Over the past few years, the demand for housing across the UK has skyrocketed, leading to a parallel increase in demand for home improvements, extensions and redesigns.
With House Price Indexes reporting record prices for housing, many people are turning to house architects in Glasgow either to improve their existing homes or make the most of the space they have in preparation to sell.
Regardless of the reason, getting in touch with an architect to help with the design and implementation of your ideas is an important step in bringing these ideas to life.
However, before you start any work or hire any contractors, designers or architects, here are some top tips for how to set a budget and stick to it as much as possible.
Do As Much Checking As Possible
Whilst ultimately the final budget can only be determined once the designs are finalised and all of the material requirements calculated, there are ways to avoid sudden sticker shock.
The first is simply to ask around. If you have friends, colleagues or neighbours who have recently undergone a renovation, ask them about their experiences, how much it cost and the issues they had along the way.
As well as this, take advantage of cost guides and budgeting tools to figure out which specific elements affect the cost the most, and look at a few guides to get a general estimate for how much your desired extension would cost.
Ask Any Potential Architect And Designer About Feasibility
It is best to go into an interview with a potential architect with a general idea of what you want to spend, and at this early stage, it is essential to stick roughly to that figure as much as possible.
The best way to do this is simply to ask an architect directly if the work you want to do is possible within the budget you want to spend. This will either start a discussion about potential sticking points or save everyone’s time.
As well as this, it may be worth considering hiring a quantity surveyor or other cost professional to ensure you are sticking to your budget.
Write Your Budget Into Your Agreement
Oftentimes, the reason for projects going over budget outside of unforeseen circumstances is related to clarity surrounding the budget. This can be fixed by ensuring the budget is written within the fee agreement with the architect and requiring explicit permission to exceed.
A contingency of around 15-20 per cent is a good idea regardless, particularly if your ambitions for the project increase.