Grenada Architects and Architectural Designs - Grenada Architects Association

Grenada Architects

Glean's Engineering Co
Barry's Engineering

Designing a house starting from scratch means that the architect/designer is working with a clean slate, therefore the design process can be quite straightforward. A skilful architect/designer will be able to produce a design that you really want and like just from listening and discussing your ideas with you.

For example take into consideration the number of bedrooms you need (the possibility of more children, or perhaps elderly relatives coming to live with you later), the amount of living spaces, size of kitchen, how many bathrooms, lounge, deck and outdoor living spaces are required etc.
Be flexible, if you are too fixed in your ideas the architect/designer won’t have any room to design and translate your idea’s into a distinctive and innovative design solution that are harmonious, functional, exciting and comfortable to live in, convenient and aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.
Be prepared to shuffle items within the budget. Agree on what you want to change on the initial sketches, because changing your mind later when the detailed drawings have been completed or once construction has started will be more costly.

When you have agreed the changes the architect/designer will draw up the developed designs which will include the changes you’ve asked for and the type of materials to be used during construction. It will also itemize quantities, walls, flooring, roofing, windows, doors and interior fixtures and fittings. Final working drawings with specifications would then be prepared for every feature of the building process such as the foundation, roofing, ventilation, plumbing, power points etc.

Architect/designer fees range between 5 to 10% of the total cost of the construction project. Fees are consistent with the complexity of the work, quality and value of the professional services being offered, Fees are usually negotiable however don’t just look for the cheapest price but also take into account the quality and standard of their work.

You would expect to pay less for a basic three-bedroom house than for an innovative multi-level design. Whether the architect/designer manages the project right through to completion or just provides periodic supervision while construction is in progress all depends on you. Some architects/designers prefer to be engaged for a full service, this means they manage the whole building process for you, including selecting the builder, subcontractors and monitoring the construction process. Site inspection is an important role carried out by an architect/designer and lack of supervision is often the reason things go wrong.
The architect/designer will want to ensure you have the best advice throughout the building process, that there is no deviation from the consent documents and that the work is of a high standard.

The architect/designer can also update any variations to your plans as work proceeds also ensuring that the planning authority is properly informed of changes and the building permit altered accordingly. Failure to do this may cause problems when trying to obtain the compliance certificate. This ‘management’ role is known as contract administration, it involves monitoring the construction process to ensure the building develops consistent with the design approved specification, handling the building contractor and client queries during construction, discussing and approving variations to the contract, assessing and approving progress payments and inspection upon completion phase.

Once engaged, the architect/designer will start gathering information on the building site, this might include the certificate of title, zoning and planning information, site survey for its contours and boundaries. They will also look at trees, water courses and soil type that could affect the building process. They may recommend an engineer’s report if there is any uncertainty about the stability or compactness of the soil. A geo-technical engineer’s test may be required. Engineers may also provide expertise where there are other features out of the norm, for example where weather extremes are likely, the engineer would calculate methods of developing lateral restraint to provide adequate support and anchorage against wind uplift as well as overall stability. The design documents must be drawn with sufficient information to show that the proposed building will meet the performance requirements of the building code; each aspect of the building code has to be covered in detail in the building plans document. If the documents are not complete, the planning authority can ask for more information which will slow down the whole planning approval process.

When construction actually starts there are always a few surprises that appear and needs to be addressed, sometimes the architect/designer has to return to the drawing board and adjust the plans according to the planning authority requirement and what you the client want to achieve within your budget.

Materials and Features
Architects/designers are responsible for producing designs that meet the manufacturers requirement, for example, if you have advised your architect/designer of the type of roofing material you want used, then the architect/designer would have to design the roof to the recommended roof pitch otherwise the roofing material cannot be installed to the manufacturer’s specification.
Good architects or design practitioners are also up-to-date on the different types of building materials available on the market, the latest products and innovation in architectural designs, and they will be able to advise you on the different types of material most suited for your project.