Architectural Advent day 11: (will I ever catch up?)
After several years of housing market boom here in the UK, there are lots of people drawing down on mortgages and extending their home. I’ve been involved in a few over recent years, and in a city who’s housing stock is largely made up of Victorian terraces there is often a pattern to the house type that people wish to extend. The outrigger of a standard terrace usually struggles to deliver what people want from a contemporary kicthen. There’s never quite enough room for all the appliances and the breakfast bar as well. Leaving nowhere to put your Starck lemon juicer.
The honest truth is that, for me, it’s tough to get a project of this scale to be economically viable, as the input involved usually outweighs the fees that you can sensibly propose without screwing the clients budget. So if you happen to live in a property like this and you’re thinking about extending your kitchen, here’s a few sketches I did for a simple replacement of the coal shed / outside toilet.
Just employ someone to draw it up for planning and building regulations. It’ll save you some money.
This particular project was sent to the client by post card – the full set can be found on flickr.
update: 18.12.06
I just re-read this and somehow it has turned into one of the most arrogant sounding entries I’ve ever written. That wasn’t the plan – let me explain…
“…for me, it’s tough to get a project of this scale to be economically viable…” – Talking on behalf of architects everywhere here, I’m not suggesting I charge outrageous fees and it’s all beneath me.
“…Just employ someone to draw it up for planning and building regulations. It’ll save you some money…” – Unless, of course, the building is less than 50 cubic metres or 10% of the original volume of the building and at the rear; in which case you shouldn’t need planning consent. As for building regulations, a competent builder you can trust could oversee the project under a simple building notice. Who needs architects?
“…This particular project was sent to the client by post card…” – As an initial proposal! The back-of-a-knapkin drawing is such a cliche. I’d have drawn it up had it gone ahead. On a paper bag perhaps.