Holmdene Avenue

Holmdene Avenue

YEAR: 2020
LPA: Southwark
SCOPE: Renovation & Interior Design
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 50-100 k

This flat in a converted historical terrace house has been transformed into a lovely and bright home opening up the space and creating few visual tricks.

Precious metal finishes stand out from the simple yet elegant white background, interrupted only by relaxing blue accents.

Project featured in Design Diffusion News #278.

Main Contractor: Mon Concept Habitation
Photography: Alexa Roche

Holmdene Avenue

YEAR: 2020
LPA: Southwark
SCOPE: Renovation & Interior Design
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 50-100 k

This flat in a converted historical terrace house has been transformed into a lovely and bright home opening up the space and creating few visual tricks.

Precious metal finishes stand out from the simple yet elegant white background, interrupted only by relaxing blue accents.

Project featured in Design Diffusion News #278.

Main Contractor: Mon Concept Habitation
Photography: Alexa Roche

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Hawthorne Road

Hawthorne Road

YEAR: 2022
LPA: Bromley
SCOPE: Extension
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 4-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 250-500 k

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Hawthorne Road

YEAR: 2022
LPA: Bromley
SCOPE: Extension
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 4-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 250-500 k

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Waveney Close

Waveney Close

YEAR: 2021
LPA: Tower Hamlets
SCOPE: Garage conversion, loft, renovation
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-4
BUDGET CAT.: £ 100-250 k

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Waveney Close

YEAR: 2021
LPA: Tower Hamlets
SCOPE: Garage conversion, loft, renovation
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-4
BUDGET CAT.: £ 100-250 k

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Honor Oak

Honor Oak

YEAR: 2019
LPA: Lewisham
SCOPE: Loft conversion
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 50-100 k

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Honor Oak

YEAR: 2019
LPA: Lewisham
SCOPE: Loft conversion
CONTRACT: Domestic
STAGES: 1-6
BUDGET CAT.: £ 50-100 k

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What is a tender process and why is it important for my project?

The tender process is a vital part of any construction project.

The point of issuing a tender is to ensure that the best value contract is awarded for the works required.

This does not mean that the cheapest price should be awarded, as there are many factors involved in determining what constitutes best value. If a project follows all of the correct steps, then it will ultimately result in an efficient use of resources and reduced risk due to future claims arising from defective workmanship or materials supplied by contractors who do not meet required quality standards.

What is a tender process?

A tender process is a competition to select a contractor to carry out construction works.

The Project Architect will issue an invitation for tenders, which will describe the work required and give details of how to submit a bid.

Bidders usually include contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers of materials.
For common home improvement projects usually the bidders are main contractors who will then be responsible of managing the sub-contracts, e.g. electricians or gas technicians.

Together with the client we will consider and review all bids received and choose the best option that meets their requirements in terms of budget, quality, time and any other criteria outlined in the tender documents.

How to deliver a successful project on time and within budget?

The tender process is a critical step in the project delivery. It ensures that the construction of your project is done correctly and makes it easier to deliver on time and within budget, at the right level of quality required.

In order to execute a successful tender process, we must ensure to have produced a detailed scope of work, well-established budget and schedules, and accurate drawings.

A good tender process starts with a clear scope of work.

This is the most important part of the tender process because it establishes what needs to be built and how much it should cost.

To ensure that this step goes smoothly we apply our experience and knowledge to break down the works, comparing your project with other projects like yours that were completed successfully, so we have a precise idea for what to expect for the kind of works required.

Then we use this information to create a detailed scope of work so that everyone involved knows exactly what’s expected from them at every stage in the project (and doesn’t have any surprises later down the road).

Preparation is key.

Understand a project to get things right.

Whilst a tender is a process that allows you to choose the best contractor for the job and get the best value for money, in order to deliver a project successfully, it’s important to prepare correctly.

This is why we must ensure that everyone understands the project in detail and is able to evaluate the timeline to deliver it.

It’s also important to clarify any questions that may arise during this process. By asking us and making sure they understand what we’re trying to accomplish, all bidders have a full picture of the project and of our expectations.

In order to execute a successful tender process, Architects must ensure they have produced a detailed scope of work, well-established budget and schedules, and accurate drawings.

Scope of work

A good tender process starts with a clear scope of work.

This is the most important part of the tender process because it establishes what needs to be built and how much it should cost.

To ensure that this step goes smoothly we apply our experience and knowledge to break down the works, comparing your project with other projects like yours that were completed successfully, so we have a precise idea for what to expect for the kind of works required.

Then we use this information to create a detailed scope of work (or schedule of works – SoW) so that everyone involved knows exactly what’s expected from them at every stage in the project.

Without surprises later down the road.

 

What could go wrong if a tender is not carried out?

Small projects like the makeover of a bathroom  or simple decorations won’t demand a full tender process, being sufficiently straightforward and easy to manage, a clear negotiation with a vetted contractor could be sufficient.

But more extensive and expensive works require a clear outline of taskt and responsibilities to reduce risks and contingencies.

We usually recommend to issue a detailed tender already for full house renovations, extensions, loft or garage conversions.

Because if a tender is not conducted, the project could go over budget, be delayed and jeopardize its quality.

The contractor may not be able to meet the deadline or schedule; these delays can be costly and cause disruption to your daily life, whether you are living in the property during the works and have to tolerate noise and dust or if you are staying somewhere else and perhaps have to pay a rent.

They may not have enough experience in this field and might not be able to meet your expectations. These could lead to poor-quality workmanship.

There’s no guarantee that they’ll do all the work you want them to; some contractors will take advantage of your inexperience or low level of details and charge extra fees for works which were not outlined or not clear at first glance.

This is why we always vet the contractors we work with through a strict process and ensure they have the skills and capacity for any tender they are invited to bid for.

What happens when a tender is concluded?

After bids for a tender are received and reviewed, it is time for you to appoint a contractor to carry out the works, which means to enter into a contract with them.

We are able to manage the tender process from start to finish. This will give you confidence that it has been carried out in line with your requirements and ensures that there is no scope for any misunderstandings about what was required during the bidding process.

It would be an oversight not including a reference in the contract to all the specifications and documents. This is why to complete this stage we assist in preparing the contract among the parties and make sure all the important things are covered.

Once this is prepared, it is time to get ready for the sledgehammers on site.

How can I protect the value of my property undergoing a renovation?

Your home is important and renovating or extending is a crucial decision.
Use an experienced team of professionals to make sure you do not fall victim of common mistakes or unexpected complications.

 

Contact us and book a free consultation to talk about your ideas.

It’s as simple as clicking on this link and book your call back at your convenience.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – B. Franklin

New Award!

New Award!

Green Apple Environment Awards 2022

Tholos Architects have been presented with the
2022 International Green Apple Environment Award:
Beautiful Buildings, Residential category, Bronze Award.
 
The ceremony has been held in London on May 30th, 2022.
 
We are proud to have been recognised for our work and our attention to sustainability, through the careful and sustainable retrofit of a victorian house and design of its extension.
 
There are about 4 million similar houses in the UK that can benefit of such a future-proofing process.
 
We hope our work will inspire many to rethink how a building can be preserved and enhanced, for a better quality of life, efficiency, and cost saving.

August 2021 updates

Monthly updates

August 2021

PROJECTS:
– Site works proceeding for Wapping conversion
– Submitted competition concept design for a community centre in Sierra Leone

pexels-ben-mack-5707682

Summer news – Newsletter #13

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Welcome to the first post linked to the newsletter!

August is about to end and the latest news have been just too much to be popped with a light heart into our readers’ mailboxes so we preferred to dedicate an article to them and see how it goes.

 

Timber shortage

Over the last weeks there has been much ado about shortage of building materials.

We have all heard that timber is scarce, construction sites are slowing down, builders are busy (more than usual diring this season) and delays are piling up in many cases.

The BBC published an article about shortage of timber due to “unprecedent post-lockdown demand”, reminding us that the UK imports about 80% of this material.

Speaking with some of our joiners to understand what is actually going on, besides what the media say, we heard that the supply is more difficult and we have also been told that it is mostly for logistic delays: confirming orders, loading lorries, checking warehouses…

Potentially a side effect of the track-&-trace Ping-demic which has recently brought many people to self isolate across all the industries, effecting the distribution chain.

For sure the demand of timber has grown, and it looks like some supply problems started at the source.

What to do?

Timber remains a basic and precious construction material and trees take many years before being ready to be processed.

Also, extensive mono-colture of trees impacts the biodiversity of the area so it is absolutely important, in this age, to ensure the balance is respected.

We know there are possible alternatives to timber, all it takes is a change of how we look at the construction process, so we can leave more trees fulfilling their carbon-sequestering duty.

One short term solution is to upcycle timber for non-structural use, reducing the amount of new materials to be purchased.

Also, instead of timber, some works can be done using derivates or by-products.

A mid and long term solution could be the implementation of bamboo cross laminates for structural and non structural uses.

With bonus points such as a fast growth rate, retention of soil, reduction of landslides, additional absorption of rainwater, bamboo is a great candidate to become the next (or re-discovered) building material.

The specs of bamboo composites are consistent and they can be certified for construction.

Hot heat

This brings us to the second topic, literally hot.

Data associated to wheather phenomena such as heat waves, floods and fires, have been recorded around the world this summer and gathered in a model which confirms these extraordinary events can happen the way they happened because the climate change is here, now.

In case any one had any doubt.

This means more frequent and hotter heatwaves, more frequent floods, less and less “good seasons”.

If you want to read the report post from the IPCC click here.
For a more journalistic reading, the Guardian has published their take here.

What is this having to do with Architecture, I hear you asking?

The construction industry plays a role in how the climate is changing and it’s up to each one of us to take wise decisions.

A politician, a developer, a school teacher, a farmer, a postman, your neighbour, yourself, me…
What we do today we do it to our kids.

And over the last 5 years much has been said about people re-thinking parenthood for reasons related to what the world will be like in the short future.

(Guardian 2017, BBC 2019, CNBC 2021)

We renew our commitment to deliver sustainble design for a brighter future, and ask you to commit too, understanding the importance of every single choice.

 

Beauty, after the beast.

After the umpteenth rant about the beast subject of climate and future, let’s downscale to something more “mundane”.

Back in August 2020 the government outlined the “Planning for the Future” document, followed by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick creating the “Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission” (link).

The purpose of this is, in a nutshell, to regenerate places, create better communities and basically say no to ugliness, for every scale of development.

This would also require to help Planning Authorities decide providing guidelines and assistance where required.

But…..

A recent study, published last month by the Place Alliance in response of a recent relaunch of the Government’s “beauty agenda”, found that 75% of planning authorities have no access to architectural advice and it could take 50 years before this is fixed having at least one urban design officer for each LPA  (read more here).

So trust your favourite Architects’ advice to be ahead in the beautification game.

Open Studios (again)

In case you happen to be in London and didn’t get the news…
 
The third weekend of September, Saturday 18 & Sunday 19, the doors of our studio will be open to visitors and in the afternoon we will host talks and a mini networking event.
 
 
Due to limited space, it is much better if you grab a (free) ticket on Eventbrite here.
 
 
And, oh, there will be another hundred artists around us opening their doors.
See you there!
 
 

In the meantime, if you have a project to talk about (or any other question),
you can contact us and book a free consultation.

It’s as simple as clicking on this link and book your call back at your convenience.

See you at the open studios!

July 2021 updates

Monthly updates

July 2021

PROJECTS:
– Site works proceeding for Wapping conversion
– Finalising tender process for New Cross’s retrofit and extension
– Submitted extension and loft for a locally Listed Building for planning consideration

WEBSITE:
– Open Studios Programme drafted

OFFICE:
– New team pictures shooting

June 2021 updates

Monthly updates

June 2021

PROJECTS:
– Site works proceeding for Wapping conversion
– Received approval for a 5 flats development in Bromley
– Received approval for Bromley Common’s double storey extension
– Submitted 2 driveway applications, in Richmond and in Lambeth
– Submitted loft conversion for an edwardian house in conservation area in Brent

WEBSITE:
– Updated Services and Team page, introduced Careers page (work in progress).

OFFICE:
– Tholos Architects have acquired the prestigious status of RIBA Chartered Practice,
in addition to the founders being Chartered members of the RIBA and ARB.
– We welcome Eliza to our team.