Creating architecture to be proud of starts with clarity. We design by putting you at the centre of the process, while ensuring that your project is regulation-compliant, works within planning constraints, financially viable, and fantastic to use.
We build relationships as well as we build homes. We offer honest advice that you can rely upon, we listen, and we support you through the design and construction process.
EXPLORE EACH RIBA WORK STAGE WITH SCROXTON & SCROXTON
Our process is tried and tested, with each project following a similar step-by-step journey to completion. Following a well-trodden path leaves space and time for creativity, ensuring that your project is individual to you, as well as professionally managed.
All projects follow the 8 RIBA Stages of work, which is an industry standard. To simplify things, we have grouped these into 4 key milestones; Onboarding, Initial Design, Final Design, and Construction.
Onboarding
Onboarding
0
RIBA Stage 0
Strategic Definition
Before moving forward with your project, we have to make sure that we are a good fit for you and your project needs.
During a Project Discovery call or meeting with us, we will take the time to understand your aspirations, lifestyle or operational needs, long-term goals, budget, timescales and site constraints. Our early advice will always be clear, considered, and honest, so that you can move forward with confidence and control from the very beginning. If we do not think that we are right for you, or that your project would benefit from a different approach, we will let you know so that by the end of the discovery call or meeting, you are clear that your project is worth investing in.
Sometimes we will visit your site as part of the discovery process. But if that hasn’t happened, and having established that we are right for you, we will ask you for your commitment to move the project forward by meeting with us at your site in normal working hours.
In some instances, particularly where projects are particularly challenging in nature, undefined, or travel to your site is especially long, we may charge for initial site visits. The site visit allows us to gain a full understanding of your brief in the context of your property or site. It gives us the chance to hone our early advice and ensure that there are no “game-stopping” issues that may mean your project is unlikely to progress successfully, or physical constraints that we may need to consider as part of the design process.
Following the initial site visit, we will be able to confirm design fees to move the project forward, as well as offer advice on the suitability of your project budget.
Our onboarding step, and the RIBA Stage 0, concludes with the presentation of your project brief as we understand it, supported by an initial understanding of the project budget and our initial fee to progress the project through to a planning application submission. We will outline our strategy for navigating statutory approvals successfully, as well as define what is important to you with regard to aesthetics and use. We will start to ground your project in reality and indicate the time frames that you should expect to work to, and what may have an adverse impact on any key dates. We will also clarify any specialist team members that you need to engage, and explain why and when they are needed.
We will also briefly discuss procurement methods with you, so that you understand your options with regard to purchasing the construction service when the time is right. At no point in our process will you be asked to “sign up” for an all-inclusive price that ties you into the use of all our services. We take things step-by-step and only move forward with the services that are right for you, giving you full support no matter the decision you make.
1
RIBA Stage 1
Preparation & Brief
All projects require a level of factfinding and preparation beyond the initial onboarding and briefing. This may be achieved through research to establish historic events that relate to the site or building such as previous planning permission attempts, or via surveys and reports to establish conditions or constraints such as traffic constraints or protected species. We make sure that we advise you on what research and which reports will give your project the best (or legally correct) starting point.
We will generally complete the research ourselves, and we are capable of supplying some building reports and measured surveys. Specialist reports are required from third parties and we will help to identify who and how much those reports will cost.
Often the results of surveys and reports will have an impact on the brief and budget. And so it is important to reflect on the information and discuss the impact on the project. During this stage we may also produce feasibility studies that look at high-level simplistic design solutions for the project. The broadbrush nature of these studies lend themselves to quick, nimble changes in approach based on the information gained through project preparation, ensuring that you do not waste money on design fees through abortive detailed work.
0
RIBA Stage 0
Strategic Definition
Before moving forward with your project, we have to make sure that we are a good fit for you and your project needs.
During a Project Discovery call or meeting with us, we will take the time to understand your aspirations, lifestyle or operational needs, long-term goals, budget, timescales and site constraints. Our early advice will always be clear, considered, and honest, so that you can move forward with confidence and control from the very beginning. If we do not think that we are right for you, or that your project would benefit from a different approach, we will let you know so that by the end of the discovery call or meeting, you are clear that your project is worth investing in.
Sometimes we will visit your site as part of the discovery process. But if that hasn’t happened, and having established that we are right for you, we will ask you for your commitment to move the project forward by meeting with us at your site in normal working hours.
In some instances, particularly where projects are particularly challenging in nature, undefined, or travel to your site is especially long, we may charge for initial site visits. The site visit allows us to gain a full understanding of your brief in the context of your property or site. It gives us the chance to hone our early advice and ensure that there are no “game-stopping” issues that may mean your project is unlikely to progress successfully, or physical constraints that we may need to consider as part of the design process.
Following the initial site visit, we will be able to confirm design fees to move the project forward, as well as offer advice on the suitability of your project budget.
Our onboarding step, and the RIBA Stage 0, concludes with the presentation of your project brief as we understand it, supported by an initial understanding of the project budget and our initial fee to progress the project through to a planning application submission. We will outline our strategy for navigating statutory approvals successfully, as well as define what is important to you with regard to aesthetics and use. We will start to ground your project in reality and indicate the time frames that you should expect to work to, and what may have an adverse impact on any key dates. We will also clarify any specialist team members that you need to engage, and explain why and when they are needed.
We will also briefly discuss procurement methods with you, so that you understand your options with regard to purchasing the construction service when the time is right. At no point in our process will you be asked to “sign up” for an all-inclusive price that ties you into the use of all our services. We take things step-by-step and only move forward with the services that are right for you, giving you full support no matter the decision you make.
1
RIBA Stage 1
Preparation & Brief
All projects require a level of factfinding and preparation beyond the initial onboarding and briefing. This may be achieved through research to establish historic events that relate to the site or building such as previous planning permission attempts, or via surveys and reports to establish conditions or constraints such as traffic constraints or protected species. We make sure that we advise you on what research and which reports will give your project the best (or legally correct) starting point.
We will generally complete the research ourselves, and we are capable of supplying some building reports and measured surveys. Specialist reports are required from third parties and we will help to identify who and how much those reports will cost.
Often the results of surveys and reports will have an impact on the brief and budget. And so it is important to reflect on the information and discuss the impact on the project. During this stage we may also produce feasibility studies that look at high-level simplistic design solutions for the project. The broadbrush nature of these studies lend themselves to quick, nimble changes in approach based on the information gained through project preparation, ensuring that you do not waste money on design fees through abortive detailed work.
Initial Design
Initial Design
2
RIBA Stage 2
Concept Design
The concept design phase develops any high-level feasibility design work into more recognisable building forms and spaces. It moves the project from theory and research into a tangible design solution that can be tested and scrutinised. It is the point at which we will help you to visualise your new property through drawings and in some cases with Computer Generated 3D images and models.
It is important to understand what we don’t do through the concept design phase, as well as what we do. We do not work up lots of different solutions and scenarios. This is because too many options slow down the process and result in poor cohesion if clients attempt to mix and match between schemes. Instead, we develop ideas and iterate your design based on what you think works and doesn’t work. This ensures that changes are considered holistically, and is the only way to truly achieve a superbly designed solution that puts you at the heart of the process. We don’t pretend to always get things right the first time, but our iterative process is tried and tested and achieves fantastic results.
We test the scheme against planning constraints, cost impacts, environmental performance and long-term usability, maintaining a close dialogue with you throughout. The outcome is a confident, well-considered concept that balances imagination with practicality and provides a clear direction for the project. During this stage, it is often prudent to submit a Preapplication Advice application to your local authority, to establish if there is support or pushback. At the time of writing, the UK planning system is obstructive and badly resourced; our aim with preapplication advice is to find the Local Authorities potential reasons for refusal so that we can amend our drawings and documentation in advance of submitting any formal applications. On large or complex projects, we will also run public consultations to show the local authority that we have listened to objections at an early stage in the process.
At this stage your project does not have enough technical information to finalise a construction cost, but it is possible for our construction team to run a “sense check”, and investigate whether or not budget and expectations are still aligned.
3
RIBA Stage 3
Spatial Coordination
Depending on the scale of your project, we may have already engaged some third party designers, such as transport consultants or planning consultants, to help us ensure that the design we intend to submit for planning approval is buildable and usable, as well as having the best possible chance of approval. By now, we should be reasonably set on the overall design solution, and our main task here is to coordinate all of the information required to submit a strong planning application (if required), which will be submitted at the end of this stage.
Now is a good time to note that not all projects require planning permission. There are a multitude of situations where Permitted Development rights allow you to alter a property, or legally apply a change of use to a property, without the need to submit a full planning application. In some complex Permitted Development cases, such as adding additional floors to an existing building, we may need to apply for Prior Notice, which is a process of confirming that you are actually following the limitations of a certain Permitted Development class at issue you with a Lawful Development Certificate, but all of this would have been established at the beginning of the project as part of the project strategy work.
Irrespective of the Statutory application process your project requires, its submission comes at the end of this package of work. In the instances where an application is not required, we perform a final check to ensure that you are not at risk of breaking any planning or statutory laws. Our team produces and manages all of the information required for your submission to the Local Authority, and ensures that we are putting our strongest foot forward to help explain the project to the planning department so that they can approve the scheme. On large or complex schemes we may have entered into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA), where we work alongside the planning team with the common goal of achieving an approval.
Following any submission, we keep in touch with planning departments to try and head-off any issues. Applications are scrutinised by key-stakeholders and neighbours, meaning that new opinions may need to be addressed. Some Local Authorities are very obstructive and will avoid engaging with us, whereas others are proactive and appreciate that you have made a considerable investment. Our role is to do whatever we can to help the case officer or Planning Committee to approve your application.
2
RIBA Stage 2
Concept Design
The concept design phase develops any high-level feasibility design work into more recognisable building forms and spaces. It moves the project from theory and research into a tangible design solution that can be tested and scrutinised. It is the point at which we will help you to visualise your new property through drawings and in some cases with Computer Generated 3D images and models.
It is important to understand what we don’t do through the concept design phase, as well as what we do. We do not work up lots of different solutions and scenarios. This is because too many options slow down the process and result in poor cohesion if clients attempt to mix and match between schemes. Instead, we develop ideas and iterate your design based on what you think works and doesn’t work. This ensures that changes are considered holistically, and is the only way to truly achieve a superbly designed solution that puts you at the heart of the process. We don’t pretend to always get things right the first time, but our iterative process is tried and tested and achieves fantastic results.
We test the scheme against planning constraints, cost impacts, environmental performance and long-term usability, maintaining a close dialogue with you throughout. The outcome is a confident, well-considered concept that balances imagination with practicality and provides a clear direction for the project. During this stage, it is often prudent to submit a Preapplication Advice application to your local authority, to establish if there is support or pushback. At the time of writing, the UK planning system is obstructive and badly resourced; our aim with preapplication advice is to find the Local Authorities potential reasons for refusal so that we can amend our drawings and documentation in advance of submitting any formal applications. On large or complex projects, we will also run public consultations to show the local authority that we have listened to objections at an early stage in the process.
At this stage your project does not have enough technical information to finalise a construction cost, but it is possible for our construction team to run a “sense check”, and investigate whether or not budget and expectations are still aligned.
3
RIBA Stage 3
Spatial Coordination
This is the stage where ideas begin to take tangible shape. Guided by the strategy and brief established in earlier stages, we develop great ideas into one coherent scheme that can be reviewed with you and evolved if required to better suit your needs. We don’t work up hundreds of options to choose from; too many choices prevent you from making decisions. Instead, our process of considered design leads to a scheme that is holistic, coherent and thoughtfully resolved. This approach puts you at the centre of decision-making as you work with us to refine and develop your project.
We test the scheme against planning, cost, environmental performance and long-term usability, maintaining a close dialogue with you throughout. The outcome is a confident, well-considered concept that balances imagination with practicality and provides a clear direction for the detailed design stages to follow.
Final Design
Final Design
4
RIBA Stage 4
Technical Design
Prior to this stage, a project is full of risk and beholden to the subjective opinions of Planners and Stakeholders. However, once planning is approved we can embark on the Technical Design which is, thankfully, more of a black & white process. Agreeing the remaining design and project administration fees is now possible as the project is essentially fixed in scope.
At the start of this stage, we will also address any Planning Conditions that have been imposed on your approval, as many of these will prevent development until they are approved.
This stage is normally when our interior design team takes more of an active role if you choose to use the service. It is possible to engage interior services earlier, but due to the financial risk leading into gaining planning permission, it isn’t necessarily cost effective. The interiors team's advice on finish, decoration, and lighting is vital to ensure that all costs are considered and you know exactly what you are getting at completion of your project.
The stage can be split into two key packages of information: A) information for Building Control to adequately assess the Building Regulations Application, and B) information for the construction team to adequately price the construction work.
4A
Building Regulations Submission
A design does not need to be fully resolved to submit for building regulations approval, unless it is a High Risk Building (HRB). In a general application the level of information submitted must inform building control how the scheme is going to meet the building regulations, but not necessarily the exact detail of how each component fits together. It requires detailed drawings, a specification, and a way of tracking the design to establish compliance with the regulations under BSA. As long as we are engaged as the Principal Designer, we will submit and manage the Building Regulations Application, and if we are not the Principal Designer, we will support the application and provide the relevant information. Construction costs can be established from Building Regulations drawings, but assumptions will need to be made to fill in information gaps meaning that costs are still subject to change.
4B
Tender/Construction Information
In order to accurately price construction, your project needs more detail and complete coordination amongst the team and product suppliers. This includes detailed drawings of products, systems, and junctions, and shows the builders who will implement the design exactly how the designers envisaged your project will look and perform.
This level of detailed information allows the construction team to understand how much time it will take to build the design, as well as the exact quantum of materials that will be needed. Providing this level of information is the only way to establish an accurate build cost and prevent confusion or change on site, ultimately ensuring value for money and reducing waste. There are multiple types of building contract that we will discuss with you to establish which is best for you, and depend on whether we are your contractor or someone else is.
We can run an additional service to tender to building contractors on your behalf as long as we are not pricing the work ourselves, as to do both would be a conflict of interest and unfair on other contractors. The important difference between our construction pricing and most other builders, is that we work on an Open Book cost plus profit model. We have found this to be the most transparent form of pricing, that shows you exactly what you are spending money on and how we balance cost fluctuations throughout the project.
At the end of this stage, you will know how much the construction of your project is expected to cost, as well as the level of contingency that is required to manage any risk or uncertainty that is left in the design.
This is a good time to raise the roles of Principal Designer and Principal Contractor in relation to the Building Safety Act (BSA) and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM). Although the positions are named the same for both the BSA and CDM, they are in fact different, and are both separate legally required services. We will have discussed these roles with you in detail during the Onboarding and through establishing the project strategy.
Put simply, the Building Safety Act ensures that a project is safe throughout its usable life. The Principal Design takes responsibility for the design meeting the regulations as set out in the Approved Documents, as well as coordinating the overall design and ensuring that all products are compatible. Principal Contractor is responsible for implementing the design as approved and highlighting any deviations or issues so that they can be resolved and approved by the Principal Designer.
In contrast, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations address safety through the construction and maintenance of a building project. In this instance it is the role of the Principal designer to risk assess the design and inform the Principal Contractor of any issues and the mitigation. The Principal Contractor is then responsible for ensuring the safety of the workforce and feeding back vital information about the safe maintenance of the building after completion.
As a client, it is your legal responsibility to employ competent people to undertake the required roles, and to ensure that they are given adequate time and resources to undertake their role without hindrance or interference. You do not need to choose us to undertake any of these roles, but are classed as competent to perform the roles, including working on High Risk Buildings. If you do not wish for us to perform the roles, you must inform us who you have engaged instead before we can progress the design in a meaningful way.
4
RIBA Stage 4
Technical Design
Prior to this stage, a project is full of risk and beholden to the subjective opinions of Planners and Stakeholders. However, once planning is approved we can embark on the Technical Design which is, thankfully, more of a black & white process. Agreeing the remaining design and project administration fees is now possible as the project is essentially fixed in scope.
At the start of this stage, we will also address any Planning Conditions that have been imposed on your approval, as many of these will prevent development until they are approved.
This stage is normally when our interior design team takes more of an active role if you choose to use the service. It is possible to engage interior services earlier, but due to the financial risk leading into gaining planning permission, it isn’t necessarily cost effective. The interiors team's advice on finish, decoration, and lighting is vital to ensure that all costs are considered and you know exactly what you are getting at completion of your project.
The stage can be split into two key packages of information: A) information for Building Control to adequately assess the Building Regulations Application, and B) information for the construction team to adequately price the construction work.
4A
Building Regulations Submission
A design does not need to be fully resolved to submit for building regulations approval, unless it is a High Risk Building (HRB). In a general application the level of information submitted must inform building control how the scheme is going to meet the building regulations, but not necessarily the exact detail of how each component fits together. It requires detailed drawings, a specification, and a way of tracking the design to establish compliance with the regulations under BSA. As long as we are engaged as the Principal Designer, we will submit and manage the Building Regulations Application, and if we are not the Principal Designer, we will support the application and provide the relevant information. Construction costs can be established from Building Regulations drawings, but assumptions will need to be made to fill in information gaps meaning that costs are still subject to change.
4B
Tender/Construction Information
In order to accurately price construction, your project needs more detail and complete coordination amongst the team and product suppliers. This includes detailed drawings of products, systems, and junctions, and shows the builders who will implement the design exactly how the designers envisaged your project will look and perform.
This level of detailed information allows the construction team to understand how much time it will take to build the design, as well as the exact quantum of materials that will be needed. Providing this level of information is the only way to establish an accurate build cost and prevent confusion or change on site, ultimately ensuring value for money and reducing waste. There are multiple types of building contract that we will discuss with you to establish which is best for you, and depend on whether we are your contractor or someone else is.
We can run an additional service to tender to building contractors on your behalf as long as we are not pricing the work ourselves, as to do both would be a conflict of interest and unfair on other contractors. The important difference between our construction pricing and most other builders, is that we work on an Open Book cost plus profit model. We have found this to be the most transparent form of pricing, that shows you exactly what you are spending money on and how we balance cost fluctuations throughout the project.
At the end of this stage, you will know how much the construction of your project is expected to cost, as well as the level of contingency that is required to manage any risk or uncertainty that is left in the design.
Construction
Construction
5
RIBA Stage 5
Manufacturing & Construction
At this point in the project, our service will be markedly different, depending on whether or not you have decided to use our construction team to build your project.
If you are using a different builder we will agree the contract between yourself and the builder, and then manage that relationship throughout the project. It is our role to fairly assess applications for payment and changes in scope or cost throughout the contract, based on the returned tender information. We “sign off” the value of work for interim certificates of payment, and ensure that the expected quality is delivered in accordance with the design.
If we are the Principal Designer under CDM, we continue to track health and safety risks. And as the BSA Principal Designer, we would ensure that construction changes are reflected in the design information and approved by building control. Our design team supplies the contractor with any information that they require to complete the work, and clearly instruct your wishes to ensure that everything is documented.
When we build the project for you, you benefit from a seamless flow of information and everyone pulling in the same direction. Our open book process shows you exactly what has been completed without hidden costs or profit. It also helps you to manage your finances, by balancing savings with overspends wherever possible. It is important to understand that there is no such thing as a fixed price contract in construction. All contracts provide mechanisms for contractors to alter their price due to market fluctuations, or penalise clients for making changes. We are honest and let you know that our price is not fixed, but the constant rebalancing of sub budgets as we progress the construction, allows us to stay very close to the target build cost and ensure that you keep as much of your contingency as possible. All construction projects change when on site, because of unforeseen issues. We think that it is important to show you how and why your project costs have changed as the works progress, so that you are always in control of your spending. We invoice weekly, so that you can easily see what work the invoices relate to, and we never ask for a deposit unless it is to order a specialist product (such as the glazing) that requires a payment to start production.
Throughout a project built by us, the design team are in constant dialogue with the construction team at no additional cost. Ensuring that the original design intent is seen all the way throughout the construction, and making sure that any required changes do not look like an afterthought. Our construction team takes pride in their work, and our design team act as a secondary set of eyes, ensuring quality checks are a team effort for the benefit of you and your project, rather than being seen as an advisory nit-picking of a professional on a tradesman's work.
6
RIBA Stage 6
Handover
Again, this stage differs depending on whether or not we are the builder. In instances where you have opted for a different contractor, we will help to agree the final contract cost and inspect the contractor's work for any snags that need to be resolved. We will ensure that all documentation is handed over and that all money due to the contractor is paid. We will make sure that the project has been signed off by Building Control and release any agreed retention payments.
In a project that we have built, snagging will have generally been addressed as we progress the construction. Nevertheless, we will perform a final check and clean. We will not need to negotiate any final missing additional costs, because we’ll have been open and honest with you all the way through the project. We will have all approvals and information for everything that requires signing off, ready and available for the final invoice. We will show you how to use everything in your new building, and ensure that you understand how to maintain any equipment that we have installed. Most importantly, we won’t abandon you once your final payment is made.
After completion, we will return to your property and ensure that everything is still looking and working great. We will fix anything that has broken, and touch up any settling cracks. We will do this either 3 or 6 months after completion, depending on the size of your project, and as long as you have treated the property “normally” there will be no additional charges.
We are so confident in our workmanship, that beyond our final visit, we will always be available to fix anything that we have built that has failed due to normal use.
7
RIBA Stage 7
In Use
Your project may require In Use monitoring or testing to establish if a specific project requirement or performance has been achieved. This would generally be performed by our design team, or by specialist consultants if required.
5
RIBA Stage 5
Manufacturing & Construction
At this point in the project, our service will be markedly different, depending on whether or not you have decided to use our construction team to build your project.
If you are using a different builder we will agree the contract between yourself and the builder, and then manage that relationship throughout the project. It is our role to fairly assess applications for payment and changes in scope or cost throughout the contract, based on the returned tender information. We “sign off” the value of work for interim certificates of payment, and ensure that the expected quality is delivered in accordance with the design.
If we are the Principal Designer under CDM, we continue to track health and safety risks. And as the BSA Principal Designer, we would ensure that construction changes are reflected in the design information and approved by building control. Our design team supplies the contractor with any information that they require to complete the work, and clearly instruct your wishes to ensure that everything is documented.
When we build the project for you, you benefit from a seamless flow of information and everyone pulling in the same direction. Our open book process shows you exactly what has been completed without hidden costs or profit. It also helps you to manage your finances, by balancing savings with overspends wherever possible. It is important to understand that there is no such thing as a fixed price contract in construction. All contracts provide mechanisms for contractors to alter their price due to market fluctuations, or penalise clients for making changes. We are honest and let you know that our price is not fixed, but the constant rebalancing of sub budgets as we progress the construction, allows us to stay very close to the target build cost and ensure that you keep as much of your contingency as possible. All construction projects change when on site, because of unforeseen issues. We think that it is important to show you how and why your project costs have changed as the works progress, so that you are always in control of your spending. We invoice weekly, so that you can easily see what work the invoices relate to, and we never ask for a deposit unless it is to order a specialist product (such as the glazing) that requires a payment to start production.
Throughout a project built by us, the design team are in constant dialogue with the construction team at no additional cost. Ensuring that the original design intent is seen all the way throughout the construction, and making sure that any required changes do not look like an afterthought. Our construction team takes pride in their work, and our design team act as a secondary set of eyes, ensuring quality checks are a team effort for the benefit of you and your project, rather than being seen as an advisory nit-picking of a professional on a tradesman's work.
6
RIBA Stage 6
Handover
Again, this stage differs depending on whether or not we are the builder. In instances where you have opted for a different contractor, we will help to agree the final contract cost and inspect the contractor's work for any snags that need to be resolved. We will ensure that all documentation is handed over and that all money due to the contractor is paid. We will make sure that the project has been signed off by Building Control and release any agreed retention payments.
In a project that we have built, snagging will have generally been addressed as we progress the construction. Nevertheless, we will perform a final check and clean. We will not need to negotiate any final missing additional costs, because we’ll have been open and honest with you all the way through the project. We will have all approvals and information for everything that requires signing off, ready and available for the final invoice. We will show you how to use everything in your new building, and ensure that you understand how to maintain any equipment that we have installed. Most importantly, we won’t abandon you once your final payment is made.
After completion, we will return to your property and ensure that everything is still looking and working great. We will fix anything that has broken, and touch up any settling cracks. We will do this either 3 or 6 months after completion, depending on the size of your project, and as long as you have treated the property “normally” there will be no additional charges.
We are so confident in our workmanship, that beyond our final visit, we will always be available to fix anything that we have built that has failed due to normal use.
7
RIBA Stage 7
In Use
Your project may require In Use monitoring or testing to establish if a specific project requirement or performance has been achieved. This would generally be performed by our design team, or by specialist consultants if required.