Cairnfauld
This compact house design provides comfortable living accommodation on the ground floor with two double bedrooms to the first floor. Ideally suited to a southerly aspect to maximise the passive solar gain, this design will suit many of the smaller house plots available today.
Sense of entrance is assured by the full height space with feature stair and link bridge above. The simple plan is centred on the feature staircase with separate lounge and dining kitchen either side, with a functional utility space giving access to the rear.
The simple form of the exterior creates a contemporary elevation, which can be clad with various finishes to suit the location and surroundings.
How it works
Each stage of the process can be broken down to include the following services for a fixed cost;
- Assess house plot for suitability for building. Clients to provide their own house plot, with or without planning approval.
- Discuss needs and choose suitable house from standard types.
- Agree appointment and move forward. Visit site and carry out digital level survey.
- Make basic interior layout changes to house type as required by client.
- Decide exterior finish from suggested options.
- Make formal planning application on Clients behalf.
Cost: £3,250 + VAT
- Preparation of detailed building warrant drawings and application.
- Structural engineering of timber kit and non-timber elements such as foundations and lintols.
- SER certificate to accompany building warrant application included.
- SAP calculations and energy information to accompany warrant application.
Cost: £5700 + VAT
Ideal for self-builders, this inspection service provides a CML certificate at the end of the project. The Council of Mortgage Lenders Certificate, sometimes known as an Architects Certificate is a nationally recognised certificate. It can be used if the property is to be sold at a later date (within 6 years). We will inspect your build at key points of the construction to ascertain whether the works have been carried out in accordance with the approved drawings and to a suitable standard.
Please refer to our ‘what’s included’ page for further guidance of inclusions and exclusions.
Cost: Dependant on location and house size
House Build Costs
Estimating the build cost of a house is a difficult task and there aren’t really any simple ways of doing this. There are so many factors that influence the cost including the location of the site from major towns, ground conditions and slopes and access to services such as gas, electric and sewers.
The simplest way to estimate the build cost is to work on a square metre rate for a standard house on a flat site, with good ground conditions and access to mains sewage and services. Using £1700 per metre square would give you a working budget for your house build, which can then be clarified once you have the preferred plot in place and other factors can be factored in.
As an example, the Borve housetype would cost in the region of £280,000 to build.
What's included
Stage 1 fee includes:
- Digital land survey to a maximum plot size of 2000m sq.
- Coloured plans, elevations and sections of house type in context with site.
- Site plan with design and appropriate access and details included, suitable for planning application.
- Ordnance Survey map and block plan for location purposes.
- All planning application administration with local authority.
- Planning application fee to local authority (£401).
Stage 1 fee exclusions and additional costs:
Interior and exterior changes are included, up to 5 hours of design time. Beyond 5 hours we reserve the right to charge a design fee of £50 per hour plus vat. Amendments to design to suit local authority planning requirements will be charged at the above hourly rate or an agreed fixed cost.
Stage 2 fee includes:
- Detailed working drawings including foundation and drainage plans. Detailed floor plans, construction sections, elevations and site plans. We also provide large-scale construction details.
- Structural Engineers detailed drawings and SER certificate to accompany application. This includes non-timber items such as foundations and external lintols. Site investigation by Engineer.
- Drainage design including septic tank and soakaway design or sewer connection if required.
- SAP calculations to accompany warrant application.
- Building warrant application to local authority including administration and warrant fee. (approx. £1250).
Stage 2 exclusions and additional costs:
Due to the nature of drainage connections and local authority, Scottish Water and Scottish Ecological Protection Agency regulations, the above costs include for a basic drainage design. Non-standard or complicated connections involving discharge to water or similar, may incur further costs.
All sites have different ground conditions and as such the cost allowed for foundation design is based on a flat site, with normal load bearing ground at a level of 600mm below existing ground level. Sloping sites and difficult ground may incur additional design costs, but this would be given to you in writing at the site investigation stage to avoid any surprises.
Changes to the design will mean changes to the building warrant drawings and sometimes the structure. As such we may need to charge an additional cost to cover the redrawing and structural changes by our engineer.
If you or your builder change the design or construction during the build, you may need to apply for an Amendment to Warrant to the local authority. You will require to do this prior to applying for the Completion Certificate. This is not included in the Stage 2 costs and we will require to charge an additional fee for this work, if required.
Stage 3 fee includes:
- 7no. site inspections at key points of the build, set out at the start of the project.
- Issuing of standard CML Certificate at completion of project.
Stage 3 exclusions and additional costs:
Responsibility of the client to make the completion application and have the build inspected by the local authority at the appropriate times. Amendment to Warrant applications for revised designs will incur additional costs.
A CML certificate is not a warranty, so if you need a higher level of cover, you can use a warranty service such as NHBC or Zurich, which offer self-build covers.
Order Process
Stage 1
Initial deposit of £750 to be paid at time of agreeing house design and signing contract.
2nd payment of remainder, to be paid prior to planning application submission.
Stage 2
3rd payment of £,1,250 upon instruction to proceed with warrant & engineering
4th payment of remainder, to be paid prior to building warrant application submission.