FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Designing your new living space is exciting, but we understand you may have several questions, too. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions, but if you have more, why not book a consultation with us now?
Initial Consultations are €250 inc VAT inside the M50 and €300 inc VAT outside (within 15km). This cost is incorporated into the package price if you go forward with our services.
This initial consultation allows us the opportunity to define the scope of the project and the suitability of our service to meet your needs.
If our service is a match for your needs, we will provide you with a fee proposal to follow.
Maps or plans of the existing house or site are useful, if you have them available, however they are not essential as we will provide a full measured survey of the property as part of our complete service.
You will have an initial meeting with us to discuss your requirements and make sure that you are choosing the right architect for the job. We will discuss your ideas, concepts and our experience in relation to them.
For house extensions and modifications, it is usually best to meet at your house in order for us to carry out an initial visual inspection and to understand the scope of work envisaged. For new private houses or new developments, it is best to meet at the site, in order to understand the context created by surrounding buildings and possible site limitations, such as overhead electricity lines or streams.
Architectural and Engineering fees are traditionally calculated on the basis of a % of the total project cost, on a sliding scale. Design23 commit to agree fixed fees for all our projects, based on an agreed scope of works, broken down to each project stage. This approach allows you to tailor the service you require to suit your project needs.
You only pay for the services you use.
The Design Team should be established as soon as possible to avoid abortive work.
We will always ask you to provide us with a budget to work with. Once we have that figure we work alongside interior designers and contractors to make sure the project stays within that budget whilst also maximising its potential.
The length of the design process, from first consultation to final design, will vary depending on the scale of the project and the variables involved. For typical house extensions and alterations we expect to have designs finalised within 3-4 weeks of first consultation. For new private houses and developments it is usually necessary to develop a series of alternative designs which are presented at design review meetings, for your consideration. The designs are refined and new drawings prepared until you are entirely happy with the final arrangement. This process typically takes 4-6 weeks from first consultation.
The Planning Regulations in Ireland provide exemptions for a broad range of development types, with strict rules governing application of these exemptions in each category. For extensions to your own house, a rear extension up to 40 sq. m total area, with up to 12 sq. m at first floor level and a 2 sq. m front porch are exempt from a requirement to obtain.
Planning Permission under normal circumstances:
Planning Permission is generally required for new buildings, such as a new private house or a commercial development of any kind.
A Planning Application is lodged with the Local Authority where the site is located. The normal period for a decision on a Planning Application is 8 weeks, followed by 4 weeks for Third Party appeals, so you would normally have your Planning Permission within 3 months. In the event that your Planning Application is appealed to An Bord Pleanala it is likely to take a further 3-6 months for a final decision.
We will help to guide you through this process. We will draw up the plans based on council guidelines and organise any paperwork and arrangements for the construction project.
Yes, we work with building contractors and have our own contacts with whom we have worked successfully over many years. However, if a client has a building contractor they would specifically like to work with, then we are happy to meet them and carry out due diligence on their firm.