THE RIBA PROCESS
When you work with DLM you are choosing to work with a practice that understands that a building is so much more than that. It’s a space that should inspire passion and belonging, a sense of home and a feeling of pride. We care about what we design and about the people we’re creating for.
We are an innovative practice but our creativity is always backed by solid industry best practice, represented by the principles of the RIBA plan of work, that we follow to deliver high-quality results.
We offer a fixed fee for each stage of work for total transparency and peace of mind against unexpected extra costs. Each stage has clear deliverables and a fixed checkpoint, allowing you to tailor the scope of service you need and follow the progress of your project.
Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, and it’s our privilege to create spaces that complement lifestyles and their surroundings.
• Understanding your needs
• Site visits and modelling
• Agreeing objectives
This stage focuses on understanding your needs and the project’s objectives. We help establish a clear brief, considering budget, site, and any legal or planning requirements. Services include site analysis, initial discussions on design concepts, and outlining project constraints. We can also provide advice on feasibility, ensuring the project is viable before moving forward.
This is where the collaboration begins. We work with you, typically via your preferred digital communication method, to understand your aspirations, tastes and vision for the project,
Practically, we’ll discuss budgets and timeframes and apply our experience and expertise to advise on realistic deliverables. We spend time at the site to understand the context of the project, which we photograph and document, and then arrange topographical and measured building surveys to gather as much information as we can. You can expect a 3D site model and survey drawings of the existing buildings and site.
This stage ensures all parties have a shared understanding of the goals and limitations before progressing to design development in Stage 2.• Considering layout and materials
• Producing sketches, floorplans and models
• Advising on planning regulations and requirements
At this stage we work together to begin to make decisions on the look and feel of your finished project. From layout to materials to positioning on site, we marry the practical design considerations with the vision we have established together in stage 1.
Refining the design concepts results in sketches, floorplans and 3D computer modelling so you can get a sense of visual identity, materials and what it will feel like to be in the building.
The team might also carry out early discussions with planning authorities to gauge approval requirements. If required, we can prepare a pre-application package to allow the authorities to offer early feedback.
The goal is to align the design with your vision while being technically feasible and within budget before moving to Stage 3.• Producing more-detailed designs
• Consulting with other experts
• Submitting for planning approval
Our team will develop detailed design plans including floorplans, elevations and visuals. Technical detail is vital at this stage and we take extreme care to provide meticulous plans that will finalise the spatial design and be the blueprint for your building.
We work closely with other consultants (like engineers) to coordinate all aspects of the design.
The outcome is a comprehensive set of drawings and specifications that can be submitted to the planning department to gain the necessary approvals.• Producing final package of technical drawings and detail
In order to translate our designs into a building, technical drawings are needed. We produce a detailed package of drawings, schedules and specifications that demonstrate how the proposal exceeds the statutory requirements of our local building regulations.
At this point your project will require the formal appointment of a structural engineer and potentially other third-party consultants to co-ordinate the design. We can advise on this and use our extensive network of industry contacts for your benefit.• Appointing a contractor
Appointing the right team is pivotal to any successful project. At this stage we advise on whether a specific contractor is best suited to realise the vision, or send our technical drawings out to tender to find the right partner. Our local knowledge means that we know which contractors have capacity and will share the care and thought that has gone into the project so far.
The project information is reviewed by chosen contractors, and they put forward their cost to build it. There is then a period of analysis, when we will go through the tender returns with you and a cost consultant. We cover how the building is put together, finished, and fitted out.
Our team of talented architectural technicians will have covered every detail, and we’ll have met with you to make final decisions about materials and finishes. We will meet with structural engineers and the rest of the project team to coordinate the process.• Building underway
• Site visits
• Continuing communication
Working alongside the contractor and contract administrator we visit the site every fortnight to catch up with you and to check progress. We’ll also be on the lookout for any concerns from you or the contractor that may need addressing as the build progresses.
We will be on hand to advise and answer queries from the contractor and work with them to resolve site issues. By maintaining this relationship, we also keep a close eye on progress and quality.• Handing the project over to you
• Following up for feedback
At the conclusion of the process, we’ll hand the building over to you to begin life in your new home. We like to keep in touch with our clients to see how you go on to live in your home and to see how the home grows with you. We feel it is important to gain feedback from previous projects to help inform us for our future projects.