the kitchen and so on.

I see lots of architects usually follow the process of asking what you want, designing and then finishing the whole project off, but for us this could take a good few years.

Any suggestions please?

I want to make sure I don't redo a room/area and end up redoing it later because we do an extension which effects .... room and so on. Hope that makes sense why I'm a little unsure.

Thanks for the help

Davesnave

You need an architect if you're planning to alter the internal layout of the property. Usually, this sort of work will involve a structural engineer too.

But it isn't clear what you intend to do.

If the walls are all staying put, then you may need to tackle some jobs, like rewiring, as a whole house thing in terms of a plan, even if they are phased. For example, we rewired over a period of 3 years, but we knew what was needed and where from Day 1. With wiring, plumbing etc the relevant professionals can plan with you to avoid repetition.

ThyJones

Davesnave wrote: »

You need an architect if you're planning to alter the internal layout of the property. Usually, this sort of work will involve a structural engineer too.

But it isn't clear what you intend to do.

If the walls are all staying put, then you may need to tackle some jobs, like rewiring, as a whole house thing in terms of a plan, even if they are phased. For example, we rewired over a period of 3 years, but we knew what was needed and where from Day 1. With wiring, plumbing etc the relevant professionals can plan with you to avoid repetition.

There will definetely be structural work so i know i will need to follow regs and so on, i guess what i need is someone who can visually design what the overall house would look like aesthetically and what the layout would be once completely finished but then to break it up into stages, e.g. do this room first and make this change so when you do this room you already have that aspect thought of.

Lets say i want to redo and extend our porch, to do that its a lot of work and i will have to lose the downstairs bathroom, so its knowing where that will eventually end up going etc

Doozergirl

Post a floorplan?

And a list of wishes that you'd NEED and then LIKE from your house.

Let's do this together! :money:

DaftyDuck

... and a vague idea of your budget and preferred timescale would help temper ideas and suggestions to the realistic for you...

The more you devolve this level of work to professionals, the more likely you are to get something that they want (cos it's what they'd want, is profitable for them, done it before). With an open forum like this, you can explore ideas, and tell us to our faces(!) what doesn't suit.

Doozer is good... and likes a poem, too

Doozergirl

I love poems!