So, you have taken the plunge and decided to build, renovate or extend your own house? With an exciting journey ahead to create your perfect property, Avey & Son Ltd can make your dream home come true.
Having helped clients deliver their dream new build homes, our enviable reputation for craftsmanship means we have the imagination to create something unique and know how to deliver excellence.
Avey & Son have created new builds across a range of sites, including a plot of land converted into two four-bedroom detached, three storey houses built to a high standard to achieve maximum use of the land. Other projects include building six luxury bungalows with their own private service road, all to a high specification.
Our unrivalled attention to detail and 30-year heritage allows us to deliver a high-quality service from conception to completion.
Drawing upon Avey & Son’s extensive experience in construction founder Phil Avey shares his expertise on how to plan your dream home.
Tip 1: Plan every detail, no matter how small
If you are planning your dream home, Phil says you should take the time to plan every detail. “To get a firm grip on the design from the outset and ensure costs are kept in control, try to imagine every scenario for your life in the property,” says Phil.
“It is going to be your home so plan the way you want to live. Imagine how you live your life each day to plan your journey round the property every day.
“Many people hedge their bets about the details and are not realistic about all the little decisions that go into their day, which can cause problems later when your architect and developer gets to work.
“We have a high success rate because we get clients to think through their journey. It may seem daft when you’re starting but we get people to imagine everyday things like: ‘Where do you take you shoes and coat off and where do you store them? Where do you put your house or car keys each day? You don’t want to be searching for them every day when you are rushing to work.
“When you start to picture the little things, the big things start to take shape. Another one is: ‘Where does the sun come up? Where do you like to do your household chores, like the ironing? Where do you plug in the Christmas tree each year?”
For Phil all these details add up to the one big question you want to be able to answer in every decision: “How do you LIVE?”
Tip 2: Get an architect who can realise your dream with Avey help and consultancy service
The expertise of an architect can be priceless not just in the planning stage but also cost control, explains Phil. Avey have a quantity surveying service to offer, helping control your budget at the design stage.
“You need an architect as everyone involved needs to be working from the same drawings. These designs are key to controlling your budget.
“Paying for an architect’s design is the best money you will spend as unscrupulous builders will give you a low price and then hit you later with variations, increasing the costs.
“If it is all in black and white it becomes a level playing field for gaining like for like quotes from a range of potential contractors.”
Tip 3: Take a proper perspective
A design fit for purpose will have full measurements to allow for detailed planning and costings, says Phil.
“The drawings need to have dimensions,” he explains. “Most planning drawings we are sent by clients do not have dimensions on them, which can have knock-on consequences for your contractor trying to realise your dream.
“Some designs are poor impressions that look pretty but are useless when it comes to pricing. Go the distance and get the dimensions right.”
