The benefit of foresight
The ability to anticipate the future is the secret of a successful building project
AS someone near the end of a twoyear process of unpicking a listed 17th-century cottage, I’ve been left staggered at the complex problems that architects, structural engineers and builders grapple with on a daily basis. Thankfully, we’ve been lucky to work with some brilliant people, knowledgeable, patient and with a remarkable capacity for lateral thought.
We’ve learnt a lot, not least the dangers hidden in plain sight and the infinite opportunities for anything and everything to go wrong, from those embedded in a miscalculation to someone having an off moment. The collateral damage is not only the function and aesthetics of a space, but also the cost.
Needless to say, a well-planned project with a clearly communicated timeline will reduce the chances of mistakes and delay. However, it’s a process in which a crystal ball would come in handy, offering answers on how the house might look if you did this or that—and how much different options are likely to cost. And what would the planners—or, heaven forfend, the conservation people—say if you did? And how long would it take? Of course, there are computer-generated renders and people with clipboards and spreadsheets who can offer a degree of insight, but usually only after you’ve bought a property.
The stakes are highest at the lofty prime and super-prime end of the market. It’s a problem that luxury interior-design and architecture practice Janine Stone (020–3893 2866; www. janinestone.com) is aiming to solve with the launch of Clarity, a new service that appraises the suitability and viability of modifications that clients might be considering. It goes beyond planning advice to address concerns about a property’s capacity to meet a client’s aspirations. Insight is delivered in the form of alternate floor plans, design concepts, timeline and budget forecasts, lending full confidence during the acquisition process.
For those wishing to benefit from the decades of experience in breathing new life into old houses, eighth-generation builder Tim Moulding runs Country House Building Consultants (01722 742228; www.countryhousebuildingconsultants.co.uk). In both instances, clients have an opportunity to embark on a project forewarned and forearmed; echoing Abraham Lincoln’s words: ‘Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.’
It’s a process in which a crystal ball would come in handy