If you’re planning on building a luxury bespoke home then chances are it’s going to be somewhere with pretty spectacular scenery – rather than in the midst of a housing estate in town. This means your dream home will probably be somewhere in the countryside – a rural area or perhaps even in a location which is considered an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

And here lies your first challenge – gaining planning permission to build in a beautiful, rural location. Often these sites are in conservation areas and it’s here that having an expert architect on board (especially a local one) comes into its own.

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Knowledge Of Sustainable Design For Conservation Areas

A local architect will be well-versed in the planning application process and knowledgeable about what planners look for in terms of sustainable design, so that the house sits harmoniously into the landscape, rather than disrupting the beauty of the area by proving what walkers to the area would consider an eyesore.

Sustainable design also means considering your dream home’s carbon emissions and attempting to keep it as low as possible. Doing so means lower energy bills for you and your family, as well as satisfaction in the knowledge that you’ve done as much as you could to ensure your home is environmentally-friendly.

Expertise In Extending Listed Buildings

Another potential planning minefield for those who plan to renovate an old property into a luxury dream home is if the building is listed as historically significant. In this case, an application has to be sent to Historic England to get permission for a ‘sympathetic build’, for example, one which is in keeping with the building’s existing character.

Again, an expert local architect will know how to handle this type of situation because he or she is probably already familiar with the process. This means not only being familiar with the application procedure, but also knowing where to source particular materials, as well as how long you can expect to wait for listed building approval.

Coming Up With Innovative Ideas That Work

It’s all very well coming up with a stunning, eco-friendly, innovative design for your luxury new home. However, do you have the know-how to be able to tell if it’s (a) structurally sound, (b) accepted under planning laws and (c) within your budget? Rest-assured an expert architect will be able to assist and advise on all these areas.

Knowledge Of Costs

It’s very easy to go overboard when choosing fittings and materials for a luxury new home. When you hire an experienced architect he or she will be able to advise you – as you go along – where you are with regards to your budget. Furthermore, if you need to cut back, an experienced local architect can advise you on the best places to sources similar materials to achieve the look and style you always dreamt of. At the same time, because your architect will often use the same suppliers and interior designers project after project, they may even be able to pull a few strings and get you a cost discount on materials as a favour.

To get more of a flavour about what’s involved when building a new home, and the input an architect can give in the project, why not take a look at our FREE downloadable Self Build Guide today?

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