Planning a home renovation often starts with ideas about layouts, extensions, kitchens and finishes. But before you start asking builders for quotations, there is another important question to consider:
Do you need professional advice before the work begins?
Depending on the type and complexity of your renovation, you may need an architect, architectural designer, building surveyor, structural engineer or another specialist consultant.
The important thing is not simply appointing a professional. It is understanding why you need them, what you expect them to do and exactly what their appointment includes.
Start with the project
Before appointing anyone, be clear about what you are planning to change.
Are you:
- extending your home?
- removing or altering walls?
- changing the internal layout?
- converting a loft, garage or other space?
- altering the roof?
- making significant changes to services?
- renovating an older property where defects may already exist?
The nature of the work will help determine what professional advice may be required.
Architect or architectural designer
An architect or architectural designer may help develop your ideas into a workable design and prepare drawings for planning, Building Regulations and construction.
But don't assume that appointing someone to prepare drawings means they will automatically manage the entire project.
Their involvement might finish once drawings or approvals have been obtained unless further services have specifically been agreed.
Building surveyor
A building surveyor can be particularly useful where you need a better understanding of the existing property.
This may include investigating defects, assessing the condition of parts of the building, advising on proposed alterations or helping to prepare specifications and schedules of work.
This can be especially valuable when renovating older properties where opening up the building may reveal problems that were not initially obvious.
Structural engineer
If your renovation involves structural alterations, a structural engineer may be required.
For example, removing a load-bearing wall, creating a large opening, altering the roof structure or carrying out certain extension works may require structural calculations and designs.
The engineer's role should be established clearly, including what information they will provide and whether any site inspections are included.
Other specialists
Some projects may require additional specialist advice.
Depending on the work, this could include party wall advice, drainage specialists, energy consultants, asbestos surveys or specialist designers and installers.
Not every renovation needs a large professional team. The objective is to identify the expertise your particular project actually requires.
Understand the scope of services
This is one of the most important things to establish before appointing anyone.
Ask exactly what is included.
Will the professional:
- develop the design?
- prepare drawings?
- deal with planning applications?
- prepare Building Regulations information?
- coordinate structural engineering?
- prepare specifications or schedules of work?
- help obtain and assess builders' quotations?
- prepare or advise on the building contract?
- administer the contract during construction?
- inspect the work at agreed stages?
- assess payments or variations?
- inspect completed work and identify defects?
Never assume a service is included simply because you have appointed a professional.
If it isn't included within their agreed scope, they may have no responsibility for providing it.
Understand the fees
Don't look only at the headline fee.
Establish what the fee includes and what could result in additional charges.
For example:
- additional drawings;
- design changes;
- extra meetings;
- additional site visits;
- work arising from unexpected problems; or
- a construction period that lasts longer than anticipated.
Understanding this before appointment can prevent disagreements later.
Check relevant experience
Qualifications are important, but so is relevant experience.
Ask whether the professional has worked on projects similar to yours.
A modest residential renovation can require a very different approach from a large commercial project or new-build development.
Ask to see examples of comparable work and understand what role the professional actually performed on those projects.
Where appropriate, check professional credentials and whether suitable professional indemnity insurance is maintained for the services being offered.
Establish who is responsible for what
A renovation can involve several different people.
An architect may prepare the design.
A structural engineer may design structural alterations.
A surveyor may investigate the existing building.
Specialists may design particular elements.
The builder carries out the construction work within their agreed responsibilities.
The homeowner needs to understand where each person's responsibility starts and finishes.
If responsibilities are unclear, important tasks can fall between the gaps.
Get the appointment in writing
Before professional work begins, obtain a written appointment.
It should clearly identify:
- the services being provided;
- the professional's responsibilities;
- what is excluded;
- the agreed fees and payment arrangements;
- how additional services will be charged;
- the anticipated programme; and
- what happens if either party wishes to end the appointment.
A professional appointment should create clarity, not uncertainty.
Design is not the same as managing the construction
This is an important distinction for homeowners.
Someone who designs your renovation or prepares drawings will not necessarily inspect the builder's work, administer the building contract or manage the project during construction.
If you want professional involvement once building work starts, establish who will provide that service before you appoint the builder.
Don't discover halfway through the renovation that everybody assumed somebody else was responsible.
Before you renovate
Don't appoint an architect, surveyor or engineer simply because you think your renovation is supposed to have one.
First understand what your project needs.
Then establish which professional is best placed to provide it.
Finally, make sure their written appointment clearly identifies what they have agreed to do.
Good professional advice can prevent expensive mistakes.
But it is most effective when everyone understands their responsibilities before the renovation begins.
Plan first. Renovate second.
