A View from the Design Office

Recently I managed to find enough time to hop over the water to the Isle of Wight to swing a hammer with the site crew on my project for Mr & Mrs Sayers.

Mr Sayer had mentioned to us, how for him the mini break that he and his wife took at our unique Show Home was invaluable. It not only gave them ideas on the frame (in particular the sling brace beam in the snug to create a more open space) but gave them a chance to sample some of further design options such as heat recovery, under-floor heating and lighting. After hundreds of hours of virtual carpentry on our Dietrichs software, as all my fellow designers will confirm, it’s just as inspiring for us to get out of the office and really see how the designs we have made come together.

Looking back now, to deliver a project of this scope, I issued in excess of 300+ drawings: client drawings for sign off, drawings for the structural engineer to perform his calculations, production drawings for the machine workshop to accompany the cutting list and cutting files for the timbers, drawings for ‘framing up’ in 2d in the oak framing shop, the site specific erection drawings for the oak frame, then floor, walls and roof. Oh and did I mention all the cutting and production drawings for the walls, floor and roof…….

The pictures from site tell the story better than I can. My visit to the site came around 4 weeks before completion; after all the hard work, with the sun shining, the clients smiling, knowing that we’re building a great looking house, on a lovely plot in a great location, that’s when I can see that the finished project will be greater than the sum of its parts.

For more information on this project - read the full Planning Consent Case Study HERE