ARCHITECTURAL
SERVICES FOR CLIENTS
Whether your project is a new build, an extension, a renovation or a conservation project, we have the expertise and experience to help you achieve your goals.
If you are looking for architectural services for your residential or commercial project, you have come to the right place. Our team of experienced and creative architects can help you design your best project. Whether you want to build a commercial project, a new house, extend an existing one, or renovate an old one, we can provide you with a range of services to suit your needs and budget. We can assist you with feasibility studies, site surveys, concept design, planning permission, building regulations, tendering, and project inspection/certification.
ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR CLIENTS
We work closely with our clients to understand their vision and preferences, and we deliver high-quality solutions that are functional, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing. The extent of services can vary depending on your requirements and budget. We will discuss your needs to ensure that we can provide you with the services you require tailored to your budget. Contact us today to find out more about our architectural services for residential clients.
Initial Consultation: This is where you discuss your requirements and ideas with us. If you can, bring some photos from magazines or Pinterest as a picture speaks a thousand words. Click HERE to get an idea of what we mean. We will then advise you on the feasibility of your project and provide you with an initial cost estimate. And be assured your initial consultation is free and without obligation.
Site Survey: If your site is a green field we can carryout a level and boundary survey. If you are redeveloping or extending an existing building we can conduct a measured and condition/fabric survey of the structure. Click HERE for more information.
Concept Design: We can create a concept design based on your requirements and ideas. This will include floor plans, elevations and 3D visualisations and if required full rendering of exteriors and interiors can be prepared to bring your design to life.
Planning Permission: When your design is finalised we can prepare and submit the planning permission applications to the local authority and monitor its progress until final decison.
Building Control: Once planning permission has been granted, we can prepare detailed designs and specifications for your project for submission to Building Control.
Tendering: We will prepare tender documents and invite contractors to bid for the work. These documents are essentially the Building Control submission but augmented with additional information such as internal finishes and fixtures & fitting out schedules.
Construction: We can inspect the works during the construction stage to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with the design, specifications and building control standards. A full inspection service will allow us to act as your Assigned Designer & Assigned Certifier. Click HERE to see more information.
Completion & Certification: We can inspect the completed work to ensure that it meets the required standards and issue the necessary certification depending on the requirements of your building control regeme and or lending organisation.
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Health & Safety
PSDP / PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Project Supervisor for Design Process – PSDP (Republic)
Whether you construction project is a domestic or non domestic new build or an extension in the Republic, you need to know about the role of the PSDP. PSDP stands for Project Supervisor for Design Process, and it’s a legal requirement for most residential construction projects. The PSDP is responsible for co-ordinating the health and safety aspects of the design work and making sure that the risks are identified and reduced as much as possible. The PSDP also prepares a safety and health plan and a safety file for the project. By appointing us as your PSDP, you can ensure that your project complies with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 and that you protect yourself and others from harm.
You must appoint project supervisors if:
• there is more than one contractor involved in the work, or
• there is a particular risk (see below), or
• the work is going to last more than 30 days or more than 500 person days.
What is a particular risk?
The regulations list a range of works involving particular risks to safety, health and welfare of people at work. Works which could be of relevance to a typical construction project in your home include:
• works that put a person at risk of falling from height, for example, roofwork where access is restricted,
• burial under an earthfall, for example, deep excavations in poor soil conditions,
• works near high voltage power lines, for example, building a house on a site which
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Principal Designer – PD (NI)
The regulations and terminology in the north are different and many residential projects are not notifiable to the HSE but you will need to appoint a Principal Designer (the equivalent of a PSDP). Be assured that Usonia Architects Ltd can act on your behalf.
Principal designers are designers appointed by the client in projects involving more than one contractor. They can be an organisation or an individual with sufficient knowledge, experience and ability to carry out the role.
If appointed your PD we will plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health and safety in the pre-construction phase of a project, including:
- identifying, eliminating or controlling foreseeable risks
- ensuring designers carry out their duties
- preparing and providing relevant information to other duty holders
- liaising with the principal contractor to help in the planning, management, monitoring and coordination of the construction phase
Note domestic clients are people who have construction work carried out on their own home (or the home of a family member) that is not done as part of a business, that is not DIY.
Though in scope of CDM 2016, their client duties are normally transferred to the contractor for single contractor projects or to the principal contractor for projects with more than one contractor the domestic client can instead choose to have a written agreement with the principal designer to carry out the client duties.
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