Extensions & Renovations

Its looks like extension and renovations will be the flavour of the month for some time to come. In recent weeks I've had been working on some sketch proposals for new jobs that have arrived into the office. One came as a referral from a recent client, who's extension was recently finished... (there's nothing better than getting a referral from a satisfied client) 

Others have come by way of a developer, who's been asked to go back and build extensions to dwelling he built over 10 years ago.

Then there's the extension/renovation of "the homeplace", which has moved to site. Being built by direct labour means not only do I have to provide architectural advise but I've also been collared as a labourer when on site visits. From assisting putting up scaffolding to demolishing walls, and everything else in between . Needless to say site visits are in the evenings or on Saturdays. The entire house is to be insulated with external insulation, which will eleminate most if not all of the cold bridges. As work progresses there will be more updates.

Work Update

Since Christmas, I've been quiet busy- surprisingly as normally the month of January and February are the quietest.

I've been working on preparing contract documents for a small extension to a nursing home, which is about to start on site shortly.  The contact documents would have been complete ages ago, except the client requested a lift be provided for the existing first floor accommodation. It took 4 design proposals and costed works  before the client finally was satisfied, but we are there now.  We are using the RIAI's Building Contract SF-88 as the Building contract, as this is a simple contact and the scope of works are straight forward. The contact documentation should be going out the the contractor today to be signed. Its the first project we have starting on site since the middle of last year.

We have a second project also moving on site in the comming weeks too. This time an extension to a dwelling, which we tendered in October last year.  The clients too some time to consider their investement in the project after it was tendered, but now its full steam ahead.

Outside of preparing contract documentation, I've spend some time preparing documentation for building insurance claims as a result of burst pipe caused by the recent cold spell, not work usually associated with Architectural Technology Professionals.

I've spent a lot of time working on two major projects, which if either gets the go ahead would mean there would be sufficient work for the next 10-12 months.If both go ahead well then I will be really busy... but I won't be complaining. 

Cottage Refurbishment

During the summer, we were asked to review an existing cottage located within the mountains, with the view to preparing some sketch plans for an extension and the refurbishment of the cottage. The brief required one double ensuire bedroom, a single bedroom, the retention of the origional sitting room, with its open fire and a large open plan  living space. The property was uniquely positioned in that it had spectacular views of the local mountain ranges in all directions, which the client wanted to capture.

We had proposed a contemporary style extension, which was well recieved by the client, unfortunatley the project hasn't proceeded any further to date.

Extensions and tendering.

With many home owners not able to sell their homes or sell for what they hoped to get, some have resorted to extending rather than trading up. Depending on the works involved it may not be necessary to apply for planning permission, however I have found that generally the planning authorities make decisions well within the statutory period where planning permission was required and there are no issues .... something which would not have happened 12-15 months ago. Maybe its just that I've covered everything in the planning application submission and that they had no cause to request any further information.

Within the last few days I've sent one extension out to tender. It had been a while since I prepared tender documentation for an extension to be honest, but I now have a run of them to do. Extensions by their nature can be difficult to predict budget prices for so it will be interesting to see how much the tenders will come back for. I am expecting some variation in the prices.

The Society of Chartered Surveyors estimate that tender prices generally are back to 1999 levels, which would bring building costs well back from what they were 15 months ago, yet material prices and specifications have risen beyond the 1999 levels as have prelims., which makes one wonder.