Architectural Services for the Hospitality Industry

Studio D2, offers a wide range of Architectural services to suit your requirements

 

o       Feasibility study

o       Building survey

o       Architectural Design

o       Planning permission

o       Building regulations

o       Cost estimates and budgeting forecasts

o       Detailed drawings and specification

o       Tender documents

Every project is dealt with accordingly.

From the above services you may chose them individually or you could opt for the whole package depending on your project.

Feasibility study

Feasibility studies are an essential part of planning when it comes to your project. It allows you to determine whether your idea for the chosen land or premises is viable, how likely it will be to get the results that you expect in the end.
You can use our services separately; our feasibility study service is outlined below:

• At first a general proposal is required from you
• We will then review the proposal and take the key points into consideration
• We will do a survey of the area or location of the project, taking in details that are relevant to the project, such as other businesses, residential or any other form of information that may be relevant.
• The next step would be to draw up plans and a building survey; the building survey is a survey of the buildings current condition.
• Design schematic layout plans to see if the items that you wish to have within the area are feasible and workable.
• We will then take a study to see if the building is structurally viable for your project.
• We will contact the local planning authorities to check with them if the proposal plans and project is permitted
• Following that we will does budget feasibility, estimating how much the project will cost, if you will get your return on investment, and if it is going to be a viable successful project.

These are the main outlined procedures, every project is different.

We price for this service per project, please contact us if you would like a quotation for this project.

 

Building survey
Building survey is where an architect or surveyor examines the current building conditions, taking note of what it is and its circumstances.

Some building surveys are more complex than others. Some just look at the visible elements within a building where as some actually examine structure in detail and also examining if it meets certain current building standards and that nothing of importance is omitted.

Some surveys can also advise of any future problems that may occur with the various components of the building.

Examples of some of the elements that are considered;

If it is an existing building

• Quality of the performance of the building
• Levels of dampness
• Level of adequate of a heating system
• The electrical installation
• Insulation
• Drains
• Compliance of the building with such regulations that may apply e.g. means of escape, building regulations.

These are just some of the major elements that are looked at, obviously different projects and different building types will vary.

Planning Permission

Making a Planning Permission:

Having the experience and the contact names within certain councils in the United Kingdom, this helps us know in advance what each council requires.

Within our design package we offer this service inclusive.

In some cases you may not always need planning permission; it is not required for changes to the interior of a building or for small changes to the outside except for grade II listed buildings please call us if you require further clarification.

Planning permission is also required if you need to change the front of the premises, like the signage, shop front or other exterior amendments.

If you go ahead with your development without the required permission, the local council or planning authority for your area may ask you to make a retrospective planning application.If its decided that permission should not be granted it might require you to return things back to their original position.

You can appeal but if the verdict comes out against you and if you still refuse to comply you may be prosecuted.

The decision for planning permission will be made within eight weeks. Large or complex applications may take longer.

Change of use are graded, they start as A1, if you wish to down grade a change of use you do not have to ask for permission, however you will still need to inform the council of any major interior changes.

Below is a table for the A classes with information on what they are and whether it is permitted to change without permission.

Class	Details Change	Permitted
A1: Shops and retail outlets A2: Financial and professional service	Internet services/ cafes to be classified as A1. Otherwise A1 to remain the same To remain as it is	No Permitted change Permitted to change to A1 only (where a ground floor window displays exists)
(New) A3: Restaurants and Cafes	Where the primary purpose is the sale and consumption of hot food on the premises	Permitted to change to A1 or A2
(New) A4: Pubs and bars	Where the primary purpose is the sale/consumption of alcohol on the premises	Permitted change to A1, A2, or A3.
(New) A5: Takeaways	Where the primary purpose is the sale of hot food for taking away	Permitted change to A1, A2, or A3
Sui Generis	Warehouse clubs to be classified as sui generic. Motor vehicle show rooms

The premise licence continues as B1, B2, C and D, D also includes hotels.

For example some authorities find it very important to have a certain number of A1 retail outlets within a high street; in that case no other licence can be permitted if it means losing the amount permitted for A1 licences. However if you can argue, and make it apparent, why it is more valuable or beneficial to have your premise there they may grant you the change of use.

Before you negotiate a lease or buy a property, it may be advisable to consider whether you need to obtain planning permission for your intended use and, if so what are your chances of getting it.

If you take on the licence as it is and do not want to go for change of use, you may not be obligated to comply to certain new rules by the council such as DDA, disabled discrimination act. You may not have to have a disabled toilet, you may not have to have a ramp for entrance for disabled, and you may not have to have a lift to access other levels of your premises. Or any other new rules that your council has made mandatory.

Building Regulations

Building regulations are required to define how a new building or any form of alteration within a building will take place, building regulations are there to make sure that the building is structurally safe, protected from the risk of fire and general technical aspects.

As a design and build company we take care of the building regulation requirements and use our own regulated and certified officers that give us a certificate at the end of the building project.

Cost Estimates and Budgeting forecasts

If you have an existing project and premises, with no idea as to how much you need to invest or how much it will cost you, Studio D2 can assist you with a budgeting forecast.

If you have a set budget number that you wish to work with we can also develop a budgeting plan, with detailed information on how much each element will cost you, we can guide you on what areas your money should be spent, for example if you wish to establish yourself as a certain type of venue we can advise you on what you should spend money on to achieve this and where you should spend less money.

Detailed drawings and specification

In order for the project to be taken to the next stage, the construction stage, detailed drawings and specifications must be done. Builders work against these documents, here important information is transferred into blue print by the Architect, stating every building detail from the doors to the door knobs to the openings of the doors and other building detail.

The detailed drawings are done electronically and printed out on A2 or which ever paper size the builders require.

Specifications are also included in the package ; these are a list of items that are specified to be used for the project.