Estimated Budget :under £200,000
Duration on site: approximately 10 months,
Workstage: completed to Stage 4
This client purchased a property, moved in, appointed an architect they had worked with previously, and started works on renovating their home. They knew there was some risk to the works starting before planning permission was granted but were not expecting what happened.
Unfortunately, due to a mix up with the local authority and the paperwork issued with the purchase of the house, the client had not been advised that planning permission was not possible due to green belt restrictions, and the clients were stopped from working, without planning permission in place and mid renovation.
With a young family, living on a building site was increasingly becoming a strain and the client faced selling up and moving at a considerable loss or finding an alternative solution.
A planning consultant was appointed, and Crescent was suggested as a local company that could assist.
We took a new brief, worked through three feasibility ideas, and worked towards an amended proposal based on the family requirements. We focused on the layouts, the movement between spaces, how the family spent time together, what each person needed, and we progressed a new design.
It comprised a double storey side extension, a new porch entrance and hallway.
We suggested re-locating the staircase to make better use of the rear of the property and views across the field, and then added a single storey extension to the back of the end of terrace property.
The planning process required that several applications then be submitted as part of an overall strategy to achieve the desired proposals, and thankfully they went through and with some tweaks and adjustments we were able to work as a team to get the planning permission in place.
Next Crescent produced the Building Regulations pack and worked with a structural engineer to provide the necessary calculations and details required in order that the client could use his builder and continue with the build.
My client is now living in a finished home, and recently emails us to say:
“We were at the point of either going back to West Yorkshire having lost a load of money or divorce. But you pulled us out of the fire, and we have an amazing home. Not a house but a home. And that's down to you.”
We wish them all the best for the future.
Estimated Budget: under £200,000
Duration on site: approximately 10 months,
Workstage: completed to Stage 4
Located in a beautiful village, not far from Selby this wonderful cottage dating back to the 1700’s is located adjacent to a Grade 2 listed house.
The cottage is of significance to the Local Conservation planning officer, given it has a catslide roof and traditional detailing, including the former post box, sliding sash windows, rise and fall gutters and a traditional range.
Whilst the property is not listed, the planning decision took many months. The existing cottage has been extended in the past; with the master bedroom is accessed through the guest bedroom, it is not ideal for visitors. The existing staircase is very narrow and has reduced head height and the downstairs shower room is cold and tight to get into.
The brief was to add a new staircase, alter the ground floor layout to open the kitchen area to the garden and maximise on direct sunlight to naturally heat the house in the colder winter months.
The scheme re-appoints a front door and porch accessed safely from the driveway to the side and to the rear provides a boot/ utility room for housing the much-loved animals after wet winter walks.
The proposal creates a new bedroom and first floor bathroom, whilst keeping a ground floor shower room, the existing sitting room and dining room.
The property requires a great deal of improvements including damp proofing, which will include a proposal to lift and replace all the floors whilst installing underfloor heating. This will enable us to level the floors. During the works the builder will replace the electrics, install a new boiler, and most importantly replace the roof, repair the chimneys and parapets and reinstate the range.
Work is currently underway to find the right contractor for this wonderful cottage and not only bring it up to date but improve it for many years to come.
“We were extremely pleased with their professional and helpful attitude to our project. Highly Recommended”
“Suzanne was just the Architect we needed, she produced a number of options to match our brief and guided us clearly through our selection process without trying to push her own agenda. Her proposals were exciting, innovative and sympathetic to the character of the original house.”
“Suzanne introduced a very professional and impressive architectral practice. The only barrier to using Suzanne’s services on this occasion was that her quoted fees were a bit more than we had budgeted for on our small project.”