Our Design Service
While some of our clients come to us ready to build, with architectural drawings in place and planning permission granted, many are right at the beginning of their renovation journey with nothing more than an idea.
Kantec’s in-house design service means that we are able to manage your entire renovation – from producing the architectural drawings and gaining your planning permission right through to building and finishing the project. Our straightforward, transparent process applies as much to our design stage as it does to quoting, planning and building, and you can find out more about how we turn your dreams into designs below.
Your home, your vision
The first step is for one of our surveyors to visit you at your home and hear all about your ideas. If you’re not sure what’s best for your property, they’ll talk you through the options. This initial meeting will form the basis of the surveyor’s report, which summarises what you’d like to achieve and any observations they’ve made about the property. This report is issued to the pricing team so they can generate a quote for your renovation.
Costs and calculations
When you receive your quote you’ll see that it’s broken down into a number of key stages, giving you a clear understanding of what the costs are for each element of the project and what’s not included. If you change your mind about what you’d like or your budget, then the quote can be adjusted accordingly.
Drawing up the details
Before committing to the design process, you’ll be able to visit a previous Kantec project in your area to get a feel for the quality of our work and talk to past clients. Then, when you’re happy to proceed, our architectural designers will visit your home to take the detailed measurements required to prepare your planning application. These initial designs will be sent to your appointed surveyor and you for approval. After any tweaks have been made, we will put in your application for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness.
Let’s get started
After the necessary approvals have been granted, we’ll provide a start date for your build and help get everything ready – including your technical drawings and building control approval, and we’ll introduce you to a party wall surveyor to help with any party wall awards that may be required. Once you’ve confirmed the start date, your project coordinator will create a detailed timeline to map out the project and the weekly milestones.
Renovating your home
The building stage of any project is the most stressful – it’s where great project management can make all the difference. Your project coordinator will visit the site regularly to meet with the site manager and check we’re delivering on our weekly targets. They will also meet with you on a weekly basis to update you on progress, address any concerns you have, and ensure all the key decisions are made on time to meet the build deadline.
Living your way
After we’ve packed away our tools, we’ll talk you through the space and all the finishing touches, handing over any documentation you may need to make the most of your renovated home. This is a great time to ask about how to maintain and take care of everything we’ve installed. Then, once you’ve had some time to enjoy the renovation, we’ll arrange a final meeting where we can address any issues that have arisen since we left. After that, your Kantec journey will be complete.
Design details – your questions answered
When the architectural designer comes to the house, how long will it take for them to get all the measurements they need?
Depending on the complexity of the work, the architectural designer’s survey will take between one and two hours to complete.
Will I need to be there?
Yes, you will need to be there. The architectural designer will have been briefed by the surveyor and will also use the surveyor’s report, but they’ll need to ask you about some specifics and preferences, such as where you would like the kitchen positioned, so these can be drawn into the floor plans.
What will the initial design include?
The initial design will focus on achieving the first milestone – approval from the local authority. When assessing the design, the local authority does not worry about the internal floor plan as they are looking at the relationship between the proposed external design and the original house.
How many revisions of the design are included in the quotation – will I have to pay extra if what has been drawn up initially is wrong or I don’t like it?
The type of design for an extension or loft will have been discussed and agreed at the initial meeting with the surveyor, and the architectural designer will design according to the agreed brief. Normally, we will need to have one or two sets of changes to fine-tune the design before going into planning.
Who are Kantec’s architectural designers? Are they experienced? And will I liaise with them directly to discuss the project?
Our architectural designers work in-house. They are members of RICS and have a wide range of experience, including working with local authorities as building control inspectors. If you need to discuss any aspects of the design, your surveyor will be the key point of contact initially but can introduce you to your architectural designer to go through amends and changes at our office.
How long does it usually take between the drawings being approved and building work starting?
The overall process can be as quick as two to three weeks from the planning submission to beginning works on-site. There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration which impact the start date, such as party wall agreements with your neighbours and if the design needs to go into a full planning application. Your surveyor will explain the whole process when you have the initial visit.