Architectural Services
Matthew Symmonds has an architectural background, founded at the beginning of his professional career. He decided to train and qualify as a Chartered Building Surveyor rather than as an architect and is therefore able to use his blend of experience and qualifications in both fields to provide a wide and diverse array of skills and services not often found in Chartered Surveying practices.
Design Concepts:
With our range of experience and expertise, we are able to help you to work out exactly what you want from your building or refurbishment project. By meeting with you, discussing your needs, aspirations and budget, we can work with you to create the design that you want. With our detailed understanding of all stages of the project from start to finish, including the planning processes and coordination of consultants and contractors, our design concepts are imaginative and practical.
Many people incorrectly anticipate that there are three options here: asking an architect to carry out the design work; asking the building contractor to formulate the design; or even not having a pre-conceived design at all; therefore just hoping it will all work out as the project progresses!
We however bring our blend of architectural and surveying backgrounds to each of our designs, providing as much or as little of the design and implementation processes as you need in a very cost-effective and practical way.
Computer Aided Design:
We are qualified computer aided designers (CAD) with all our CAD work being carried out in-house. We start the process with an initial no-obligation informal visit and design consultation which leads on to the formation of CAD design concepts, drawings and plans to support Planning, Building Regulation and Change of Use applications to your Local Authority.
Planning and Building Regulations Applications:
Your construction or refurbishment project will normally require an application to your Local Authority for planning and/or building regulations approval and we undertake all aspects of this; working with you from the earliest stages to identify the needs of the project and the sensitivities that are likely to impact on your application. Where necessary, we liaise with your Local Authority on your behalf and take into account their views on your proposed project in order to submit an application that has the strongest likelihood of gaining approval. We will then continue to liaise with them during the course of the application process, providing any additional clarification or information that may be requested; providing you with total peace-of-mind. We are also able to assist you in the involvement of Structural Engineers or Energy Consultants, as and when/if required.
We are experienced in matters concerning Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and other Areas of Special Interest which all so often require sensitive handling.
We pride ourselves on having nurtured good working relationships with the various Local Authorities in the area.
As well as producing drawings and applications for new projects, we can produce 'as-built' drawings either as a record for your own use or to support applications attempting to secure planning approval on work that has already been carried out.
Measured surveys:
As the name suggests, a measured survey is one where we survey your property or relevant part of it, taking measurements and recording detail to enable us to produce two-dimensional drawings (floor plans). For whatever the reason you need your home, garden or commercial property 'drawn-up', we can include as much or as little detail as you require.
Lease Plans:
Lease plans are a form of measured survey. Whether you are the landlord/owner or the tenant/leaseholder, it can be important and helpful to have a record of the property and facilities to which the lease agreement relates.
Such plans can include as much or as little detail as required and we are happy to undertake them at any stage of the lease term, although most benefit is gained if the plan is in place before the lease is formalised and signed, so that both parties understand the extent of their respective obligations and the extent of the subject property.
Lease plans are also often submitted to the Land Registry as an accurate record of the size, location and layout of the property. Such plans can also be used for other matters; in the application process for an alcohol licence, for example.