FAQs

There’s no cut-and-dried answer; we’ll gather information from you when we first talk, before giving you an idea.

What you need and want from your home depends on your lifestyle and ambitions. Whether you have family considerations, you need more space, or you want to invest in your most personal asset, everybody differs. We tailor each and every project to the person – or family – in front of us.

So the timeline for each project depends. What we can say, is that during our initial discovery process, we’ll talk to you to understand your requirements. This will give us an indication of how long things will take. We’ll communicate with you clearly and honestly, so that you’re aware of the timescales from the outset. If you’re working to a deadline, we’ll let you know if any services can be overlapped.

If it looks like there could be delays, we’ll do our best to alert you in advance. We’ll provide a project programme indicating where flexibility is needed. We’ve 17 years of experience in residential architecture, so we’re used to anticipating hiccups!

Examples of things that can affect a project programme:

1. Applying for planning and other legislative submissions
2. Party wall or license to alter negotiations
3. Complex designs or difficult site conditions
4. Unknowns – things found on site when work begins
5. Changes to the brief

The unexpected can occur; the most important thing, is not to worry. As architects we’re trained to solve problems. And with an experienced in-house team of seven, plus a wide network of specialists to call upon, there aren’t many hurdles that we can’t find a way over, under or around.

If you’re thinking of extending, remodelling or building a new home, get in touch. We might not have an answer straight away; however, we’d be happy to sit down with you and hear your ideas. From there, we can give you an estimate as to how long the project will take.

Imagine seeing a beautiful design for the home you’ve always wanted. The space is inviting and the finish is immaculate. In your mind’s eye, you can see your friends and family gathered around, the bubbly popping…

Now imagine that you hear the cost, only to realise that it’s out of your budget. Demoralising, isn’t it?

That’s why we at 50 Degrees North recommend beginning with the budget in mind, rather than ending with it. Each and every project is unique; it’s not possible to provide an ‘off-the-shelf’ price.

Our approach is as follows: We’ll find out what you need and begin the design work. We’ll explain the key parameters of the project before pausing. At this stage we can seek cost advice from builders or a quantity surveyor and discuss with you the budget, scope and specification before continuing. That way, expectations reflect the reality of the budget – for us as the architects and you as the client.

We’re really happy to give you an overview of the fees that may be involved, aside from architects and builders. There are often things that don’t become apparent until further down the line so it’s wise to factor contingencies into the budget. We don’t charge for an initial meeting at our studio. To gain a clearer understanding of what to budget for a building project, get in touch.

We design to inspire, transform homes, and help our clients live well. Our service goes far beyond drawing – though we’re skilled at that, too!

The core services that we provide reflect the many considerations clients face when undertaking a project:

We’re here to advise and support you as you make the decisions that will bring your project to life. Our team has decades of knowledge and experience gained from managing projects of all scales and types. Our service gives the build team what they need to complete the work on-budget and to a high quality.

Not everyone needs or wants a tailored, full-scale service – and that’s fine. For most people, the help of a skilled professional to develop a brief and deliver a beautiful outcome is a welcome relief.

Planning major changes to your home is an exciting journey – though not without worry. We’re a RIBA chartered practice. That means we adhere to a code of ethics and comply with strict insurance, health and safety, and quality control initiatives. Take a look at RIBA’s document which gives an overview of how architects help. How does that sound? If you’ve a burning idea you’d love to make a reality, give us a call on 020 8744 2337.

Many of the clients we work with are local to our studio in Richmond, West London. Our knowledge of the area, types of buildings found here, and local planning requirements mean that your home is in safe hands. What’s more, we’ve an extensive network of trusted partners and suppliers. Many of these are based in West and Central London; so you can relax, knowing that we’ve worked with these people for years and trust that they deliver work of a very high quality.

Beyond Richmond, we work across London, the home counties and West Sussex. We’ve completed projects across the UK, from Pembrokeshire to the Outer Hebrides. Our work takes us to Switzerland, Finland and China too.

So if you’re local or international, contact us for an initial conversation. We’re passionate about helping people create their ideal homes, no matter where they are. Perhaps we could help you create yours?

No, we don’t have a ‘minimum’ project size.

Our residential niche means that most of the projects we work on start at a construction value of around £100,000. At the opposite end, we work on projects with a total spend of over £1 million.

Whatever you’re looking to achieve, we’re always upfront about the budget. We’ll speak with you to gain an understanding of your needs and what the focal points are. Open and honest discussions with your architect are the best way to create a clear picture in terms of the scope of work. You can rest assured that we’ll help you define a clear brief and set realistic expectations for your budget.

So, why not contact us to discuss your plans? Even if you’re not sure whether an architect could help, get in touch. We’ll be able to answer your questions and give you clarity either way.

Yes.

We design focal points, fitted elements such as walk-in wardrobes and storage facilities. We frequently work with interior designers and we have a wide network of professionals we can recommend.

Interior elements and spaces that we design:

• Walk-in wardrobes

• Boot rooms and utility rooms

• Room dividers and consoles

• Living room focal points

• Library spaces

• TV and multimedia rooms

• Bathrooms and master suites

• Joinery items like doors, screens and feature walls

Aside from interior designers, many other professionals may be needed for your project. Don’t be overwhelmed by the list! We can guide you through what’s necessary and help you make decisions. Our little black book is full of helpful consultants and tradespeople and we can even coordinate the process for you too.

Other interior consultants might include:

• Lighting designers

• Kitchen designers

• Bathroom suppliers

• Joinery and furniture makers/suppliers

• Multimedia suppliers

• Alarm and security specialists

• Pool, sauna and wellness suppliers

Significant building works on your home is a huge undertaking. Add the interiors too and there’s a lot to think about! If help to manage the process is something you’d be interested in, contact us and we’ll ease some of the pressure.

Yes, we can. We have a network of trusted suppliers – some have even worked on our own homes. The builders we work with are used to tendering for work. They provide genuinely helpful customer service and are experienced professionals. Usually, we’ll provide you with the details of builders so that you can meet and discuss budget, timescales and practicalities.

Our network stretches beyond builders and covers every part of the process. From planning consultants right up to lighting designers, we’ve a ready-made team of professionals who are used to working together. We can liaise with each of these parties early on to gain input and cost advice, so you’re prepared from the outset.

Thinking of extending or remodelling and not sure where to begin? We can help. Give us a call on 020 8744 2337 for an initial conversation at no charge.

Your ideal home and what you want to achieve are unique to you. During our initial meeting, we’ll ask questions, listen to you and form a broad picture of what you have in mind.

If you’re unsure what to ask for, it’s no problem. We’ve worked with hundreds of clients, so we know the questions to ask to formulate a brief. The meeting is also a chance for us to introduce ourselves and explain how we work. We can show you examples of our previous work and make design suggestions.

The aim of the meeting is to establish if we’re a good fit for one another. We’ll gather enough information to provide a fee proposal and scope of work, which we’ll send you shortly after the meeting. Before organising a site survey or starting the design, we’ll agree fees, terms and conditions with you.

After that, the fun part begins! Congratulations, you’ve just taken the first step on the journey to your ideal home.

If you’ve grand plans for your home, why not pop in for an initial chat? We don’t charge for meetings at our studio and we’d be happy to help you decide if we can assist you.

The experts required will vary depending on your needs. First of all, we’ll find out what you’d like to do. From there, we’ll recommend or bring in specialists from our network.

Virtually every project will require:

Depending on the project, special considerations may need to be taken into account. In this case, other experts may be required. For example:

If this list seems a little bewildering, don’t panic! We’ve years of experience in handling projects with many parties involved. Your life is busy enough as it is – managing a large-scale and technical process is daunting. That’s why we manage all of this for our clients – right down to the kitchen or bathroom designers.

Thinking of starting a build? Give us a call on 020 8744 2337. We’d be delighted to hear your ideas and explain how we’ll work with our trusted partners to bring them to life.

The length of the planning stage depends on a range of factors. The size, scale and complexity of the project all play a part.

For refurbishments or relatively straightforward projects, we recommend clients allow around 8–10 weeks for planning. For more complex projects and for new builds we recommend allowing for several months.

Planning is a process. Sometimes that process takes a bit longer, sometimes it’s a little faster. If you’ve heard stories of people engaging an architect, submitting planning and getting on site within six weeks, we recommend taking it with a pinch of salt!

We’ve worked with hundreds of clients over the years and have developed a robust process. We design within legislative parameters and we take the advice of specialists we know and trust. This approach gives the application the best chance of success, though it does not guarantee success. If we need to withdraw your application, or resubmit, we’ll do our best to prepare you for this in advance. As with any large or lengthy project, bumps in the road can appear at any time and planning is no exception.

If you’re confused about what’s involved with planning or if you’ve heard conflicting tales, don’t worry. Give us a call on 020 8744 2337 – we’d be happy to listen to your concerns and to answer what we can. And if we don’t know the answer, we’ll find out.

We’re residential architects; we specialise in creating homes our clients love to live in.

There are four main project types which we work on:

1) Whole-house renovations/re-models Often, the need for this work arises from the client’s stage of life. For example, couples planning a family, or parents who want to turn their home into a central hub for visits from grown-up children and grandchildren.

2) Wraparound kitchen extensions The goal for this type of project is usually to shape the space to the clients’ needs. Home offices, utility rooms, large dining and entertaining spaces are typically part of the brief; anything to make family life a little more efficient.

3) New builds A blank canvas! Typical scenarios involve either building from scratch or knocking down an existing property and re-building. This type of project is only limited by your imagination… and what the planning officer will permit! Go traditional, go ultra-modern, or hyper-sustainable; when you’re building from the ground up, the choice is yours.

4) Specialist spaces As our lives change, what we expect from our homes is changing too. More and more clients ask for specialist spaces which blend previously distinct areas of life: work/home; rest/leisure; and staying in/going out. Examples of spaces we are often asked to create include home offices, garden rooms, gyms, basements, entertainment spaces and multi-media rooms.

Whatever your plans, we can bring them to life. Our track record also includes straightforward extensions, loft conversions and refurbishments. With over a thousand projects under our belt, there’s not much that will surprise us! Your home is in good hands.

Unsure where to begin? We never try and fit a round peg into a square hole. Instead, we listen, ask questions, and tell you honestly what your options are. Call us on 020 8744 2337 to discuss your home improvement today.

You certainly can. Depending on your unique situation, or what your plans involve, it may be the best course of action.

It’s always wise to get all of your ducks in a row before you start to build. The first step is to have a thorough conversation with your architect about your needs, what you’d like to achieve, and by when.

If you do feel that phasing the works is the right option for you, the second step is to prioritise your needs. Which aspect of the works is most pressing? What can wait? These answers usually depend on factors such as: lifestyle, changing family dynamics, work demands, or financial constraints, for instance.

Finally, make the most of your architect! They have a wealth of knowledge, experience and a creative outlook when it comes to problem-solving.

At 50 Degrees North, we can design so that phased works are possible. Planning permission is (in most cases) valid for three years. That means you can establish a design and have a clear idea of costs without needing to undertake all – or any – of the work immediately. We’ll design so that you can do more work later, with minimal disruption – and without having to undo what’s already done!

We’d love to help you create a vision for your ideal home. Email us today to arrange an initial consultation. We’ll listen to your plans, and tell you honestly how we can help.