Bespoke New-Build
Answers to the questions we are most frequently asked when beginning a bespoke new-build commission. If your question is not covered here, get in touch and we will be happy to discuss it directly.
How do we begin the process of designing a new home?
Every new-build project begins with an initial consultation. We discuss your site, aspirations, accommodation requirements, preferred architectural style, budget and intended timescale. We then review the likely planning and technical considerations before preparing a clear, stage-by-stage fee proposal.
Can you help us find out whether our site is suitable for a new house?
Yes. Before progressing into detailed design, we can assess the site's development potential, planning history, access, neighbouring context and key constraints. Depending on the location, this may include Green Belt, heritage, ecology, trees, drainage, highways, flood risk and local design-policy considerations. Where there is significant planning uncertainty, we may recommend a feasibility study or pre-application enquiry before a full design is developed.
Do you design traditional as well as contemporary homes?
Yes. Our approach is not restricted to a single architectural style. We design traditional, classical, contemporary and transitional homes, depending on the client, the site and the surrounding context. The objective is not simply to reproduce a style, but to create a coherent home with the right proportions, materials, detailing and relationship to its setting.
Can you design the house around the way our family lives?
Absolutely. A bespoke home should respond to your everyday routines rather than forcing you into a predetermined layout. We consider how you arrive, entertain, cook, work, relax and move through the house, as well as privacy, views, daylight, storage and relationships between formal and informal spaces. We can also incorporate prayer rooms, multigenerational accommodation, leisure facilities, home offices, staff areas, lifts and specialist spaces where required.
Can you show us what the house will look like before it is built?
Yes. We use three-dimensional design throughout the process to help clients understand the scale, massing, internal relationships and architectural character of the proposal. Where included within our appointment, we can also prepare high-quality CGI visualisations showing proposed materials, landscaping and the building within its site context.
Will you manage the planning application for us?
Yes. We prepare and submit the planning application and manage the architectural elements of the process on your behalf. This normally includes preparing the required drawings, coordinating supporting information, responding to validation queries and liaising with the planning officer. Where specialist reports are required, we can help assemble and coordinate the appropriate consultant team. Planning permission can never be guaranteed, but a well-researched and carefully presented proposal gives the application the strongest possible foundation.
What other consultants might be required?
The consultant team will depend on the site, the scale of the house and the planning constraints. A typical new-build project may require input from a topographical and measured-building surveyor, a structural engineer, a planning consultant, an ecologist, an arboricultural consultant, a drainage or civil engineer, a highways or transport consultant, an energy assessor, a mechanical and electrical designer, a landscape architect, a quantity surveyor, and a fire consultant. We can advise which appointments are necessary and coordinate their information with the architectural design.
What is the difference between planning drawings and construction drawings?
Planning drawings explain the proposed scale, appearance, layout and relationship of the house to its surroundings. They are prepared primarily to obtain planning permission. Construction drawings go considerably further - they show how the building is to be formed, insulated, weatherproofed and coordinated with the structural and building-services designs. These drawings are required for Building Regulations, pricing and construction. Planning permission alone does not provide sufficient information for a contractor to construct a high-quality bespoke home.
Do you prepare the Building Regulations and technical drawings?
Yes. Following planning approval, we can develop the design into a detailed technical package. This may include construction drawings, wall and roof build-ups, key junction details, window and door coordination, staircases, drainage, thermal performance, fire safety, accessibility and coordination with structural and building-services consultants. The precise extent of information will be defined within our appointment.
Can you help us understand how much the house is likely to cost?
We can provide early guidance based on the size, quality and complexity of the proposed house. However, accurate cost advice should normally be provided by a quantity surveyor or established through a structured contractor tender. For bespoke homes, the final cost is influenced by much more than floor area - ground conditions, structural design, glazing, stonework, joinery, mechanical systems, landscaping and the standard of finishes can all have a substantial effect. We therefore encourage cost planning to take place alongside the design rather than after it has been completed.
Can you help us choose a suitable contractor?
Yes. Where appointed, we can help prepare tender information, approach suitable contractors, respond to tender queries and compare returned quotations. We review not only the headline price, but also exclusions, qualifications, provisional sums and the contractor's understanding of the project. The lowest quotation is not always the best value, particularly for a technically demanding bespoke home.
Will you remain involved while the house is being built?
Yes, where construction-stage services are included within our appointment. We can attend the site at agreed intervals, respond to architectural queries, review samples and workmanship, issue further information and assist in protecting the design intent as construction progresses. Where appointed as Contract Administrator, we can also administer the building contract, assess payment applications, issue contractual instructions and assess Practical Completion. Site visits are periodic and do not amount to continuous supervision of the contractor.
Do we need a formal building contract?
We strongly recommend using an appropriate written building contract for a new-build home. The contract should clearly define the works, price, programme, payment process, responsibilities, variations, delays, insurance and completion arrangements. Beginning construction without a properly completed contract can expose the client to unnecessary financial and contractual risk. We can advise on the most appropriate form of contract as part of our construction-stage service.
Can you coordinate the interior designer and specialist suppliers?
Yes. Bespoke homes often involve a substantial number of specialist designers and suppliers, including interior designers, kitchen companies, lighting designers, glazing contractors, staircase manufacturers, stone suppliers and mechanical-system installers. Where included within our appointment, we coordinate their proposals with the architectural and structural design to reduce clashes and maintain a consistent overall outcome. It is important that responsibilities and design boundaries are clearly established at the beginning of this process.
How long does a bespoke new-build project take?
The timescale depends on the site, planning complexity, scale of the home and construction method. As a broad indication, the design and planning process may take several months, followed by technical design, tendering and contractor appointment. Construction of a substantial bespoke home will often take considerably longer than a standard residential project. At the outset, we prepare a realistic programme based on the specific requirements of the commission rather than offering an artificial completion date.
Can you guarantee planning permission?
No architect can responsibly guarantee planning approval. What we can do is investigate the site thoroughly, explain the planning risks, develop a defensible design and present the application to the highest professional standard. Where the principle of development is uncertain, we may recommend obtaining specialist planning advice or submitting a pre-application enquiry before committing to the full process.
Do you work on projects outside Preston?
Yes. Although our practice is based in Preston, we undertake bespoke residential projects across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, the wider North West and selected locations further afield. The suitability of a project will depend on its scale, scope and the level of service required.
Ready to discuss your project?
Every commission begins with a conversation. Get in touch to arrange an initial consultation.