It all starts with a plan . . .

In the A to Z of building a home, A is for architect. They are right there at the start and will be with you until the job is done.

YOU wouldn’t knit a sweater without a pattern; you wouldn’t build a home without plans. If a kit home is not for you then you will need an architect and if you are embarking on your first self-build project, relax, your architect has built many, many of them. You may know what you want in your head; an architect will translate your dreams into plans and also into reality. Note the word reality because it is an architect’s job to design a house for you that will meet all the real-life regulations, not just what you want but all the legal requirements to satisfy planning permission and building warrants and within the constraints of your plot of land and your budget. They will also help with applying for the necessary permissions and be involved in site inspections if you wish. Working with an architect can be very personal. Choosing an architect might not get down to a marriage bureau or dating app levels, but it can feel as though it comes pretty close at times. Once again, research pays off; have you seen houses in your area that you like? Have you spoken to people who have completed self-build projects? Who did they use, who have you heard good things about? Expect to have some long and serious conversations; after listening to you they might recommend a kit home. In helping you make decisions about your home they will ask a lot of questions about your life and what you need from a house. Not just how many bedrooms, but will you be working from home and need an office or study; do you want a room especially for your own interests like music or crafts, a room which then can be incorporated back into the main living space easily should you ever move. How much do you like to entertain? Will your kitchen be a living and dining area, will you have a separate dining room? Would you prefer a smaller kitchen with a utility room for laundry, or a mud room for outdoor gear, dogs and riding tack or your fishing tackle or a built-in gun cabinet? Do you need a shower downstairs for your muddy outdoor lifestyle? Will some en-suite bathrooms save traffic jams in the morning as you get yourselves and the kids off to work and school? Or are you looking to the future and envisage your parents coming to live with you and want the house designed and positioned

on site in such a way that an annexe can be added later on. Do you stay home for your entertainment rather than go out? Would you like to create a media room for the box set bingers and gamers, or where you can go and chill out to your favourite music? A good architect can see our family life and build a home around it and see where you can comprise when necessary. This is the glory of self-build; our homes can be as individual as our family needs are. Apart from all your dreams there is also the down-to-earth practical stuff: storage space, heating with solar panels, ground source, biomass and where the septic tank is going to go if you are in a remote spot. A good architect looks at the grand scheme of things and the minute detail and above all they are good listeners and good communicators with you, your builders and contractors and the local authority for planning and warrants.