• How can we help?

    Northern Design Partnership is a RIBA Chartered Practice that offers a fast, efficient, and friendly service to suit our client's requirements. Situated in Meltham, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire the practice operates from the old chapel originally built in 1819.

    The practice undertakes projects of all sizes ranging from minor disabled adaptations to residential developments for up to 40 dwellings. Our small team is experienced in renovation and new build projects and will ensure your vision can be brought to realisation, be it contemporary or traditional. We aim to provide an excellent service from inception through to completion.

  • Stage One - Advice, Feasibility Studies & Surveying

    As part of our service, we will meet you free of charge to discuss your project and ideas. With over 30 years of experience, we can advise you on a range of projects including domestic extensions, internal alterations, new dwellings, and works on commercial and industrial buildings. We will provide guidance about relevant local development plans and planning policy statements.

    Following the initial advice, we can carry out a full measured survey, which will supply us with all the measurements required to produce drawings and begin the design work.

  • Stage Two - Design & Planning

    Once we receive a brief of what you would like to achieve with the project we will begin the creative design work. We use a range of tools to progress and help you visualise designs. Two-dimensional plans and elevations together with three-dimensional models and interior walkthroughs can be used throughout this stage. 

    We will ensure you are happy with all the proposals before submitting the required information to the local authority as a packaged planning application. It may be that there are supplementary reports required by the local authority to validate the application. We will also be able to advise you on any reports we think may be required.

  • Stage Three - Detailed Drawings

    Our service in this stage includes the scope to finalise your plans. Changes to doorways, kitchen/bathroom layouts, internal walls, and furniture planning can all be discussed and resolved during this stage to ensure contractors know exactly what your plans are.

    This stage includes preparing fully detailed plans, sections, elevations, and a schedule of works. These are then passed onto builders to receive an accurate build costs. These drawings will also be submitted to building control, allowing building inspectors to check the works against the plans and issue a final approval when the work is complete.

  • Stage Four - Overseeing Construction

    Our involvement includes taking regular site visits to monitor the building and safety standards. During these visits, we can resolve any problems and also make sure the contractor has carried out the correct amount of work for the valuation they have submitted. We often work as the middleman during this stage allowing the work to progress smoothly.

  • Stage Five - Architects Certification

    Following the completion of a new building, we can issue an Architects Certificate or Completion Certificate. This certifies that we have monitored the building through the construction and together with the building inspector agree that the building has been completed without any defects. As architects, we are sufficiently covered by professional indemnity insurance and will be liable for any structural faults for six years.

     

    Our services are flexible and the stages are optional. You may only wish to gain local authority approvals eg, if you have your own builder.

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    We can give you advice on whether you can extend your home through 'permitted development' which means you can avoid going through the planning process.
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    If the site is a little larger it may be that a topographical survey is required to measure site boundaries and heights. We can recommend a company to use!
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    We work closely with planning consultants. If your proposals are contentious we can seek further advice before taking the project further.
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    We can give initial advice on any common concerns that can often arise relating to subjects such as land boundaries, large trees, green belt policies, projects within the conservation area, and listed buildings.
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    If the proposed scheme is contentious, it might be that we look at gaining pre-application advice from the council or independent planning consultant before making an application.
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    If you are unsure about the scale of any proposals, we are very amenable and can meet you on-site to set out walls or furniture.
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    Our fee will usually cover the entire stage. This allows you to make many changes to the plans before you progress to the planning application.
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    We keep up to date with the most recent building regulation requirements, ensuring that you will not encounter any problems during your build.
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    We have a great relationship with local suppliers and will be able to recommend a range of building products that have been used on projects we have worked on in the past.
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    If any construction methods are altered mid-process, we can update the detailed drawings accordingly. We make allowances to be flexible during this stage.
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    We work closely with engineers who can provide us with the required calculations for steelwork or any other structural work.
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    Initial excavation works can occasionally uncover poor ground conditions. We can be called on-site to take a look at the conditions, together with the engineer or building inspector, to come up with a solution for the foundations.
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    If there are any on-site queries we will be available to meet you and the contractor to resolve the matter.
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    We are well experienced with building contracts. If you would like to have a contract in place with the chosen builder, we will be able to advise you on which contract to use, whilst also being the contract administrator.
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    Forming material samples on site can be an important process to help decide which finish to use. We particularly enjoy this aspect and will provide you with opinions based on our previous experiences.
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    If any new building is being sold, solicitors will often ask for proof of an Architects Certificate.
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    The issuing of a certificate also marks the practical completion of the project. This also triggers the effect of releasing all the remaining money due to the contractor.

What do our clients think of us?

If you have a project in mind we would love to discuss this with you.

Lets work together! Get in touch

Raj & Suresh Handa

Ongoing

Paul and Matt at Northern Design Partnership are currently assisting us with two ongoing projects. One being the extension of our commercial premises and the other the construction of our two homes. They are very attentive and carry out their work in a friendly manner. Their on-site involvement has been invaluable. They have worked closely with ourselves and the building contractor providing creative and constructive solutions along the way. We would not hesitate to recommend Northern Design Partnership as the all round service they provide has been excellent.

Mr & Mrs Rolling

Ongoing

A five bedroom new build in 2015 or our present 2 bedroom downsized refurb. Two different types of projects but met with the same care and consideration from start to finish. We have been looked after by Paul Briggs who accommodated our mood swings and changes. Time was never a problem; we never felt we couldn't make contact on even the smallest point. Finalising detailed plans or dealing with building regs; an "after sales" care which is not easy to find these days. Unlike the Scottish goalkeeper joke "With Northern Designs you are in safe hands"

01484 854848