Architectural Services
At Ecotecture, we tailor our services to suit your project.
Our team has over 20 years of experience of facilitating and delivering projects throughout Sussex, ranging in scale from eco family dwellings and extensions, through to barn conversions, new housing developments and large scale master plans for a range of private clients and developers.
Whether it is a small or a large house extension, a barn conversion, a new build development or a heritage statement, the process of working with Ecotecture follows more or less the same stages.
Ecotecture have invested in the latest Building Information Modelling ArchiCAD® software which allows projects to be modelled fully in 3D, produce high quality renders and animations, collaborative work sharing, energy evaluation and highly organised document management tools.
Our architectural services include:
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Measured Surveys
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Design Brief Development
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Feasibility Studies/ Assessment
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Initial Concept Designs
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Planning Applications
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Building Regulations
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Technical Design
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Tender Drawings
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Building Contracts
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Construction Monitoring
We use the gold standard of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) plan of work for managing the process of designing a building from brief through to completion, which sets out the various work stages as follows:
Stage 1 - Preparation & Brief
Stage 2 - Concept Design
Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination
Stage 4 - Technical Design
Stage 5 - Manufacturing and Constructing
Stage 6 - Handover
Stage 7 - Use - the ongoing use of the building
Stage 1 - Preparation & Brief
The brief is formed by our meeting, discussing your ideas and developed in the sketch scheme stage. At this stage, we will ask you to fill in a design brief questionnaire to help assess your requirements and help define the scope of the project and what is most important to you, including preferred procurement route for building.
Stage 2 - Concept Design
Feasibility and inception are all about generating architectural ideas. We often work with clients to examine the viability of a proposal for a given site in or around Sussex; this can include cost modelling and planning advice.
We will use our knowledge and experience alongside creative skills to prepare a series of hand drawn sketches and 3D models, taking into consideration your sites’ characteristics, opportunities and constraints.
Depending on the project, at the end of Stage 2, a pre-application consultation meeting with the local authority may take place. This is to ensure we are on the right track and do not waste any time and money exploring options that may be too controversial. If other consultants are necessary we will advise and obtain quotations as necessary during this stage.
Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination
Once we have reached an agreed scheme with yourselves, the scheme is then fully transferred into electronic format. The drawings and 3D models are a great tool for further design development and will give you more clarity on what your building will look like.
The output of this stage is a package of drawings and documents that can be submitted to the local planning authority. Depending on the nature and location of your project the submission may need to include a number of mandatory written documents providing further justification, for example design & access statements, heritage statements and sustainability statements, arboriculturist report if work affects trees, or for sites within the South Downs National Park other environmental assessment reports can be a requirement.
Stage 4 - Technical Design
After Planning Permission is granted, we will liaise with relevant consultants to provide a full building regulation approved package. Many projects are priced and built based on this package which provides enough information for an experienced and competent contractor to design and build from. Having over 20 years of working within the South East UK, we have built up a network of contractors we are able to advise our clients on the most suitable ones to complete the job, depending on the location and project type.
A tender package can be prepared using information from us and other consultants. This will then be sent out to a minimum of three contractors and we will advise on appointment before preparation of contract documents for administration of the contract on site.
Stage 5 - Manufacturing and Constructing
Construction work is monitored and inspected with regular monthly meetings on site to regulate progress and build quality. Communication and procedures are key to the smooth running of your operation. Where necessary, we will help your contractor to deal with any issues as they arise. We will issue formal instructions (Architects Instructions), to your contractor, such as when they need to vary the works from the original design. With any project, there are always unknowns and this ensures they are dealt with in a recorded and controlled manner, looking at cost control and risk management as part of the process.
Stage 6 - Handover
The construction for your building is complete and the new property is handed over for occupation. We enter the rectification period, which is usually 6 months. We meet and go over any defects if they have appeared and issue a list for completion with the contractor. It’s in the nature of any new building to have some minor plaster cracks as the building dries and settles after the alteration work for instance. Once all work is completed we issue a Final Certificate for your records.
Stage 7 - Use
The ongoing use of the building. Is about ensuring that the building performs as it was intended to.
