Design

Start with cost estimates per square metre and your designer’s input to determine what’s affordable. Focus on essentials if your budget is tight, leaving finer details like finishes for later stages.

One of the most exciting stages is seeing your ideas and requirements take shape in a floor plan. This collaborative process with your designer brings your vision to life, guided by all the considerations from the pre-design stage.

The kitchen is where most people spend the most time at home, so getting it right is crucial. Hybrid kitchen/living spaces require careful planning for practicality, safety, and space. Kitchens and bathrooms also need an understanding of how different materials work.

Include outside spaces in your brief, such as garden pods, sheds, and garages, whether attached or detached. Remember to budget for these, as planting schemes may also need planning approval.

Choosing windows and doors is often about personal style, but as a major expense, it’s vital to explore all available options carefully.

Your architectural designer can often advise on planning restrictions for your chosen external wall finish and roof covering.

Planning permission is the government's formal approval allowing you to build a house based on the submitted plans, often with certain conditions attached.

The push to improve energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions has driven major changes in building regulations. In ROI, this is already in effect, with similar updates expected in NI.

Heating systems are the machinery responsible for producing heat and hot water in the home, while heat emitters are the equipment, such as radiators or underfloor heating, that deliver this heat to your living spaces.

Ventilation brings fresh air into the home while removing stale air. Natural ventilation uses wall vents or windows with vents and is cost-effective. Extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms help remove moisture but allow heat to escape. Blocking vents to prevent drafts can cause moisture issues and carbon monoxide risks.

Certain items need early design planning to ensure future installation is simple and cost-effective. Key examples include rainwater harvesting systems and solar panels, which can either generate electricity (photovoltaic PV), produce hot water (solar thermal), or use hybrid panels to do both.

Before work can begin, your architectural designer must prepare building regulation-compliant drawings. These are created using input from key trades, suppliers, and advisors like structural engineers, but primarily from the designer’s own detailing, based on the planning drawings submitted for approval.

The owner holds ultimate responsibility for complying with building regulations and health and safety requirements.