House Renovation / Architect Advice Post Reply

[hjm]

Hi, we are hopefully about to buy a house in Balham that needs renovating from top to bottom. The same lady has lived in it for about 40 years and it literally needs everything doing including a basement coversion and an extension across the back of the house.

I'm just wondering the best way to approach this. Do I find an architect first or do we find a builder?

We need to make sure we get this right so any advice would be great.

[lamj1974]

Do contact Rory Gordon at Good London Builders. We bought a house that needed a total rehaul and Rory project managed the whole thing for us - including finding an architect, builders etc. good luck!

[owolczek]

As far as I know you would need an architect to do the plans.
He will need a structural engeneer for the basement/extension plans.
Once you have the plans ready you can go to the council to get the permission.
Most builders won't give you a detailed quote until this is done.

You might find that an architect will do all this for you.

My husband is a builder doing similar projects so I get to hear/see a lot of this
Feel free to ask me if you need any more info

Good luck

[Rabbit_and_Co]

I would recommend finding an architect first. Most architects will come round and look at the project with you, and give you some advice, at no cost. Once you've chosen your architect they will help you (if you want them to) find builders to put forward tenders for the building work.

Just so you know, I am not writing from an unbiased point of view however - my husband is an architect (Christophe of Thomas & Spiers Architects, https://www.facebook.com/thomasandspiers) - and I'm sure I can say on his behalf he'd be happy to speak with you or meet with you (he's worked with quite a few NappyValleyers now).

Hope this helps,

Sophie

[toutazimuth]

Another local architect is Zac Monro Architects, based in Clapham North - they are wonderful and can do anything from just give you advice, draw up a scheme, planning permissions, sourcing labour, or managing a job from beg. to end, depending on your budget. They currently handling the rebuild of our house – they have suggested cost effective improvements that we wouldn’t have thought of ourselves...
www.z-m-a.co.uk

God luck!!

[Tiny-T]

Hi
We are going to start work on a full renovation of our house in Balham in the new year and we used www.revive-renovations.com who were recommended in a previous post on this website to achieve our planning permission and to do all our structural drawings. Joe the planning consultant who was an ex-Wandsworth Planning Officer and Mark the Structural Engineer who also was an ex-Wandsworth Building Control Officer had great local knowledge of the system and got us permissions for exactly what we wanted. With the working structural drawings Mark produced we have been able to get very accurate quotes from the 4 builders we asked to tender. I recommend this is the best way forward to get the working drawings done before you ask builders to quote so you get realistic quotes. We also found their prices very reasonable compared to quotes we got off other architects, from what I remember the planning fee was £850, the structural/working drawings £900 and Mark is sorting out our Party wall Agreements at the moment and those fees were about £300. Now all we have to do is put up with 3 months of building work but I can’t wait for it to be done!! Good luck!!
Tina

[hjm]

Thank you everyone! This is super helpful x

[LocalMojo]

Hi

I recommend you contact Philip NIcholson at the Architectural Services Group.

He has wide experience of planning permission problems AND renovation / refurbishment / extensions in Wandsworth and SW London

Telephone Philip on 020 7381 9149 or email philip@rchitecturalservicesgroup.com

Pete @ LocalMojo

[Russellhunt]

As a local property finder, I can agree with the two recommendations of Philip Nicholson and Rory Gordon, both very professional.

Regards

Russell

[Boune]

Hello! We have used Mylondonextensions for our kitchen extensions, bathroom, garden...and they were fantastic. They introduced us with a great Architect, Structural engeneer and a Party wall surveyor taking care of everything from A to Z.
We are now considering to do a basement conversion and we asked them to show us one of their recent project including a basement. We knew they were great after the extension they did for us but a basement conversion is another budget, better to be 100% sure to chose the right company! Anyway, they took us to an stunning property where they've done an amazing basement which confort us in the high opinion we already had about them. I would advice you to do the same and to ask the builder if they can show you a couple of projects they have done recently. If they refuse or find an excuse not to....red light amho!
For now mylondonextensions have provided us the best quote. So far so good
Just need to sort out the finance
Their website is www.mylondonextensions.com talk to David.
Good luck!

[Flygirl]

I would start by finding a good architect, I know a couple but it seems you already have a few recommendations on this. He will be able to work with you in coming up with a design and plan to suit your requirements. This can then be turned into stage 1 drawings, followed by working plans for the builders to follow. Any good architect will undoubtedly have contacts for structural engineers and will advise on what part the structural engineer needs to play. The architect should also be well placed to guide and even assist you through any required planning application and building regulation etc. Do make sure, your architect an structural engineer have the relevant insurances in place so there is no financial comeback on you should they get something wrong. With regard to approaching the interior finishing aspects it would be worth contacting a designer/soft furnishings supplier before you complete the works to enable them to be involved early on as this will help them achieve your completed picture. I would recommend you contact Nick Auston @ Nick Auston design on Battersea Rise www.nickaustondesign.co.uk his advise and help proved invaluable to us on our project. Nick was great to work with and we found the costings very reasonable.

Apologies for the essay, but sometimes it's helpful having some info from someone who's been there and got the t shirt...best of luck!!!

[Spanish Pirate]

I would recommend the Balmain group on Broomwood rd Sw11 they can handle everything for you from start to finish.