Many people are inspired to create their own dream home. It may be they fall in love with a specific type of property. Or, it could be they can’t find something to meet their specific needs in the area. Sometimes people buy a plot in the perfect location and then have to create their home. Whatever the case, a self build project can be fantastic. You may need some professional help though. As a top architect in London, we want to tell you why.

Will it work?

One of the biggest advantages of a self build project is you can be creative with your design. If you want something a specific way to suit your lifestyle and aesthetic choices, you can do it. However, it is better to have an architect to run your ideas by. They will be able to tell you what is and isn’t possible, sharing their extensive knowledge of different building styles. That is far better than spending money only to find that what you are proposing won’t work.

Visualisation

You may have a very good idea of what you have in mind for your home. However, it can be trickier to translate these images into a formal design proposal. An architect can be a big help. Every professional will be able to create scale designs for you; sometimes as 3D models as well as drawings. This can give you a better idea of how everything would look in reality. It could even make you rethink things that seem more attractive in the abstract.

Compliance

A lot of people don’t appreciate the full scale of the job when they self build a home. There is a lot to do and it can easily overwhelm anyone, no matter how much time they have to dedicate to the project. One of the major things is ensuring the property will comply with planning rules and building regulations. It can be tricky, especially if you don’t have experience with specific things like party wall agreements and conservation rules.

Again you can find the best support by choosing an expert to work with, particularly an architect in London. They will have experience with planning policies, building regulations, and more. Working with them can save you a great deal of time and a lot of money.

A noteworthy thing here is the architect can make sure you build in accordance with the designs. Failing to do this can result in big problems. You get planning permission based on the designs. So, if don’t stick to them, in the worst cases you may have to demolish the entire structure.

Budgeting

We’ve all probably seen episodes of Grand Designs and other programmes where projects end up massively over budget. It is one of the biggest pitfalls with self build projects. Even people who are excellent at budgeting and managing money can struggle because of unforeseen costs.

Working with an architect is really useful in a financial sense. While you will be paying for their service, they can help you get the most from your budget. For example, they can work with you to consider fittings, finishes, materials, and other things at different price points. Plus, they can provide support if there are issues that can be costly, such as delays.

Choose an award winning architect in London

Coffey Architects has a lot of experience with self build projects. We appreciate the most important thing here is to support the clients as they give life to their ideas. It ensures they get what they want and have a great experience. At the same time, we have to make sure things can progress as smoothly as possible.

So, if you want to work with an architect in London, speak to us. We’ve won awards for many projects, including housing, mixed use developments, private homes, and more.