On Site Expert Advice
We offer FREE EXPERT ADVICE on first contact, either over the phone or directly in the form of an on site consultation with a conservation architect.
This on site consultation will be offset against fees for services provided depending on the size and complexity of your project. Depending on the location. A new building will require less detailed examination and depending on the size and complexity of the project, architectural fees for the full service should come to between 5% and 15% of the total building cost. A simple building which requires less attention to detail will usually attract a smaller percentage than a residential building. An existing or historic building requiring greater time and expertise may attract higher fees.
Please telephone or email and we will be happy to discuss in detail your project/requirements. We are always eager to help to bring your project out of the ordinary, this could include; the client brief development, planning and listed building matters, Sustainable Eco Design, improving on existing permissions, completing the required conservation plan, the best use of your funds in a logical and sensitive way, avoiding unnecessary work and much more.
Conservation Plan
Conservation Plans are a requirement for most Lottery Funded projects, but can be valuable where programme of works to heritage assets are concerned. The guide, Conservation Plans for Historic Places sets out a methodology for assessing the cultural significance of a building or place and making policies which inform project briefs and act as yardsticks for proposals, including:
- major repair or restoration,
- new development which is to become part of a historic building or within its setting,
- future management proposals or,
- a regular maintenance programme.
The first step when providing expert advice is to understand the site, i.e. gather and draw together all documentary and physical evidence of the place, explain and illustrate its significance and how it has changed over time.
Next, assessment of significance involves making value judgements about each element identified and about the asset as a whole. This may not coincide with any formal designation, such as listing, and may include grading of elements, e.g. those which are essential to the retention or enhancement of significance, those which are desirable, those which may be traded in return for some larger or more vital conservation benefit and those which have a negative impact and should be reversed.
Issues, risks, constraints and opportunities are then defined, with the objective of assessing the impact which any of them has had or could have on the significance of the site. Conservation policies, the heart of the Plan are then written as the benchmark against which all proposals should be measured. Ideally, the proposals themselves should not be formulated until then.
As a sustainable Eco Heritage Architect we are always interested to make new friends. We offer extremely competitive rates. Please call us and let us know your budget and we will do everything we can to help.
To find out how we can assist in your project, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.
