​Meet Niki.

Niki is extraordinary.

Niki is multipassionate.

Niki is also very accomplished.

Athletically, creatively and academically.

An enthusiastic practitioner and teacher of aerial acrobatics, partner acrobalancing, pole and bellydancing Facebook, Aerial Instagram, Partner Acrobalance Instagram, Niki also runs a business creating beautiful tie-dye silk and cotton clothing Tie Dye Etsy Shop. While with her PHD in neuroscience, Niki works at Lancaster University as a network manager on projects exploring health aging. 

Niki and her husband, Gabor, practise aerial acrobatics together. Before we worked together they were travelling regularly to Manchester, 55 miles away, to attend classes and use practise spaces not available close by. Driving there would take them 1.5 hours or longer each way. This was costing them a significant amount of time and money each month. 

It was very inconvenient.

​Niki and Gabor longed to have more time to practise and for it to be quicker and easier to do.

They decided that they wanted to create a double height space at home so they could have the freedom to practise whenever they liked, without the time and cost of travel.

Before buying their first home Niki and Gabor started researching to figure out how they could create a home that could house their passion for aerial acrobatics.

Coming across my videos on Youtube they realised that I was the architect for them. 

They were looking for someone who would listen to their less conventional ideas of home and deliver a solution specifically for them. They didn’t want to work with someone who would judge them, or try to persuade them out of creating a non standard home.

They were looking at small warehouses for sale and booked a call with me to discuss if it would be suitable for them to convert into their home. I was really excited about this idea for a project. But after our conversation they decided this wasn’t the approach they wanted to take, so they spent a couple of years exploring alternative options.

Eventually they bought a 4-bed semi-detached home with a large garden.

With lots of space and potential they were excited about their new home, but they couldn’t figure out how to make it work for them and their cat family, within their small budget.

​They both work from home most of the time and they love spending as much time together during their working day as they can. To make it possible for them to enjoy each other's company throughout the day alongside a broad schedule of activities, each requiring different types of spaces, was a complex puzzle.

While Gabor’s working day is largely spent at a computer, Niki’s day includes diverse activities; from project management and writing, to exercising for skill, strength and flexibility, to managing her business creating tie-dye pieces and storing them prior to sale.

Stuck trying to create a solution that gave them that double height space to practise aerial acrobatics alongside all their other needs, they got back in touch with me to help them make this typical house suit them and their unique lives.

Starting with the Big Picture Plan, Niki and Gabor completed their PreDesign Prepbook to create a vision for their home and the lives they wanted to live. 

This process of deep consideration of their space, needs and desires, helped them to realise straight away that they could make an immediate improvement to their lives by changing the room Gabor was using as his home office. This simple change of use from their large front bedroom to the living room downstairs solved several of the barriers to them enjoying time together that they had been experiencing.

During their Design Day we discussed their vision for their home and lives in depth, and looked forward to their hopes for the future, involving growing their family. We then explored several options that could provide them with the space they needed both now and for the long term.

Following the Big Picture Plan, Niki and Gabor were happy that they had several design ideas that were new to them, and excited to see the potential in their home. After some time considering their options they decided to progress their project and continue to work with me with the 3D Design Package. 

With 3D computer modelling I virtually built their home and walked Niki and Gabor through how a redesign could look, discussing how this would work for them. We arrived at a preferred design solution and I then submitted this for them to their local planning department.

Then we had a nail biting wait to hear back from the planners.

It was bad news!

​We were pushing the planning boundaries with their proposal so, although not very much bigger than permitted development, it was not supported by the planners on the basis of overshadowing and creating a tunnelling effect. Sadly the case officer and planning team were not open to negotiation or compromise positions and refused to consider our suggested revisions. So I withdrew the application and reflected on how I could ensure that Niki and Gabor had the double height space they needed.

Going back to the drawing board, I reconsidered the discussions we had during their Design Day. I had understood that when they decided to grow their family in the future they would want to retain all four bedrooms. So we hadn’t explored many options that reconfigured the space they already had to create that double height space. But I knew that by taking out the floor between the living room and the front bedroom they could easily get the space they needed without an extension.

When I went back to Niki and Gabor and explained the sad situation on their planning application, I asked if creating their double height space using the living room and bedroom might be an option for them. They were surprised because they had discounted this as an option thinking it would be too difficult or impossible to achieve. They told me that losing a bedroom in order to gain their double height space was more than OK for them.

This was a very simple solution to create the space they needed. It could also be achieved quickly and within their tight budget. Plus it will be easy to reinstate a floor if they need an extra bedroom in future.

Explaining exactly what they needed to do, along with outlining what was technically possible and would give them the best outcome, I supported them to progress their project with their chosen structural engineer, Gaurya Limited and contractor, ProBuild Lancaster Ltd.

Now Niki and Gabor are free to practise aerial acrobatics whenever and as often as they like. Not needing to travel to Manchester saves them 28 hours and £300 each month. Time and money that they can use to practice their passion more often.

Do you too dream of having the freedom to enjoy your extraordinary life, pursuing your passions and making the most of your shared life with loved ones? 

Find out here how the Big Picture Plan can help you create your vision and explore your options >>

Your work environment can impact you in so many ways...

- your sense of self esteem and confidence in your own abilities
- your ability to get things done and achieve your goals
- your health and wellbeing
- the way others see you; their estimation of your capabilities and willingness to work with you
- your inspiration and motivation, and many more...

These things can all have a direct impact on your earning ability, and how well you feel both physically and mentally.

When you work from home, either remotely as an employee or running your own business, the balance between your working life and your home life also becomes a significant factor.

After redundancy in 2008, I decided to work for myself from home.

Overnight I went from working in a large, sociable open-plan office, delivering huge multi-million pound projects, to being sat along at my kitchen table struggling to find clients.

I felt lonely, scared, overwhelmed by the task ahead of me and struggled each day to motivate myself to make a start.

Since starting at the kitchen table, I've made my home office work well for me, while ensuring that my work-life doesn't impact negatively on my home-life and vice versa.

Now I enjoy starting work each morning, knowing that it's an easy and comfortable place to work, and I can delivery projects for my clients that I am proud of, which often includes designing their home offices.

Choose which option most closely matches how you feel right now when working from home and keep a note of how many A's, B's, C's etc that you choose.

Question 1: What's Your Biggest Challenge When Working from Home?

A. Some days, I just can't seem to get going. It's like my brain's on vacation!
B. I worry about how I come across on video calls. It's like being under a spotlight!
C. My back feels like it's been hit by a truck after a day at this desk. It's torture!
D. I feel like a couch potato glued to this chair all day. I need to get up and move!
E. It's chaos here! My work stuff is everywhere, and I'm still answering emails while I'm trying to cook dinner.
F. I can't remember the last time I had a moment to myself. The kids keep barging in and it's so hard to focus on what I'm supposed to be working on.

Question 2: How Do You Currently Feel in Your Home Office Space?

A. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make any progress.
B. I'm self conscious about how my home looks on video calls. I worry about what people think about me!
C. I feel so many aches and pains, especially by the end of a workday.
D. I'm churning out work, but I feel stuck to my chair all day. I need to get moving!
E. I feel constantly on, never switching off from work or finishing the working day.
F. I love working from home, but I need some peace and quiet to focus!

Question 3: What Aspect of Your Work-Life do You most want to Improve Right Now?

A. I've got so much on my plate, but I'm struggling to stay focused. What I need most is just to get things done.
B. I feel like I'm not being seen or valued. I need to find a way to make more sales and advance my career.
C. If I could just stop the aches and pains, I'd feel so much btter able to get stuff done and enjoy my life.
D. I've got some health and fitness goals and I'd really like to make it easier to achieve those.
E. I need to carve out space for work without sacrificing my family time.
F. I want to be present for my family, but I need it be easier to focus more on work.

Question 4: Which of These Would You Like to Improve in Your Home Office?

A. I'd like my workspace to feel inspiring and calm so I can focus on what I need to do, instead of feeling overwhelmed and distracted.
B. I want my space to look professional on video calls, so I feel like other people value and respect me and my contribution.
C. I want to be comfortable and pain free at the end of a day sitting at my desk.
D. I want to be more fit and active, but I don't have time to fit in hours of exercise during the working day. I'd like my workspace to help me meet my fitness goals.
E. I'd like to be able to shut off at the end of my work hours so I can relax and give my family my full attention.
​F. I need a quieter space to work, where I'm not disrupted so much.

Question 5: What Would You Most Like to Achieve in Your Home Office?

A. I want to achieve my goals and feel like I've accomplished something each day.
B. I want to look sharp and feel good about myself, especially when I'm on video calls.
C. To go from needing a massage to ease my aches and pains, to enjoying a massage to just feel great.
D. I'd love to feel comfy wearing my favourite jeans again.
E. To feel like I'm not sacrificing family time for my career and business goals.
F. I'd love to be able to say yes to my family more without it affecting my ability to get stuff done for work.

Great job! You've finished the quiz!

,Now count up your choices and see which letters come up most frequently for you.

The Results!

A. Your home workspace improvements need to focus on supporting your productivity. You need to make your space more inspiring and an easier space to focus. You could do this by decluttering, and removing distractions and any obstacles to being able to easily do what you need to do.

B. Your home workspace improvements need to focus on supporting your personal and business branding. You need to create a backdrop for your video calls that help your customers and colleagues relate to you and perceive you postively.

C. Your set up needs to be adjusted in line with ergonomics to reduce the stresses and strains that it is putting on your body. This will help you feel comfortable and protect yourself from injury.

D. You need to create more opportunities for movement during your working day. This can be by adding in equipment that helps you incorporate movement as you work, or it could be by adding in some inconvenience to regular activities so that you have to move more in order to take those actions.

E. Your home office needs to be clearly defined and able to be shut down or closed off once you finish work, so you can forget about it and allow yourself time to be at home without work demanding your attention.

F. Your home life is distracting you from work so you need to create some boundaries to reduce the disruptions. These boundaries could be physical such as doors and screens, or they could be through timing and clear communication with family members.

I send semi-regular emails giving many more tips and advice around how you can optimise your workspace and design your space at home. To get these sign up for my newsletter here:

My clients, a young couple – we'll call them Jack and Jill, had just bought a house together. They hoped to live here for the long term and grow a family in. I met them the day after their moving day, with the house upside down and mostly still packed away in boxes.

Although they didn't yet have experience of living in their new house and couldn't express any known frustrations that they needed to be resolved through their redesign, they had analysed their life in their previous home and knew what they wanted to avoid that had annoyed them there.

A keen gourmet cook, Jack, wanted a kitchen with more space for his complex culinary efforts. They loved entertaining and playing board games with friends so wanted their dining room and kitchen to be open. They wanted a space that was sociable, large enough for groups of friends, while not getting in Jack's way in the kitchen.

Deeply in love, this young couple wanted to improve their lifestyle with more romantic meals together. They had fallen into the trap of eating evening meals in front of the TV and missed having conversations and enjoying that time together.

When we spoke they said they needed a bigger kitchen and dining room, with much larger table, to avoid the problems they'd identified, to give them the space they needed as a couple and as hosts with their friends.

When I asked what was stopping them eating their romantic candlelit dinners together at the table they told me that they couldn't be bothered to clear the table of clutter every day. Their dining table was getting piled up with stuff set down on the way in to the house every day. It was too much of an effort to clear off to make a romantic candlelit dinner together a regular thing.

We discussed what it was that was landing on the dining table and causing it to block up and become unusable. They said it was paperwork, laptops, bags and post. All the things that were coming in through the front door with them at the end of the day and needed to be set down somewhere to deal with and had no other specified place to go. This was the key to their problem. It wasn't so much the size of the dining table that was causing their frustration. It was having nowhere else to put all these things, that they needed and were an inevitable part of their arrival home. Without having somewhere for these things to go, they would always have this problem.

So we looked at the entrance and hallway. We discussed ways that they could have a place for each of the items that would typically come in through the front door. We identified places for coats and bags to hang, shoes to stack, post and paperwork to wait to be dealt with. Having these essentials given a place that was easier to use than the dining table would make their arrival home each day quicker and easier and avoid any need to clear the dining table.

Jack also worked from home and needed a more dedicated space to be able to work and then at the end of the day to be able to close off and switch off from work.

Initially they thought they needed a very large extension. Instead I showed them two options for reconfiguring their space without needing a huge extension. Both options gave them a larger open plan kitchen and dedicated workspace.

One option used only the built space they already had. The other option included a small two-storey extension to give them a bit more generous space, with an office space that could be more easily closed off, and an ensuite to a 1st floor masterbedroom.

Do you want to discover how you can solve the real problems and get the space you really need without unnecessary expense?

You can do this with the Big Picture Plan. Book your spot on the next session here: https://www.i-architect.co.uk/bpp.html

 It's not about the money sings Jesse J.


But the money or not having enough of it, may be what is holding you back from having the home you want.


So let's explore this and the steps you can take to get your happy home sooner, even if you don't have the money yet.


Let me know in the comments. Is lack of money holding you back?


Quick intro! I'm Jane, the eco-home architect. I create homes that make your heart sing!


So these are the questions to answer to get you to your end goal...


FIRST
First lets explore how much your happy home is going to cost. Do you know this? Yes or no!


There are different ways to get your happy home. You can rent it, buy it or create it. They will all cost different amounts and take different lengths of time.


If you have a home and you want to extend it then you need to a design that has been costed to know how much you'll spend to get it.


BEFORE THAT
But before you can really know if that cost is going to give you the result you want you need to start at the beginning. Do you know what you need in your home to live your version of your best life?


This is the crucial part! I call this Designing Your Home Vision.


NEXT
Once you have your vision in place then you need to explore your options to see how you can create or get a home that fulfills your vision. Have you explored your options, knowing what you need to have to live happily?


This can include searching for property to buy or rent. It can also include creating sketch plans for changes to your home or for a new home in a place you love.


FINALLY
Finally you need to decide which option is right for you by double checking your options against your vision. This may include seeking specialist professional help. Have you double checked which option is right for you?


I have a Check-it-Out Checklist with videos that I give to my Big Picture Plan clients to guide them through this process. Doing this right gives you more certainty and helps you assess the costs, return on investment, and potential cost risks.


Once you know the right option for you along with the cost of it then you will know if you have the money to go ahead yet or not. If not you can put a plan in place to get the finances you need. You may well be surprised to find that you are already good to go!


WORK WITH ME
To get my help to take you through this process quickly and easily with the Big Picture Plan. Find out more here: https://www.i-architect.co.uk/bpp.html

Although the balcony was feasible, the option to use a balcony rooflight, such as the Cabrio by Velux, seemed like a more affordable and flexible option for this couple.

A rooflight balcony would maintain the same mezzanine space internally but allow them to open it up during the summer to create the balcony as and when they wanted it.

​Let's face it the UK isn't blessed with all year round sunshine so sunbathing and cocktails in the evening sunshine is unlikely to be a daily occurrence, unless we see some dramatic effects from Climate Change.

The first way to improve circulation space is to eliminate it. ​

​Circulation space is just space that you're using to walk from A to B. It's often not very great space. The worst types of circulation space are narrow corridors with lots of doors. If you can, get rid of that type of space altogether. 

One way to eliminate circulation space is to make your place more open plan.

In an open plan layout rooms are not separated off from each other and they don't have a separate circulation space in between the rooms. Instead there are different types of uses in the same room. So circulation spaces or hallways are not dividing up your floorplan and using up valuable space.

If you are not comfortable with a completely open space then open plan space can be delineated by furniture, partial walls or sliding screens.​

Eliminating circulation space as much as possible and absorbing that into your living space can give you bigger and nicer living space that's more comfortable to use and fits in more of the furniture and activities that you want. ​

Reconfiguring an existing house by opening it up and eliminating circulation space will make it feel more spacious without necessarily also having to build an extension to create more space.

​

The second way to improve your circulation space and your floor plan through circulation space is to make that circulation space have more purpose. To give it a use. Especially a use that will give value to you and your life.
​

You can do this is two ways.

• Firstly by reconfiguring parts of the circulation space.
  
• Secondly by adding furniture and equipment that give it a specific use.
  

You could make corridors a little bit wider in some places. You could turn them from long thin narrow corridors and make wider spaces that are more useable. You should also consider really carefully the types of door that you use onto that circulation space and the positioning of the doors, and move them if it helps.

If you've got an older building, then maybe you're not actually looking at making lots of big changes. If you want to maintain the character of the rooms then you could give the circulation space more of a defined function to increase its useability for you. You could make it a room of its own in-between spaces. ​

Here are some ideas of ways that you can make your circulation space more useful and valuable for you:
​

Another way to use a space that is more of a corridor is, if it's wide enough, you could add bookshelves so that it becomes your library.

Adding bookshelves to corridor space is really good from an acoustics point of view because the books will absorb sound. They'll reduce any noise between the corridor circulation space and the rooms behind the walls with bookshelves lining them.
​ ​

​There are so many fun things that you can do with a corridor or hallway to lift it up and make it not just about circulation but give it more use and most importantly give your life more ease and enjoyment. More functionality in your home will make it work better for you and help you make the most of the space you have.


I hope these ideas:

• inspire you with ideas to make your home a more enjoyable and fun place to live
• show how you can maximise the space you have
• show how you can make small changes to the way you use your home
• will help you make your home an easier and more fulfilling place to live

​

For many of my clients one of their first questions, after they explain what they want to achieve is,

Before I answer this question I want to share with you a story about one of my clients.

Recently I caught up with my client and she told me how her extension was working out. When I worked with her and her husband on their family home I developed a few options including a fit-easily-within-budget option and a spend-to-the-maximum option.

She was really keen on the spend-to-the-maximum option. This was her dream home option. It included a large new kitchen diner that would overlook and open up to the garden.

In the end the fit-easily-within-budget option was their chosen way forward. This option met all their needs from their home, leaving the kitchen, dining and living room untouched, and giving them a new guest suite / hobby room, with a shower room and utility.

I asked her if she felt that they had made the right decision going with a project that met their needs but not necessarily all her dreams. She told me that, although they could have afforded the bigger project, they are happy that they decided not to stretch their budget and to keep a financial buffer that they could use in other ways.

Since the work has been completed my clients, have traveled extensively and enjoyed many evenings out indulging their passion for music at concerts around the country. She told me that she was really pleased that they had chosen not to spend to their maximum budget as if they had then they wouldn't have been able to live the same lifestyle, with as many exciting holidays or rock-n-roll gigs.

I was so pleased to hear that they are enjoying their life, that their home works well for them, and that they were really satisfied with the choices they had made.

So back to the frequently asked question, Can I afford this?

In truth the simple answer is that I can not answer this for you. Only you know what your finances look like and what your priorities in your life are. But there is a more important question, that I can help you answer.

What you should be asking yourself is...

Only you know what your values, needs and desires are, and how much it is worth to you to meet those. All I can do is ask you questions to help guide you to making your best decision. A decision that you are not going to regret. I want you to be satisfied and enjoy your best life just like my clients.

If you're planning to move in the next 5 years then look at other homes in your local area, which have the types of spaces and features that you'd like. Compare the market value of these homes to yours. Particularly look at homes that are similar to yours that have been added to.

Speak to a local estate agent to get some help understanding the current value of your home and the potential value once you've carried out the work.

Ask yourself if you can you do that work to your home and then recoup the costs of that investment when you come to sell.

Also ask yourself if it is important to you to be able to recoup your costs, or would living in a home that works for you, even if only in the short term, would be worth the spend even if you can't recoup it?


Or perhaps you're planning to live in this home for the rest of your life, or at least for as long as you can foresee. In that case it will be more difficult to assess resale value possibly several decades into the future and perhaps this is less important to you.

Ask yourself how much you feel it is worth live to live in this home but to make it better and suit your specific desires, needs and tastes. What value do you place on living in this home and having this home suit you better.

Consider how much it would cost to buy a house that meets your needs and desires without having to do any work to it. If you can find one then check what the difference in value is between your potential resale value and the purchase price of your ideal home.

If you decide that you need more space then as a starting point you can estimate around £2k per square meter for new build space and about £1k per square meter to upgrade and remodel existing space. This is in no way accurate costing for any particular project but is a reasonable guideline to start to outline what budget you will need.

As you can see it generally costs less to make your existing space work better than it does to build more space.

Estimating budgets based on cost per square meter is a method that you can use to get a ballpark budget figure, that can go up or down from this depending on the detailed decisions that you make. Sometimes these decisions may not be all up to you, for example if you have a really special building, such as a listed building or live in a conservation area, then you may have to meet special requirements and these figures can get much higher.

If you feel that you need more space then consider what do you need more space for? Then you can ask yourself if these uses are really worth the project spend.

If you have enough space but you want to make better use of your existing space then consider how your existing space is wasted or not working for you.

Is it from savings, mortgage, lottery winnings, a home building loan, inheritance? Where the money is coming from may affect your project. For example if the money is going to be released in stages this might affect your construction contract.

If you need to find the money somewhere then you need to get specialist financial advice. Speak to an independent financial advisor, a mortgage advisor or broker, to get advise on how to raise money to fund your project.

Do you really prefer to spend this money on your home or would you rather spend you money going to music concerts and extravagant holidays? Consider what other things you could be spending that money on and which is more important to you.

If setting your budget too high will mean sacrifices in other areas of your life then you need to be happy to live with those sacrifices. You might have your dream home, but if paying for that is preventing you from living the life you dream of then is it really worth it?

On top of the construction budget you need to add 20% VAT and fees for specialist consultants. It is also wise to have some contingency money just in case something unexpected happens on site and this bumps up the cost.

Your basic consultants that you'll need to deliver a good project, are your architect and structural engineer. On top of these, depending on your project, your building and your area, you may also need surveyors to look at a range of things such as asbestos, drainage, trees (arboricultural), bats (ecology), amongst many other possibilities.

You may also want additional specialist designers on your team such as an interior designer, lighting designer, integrated technology or home cinema designers, sustainable renewable heating and energy systems designers and engineers. This depends on the quality of the build that you're looking to create. Which leads us neatly to this final question.

Quality is a difficult thing to define. It means different things to different people. You need to define what quality means to you.

Then you need to decide if your idea of quality is more or less important to you than the cost to achieve it.

Here are some questions to help you decide what quality means to you.

How long do you want this work to last? Do you want 25 years guaranteed and no more. Do you want something short term that you can sell on and don't really care about the long term effects because you'll be out of there. Or are you looking to create a legacy that will last for generations to come. Perhaps something that you can pass on to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. This leads on to other questions such as how durable do you want the materials to be?

Consider the ongoing effort and costs of maintenance. Would you prefer to spend a bit more upfront so that you don't have so much ongoing maintenance to do? Or is there a particular material that does need ongoing maintenance, maybe is a bit more fragile, but you're happy to do that because you really love that material. An example of this might be timber windows instead of UPVc.

For example would you prefer to use renewable materials, like timber instead of concrete, or locally made materials like Cumbrian sheeps wool insulation instead of imported German wood fibre board. Any aspect of quality related to ethical or environmental standards.

For example if it's a listed building or a conservation area, you might have to use a particular material or traditional technique, such as a Welsh slate roof.

You need to consider and decide a few key things to set the right project budget for you. Improving your home can be an investment and it can also be fundamental to the satisfaction you get from your project and the basis of a lifestyle that you dream of.



Here are the points to consider in bullet form

• decide if this is your short or long term home
• decide if you need more space or better use of existing space
  
• decide where the money to pay for this is coming from
• include for any extra costs, like consultants fees, VAT and contingency
• decide what quality means to you and if that is more or less important than cost

Setting your budget is only one of the key decisions that need to be made when preparing for a construction project.

For guidance on other fundamental decisions you need to make at the beginning of your project get my free Design Your Home Vision Checklist.

Imagine arriving home to your stylish and characterful home that oozes Victorian period charm. Your roof a crowning example of good taste and fine design that will last long into the future. Imagine your dry and warm home, beautiful and comfortable, inside and out.

The problem is you have no idea how to get there. You don't even know what decisions you need to make. Or, you have an idea, but it's so overwhelming that you don't know what to choose.

This much you do know. You know you need to replace your roof. Slates have slipped, the battens have snapped, there's no roofing felt left if there ever was any, and it's leaking in several places. You know you need some more insulation. It's freezing in winter and too hot in summer.

Victorian roofs come in many different forms. Around Manchester and Liverpool and throughout most of the North-West of England, most Victorian homes are in the Gothic style, or for older homes the Regency style. This means that, generally in the North West, parapet roofs are not so common and it's more likely that you'll have an overhanging eaves. Gothic styles tend to have a usable or inhabited loft space with steep roof pitch, pitched dormers, tall decorative chimneys, and fancy detailing for every element. Older Victorian homes in the Regency style tend to have bigger overhanging eaves, with simpler detailing overall, a lower pitch and less usable loft space. Consider the overall style of your home when deciding the details. If it's a simpler regency style, don't choose overly complicated details. If it's a gothic style then let yourself get fancy and choose more decorative details.

Take the opportunity to repair and refurbish these while the scaffolding is up so you don't need to deal with these again for a good few years. You don't want your beautiful new roof damaged by other trades dealing with your chimney in a few years time. The buddleia and other plants that have made their home on your chimney need to be dug out. Think about repointing the brickwork, replacing the flaunching, and replacing broken or missing Chimney pots. Decide how to deal with your chimney pots and the flue depending on how you choose to use the fireplace inside: open fire if it's not a smokeless zone, wood burning stove, gas fire, decorative only with no fire, or chimney breast removed inside or blocked up.

If you're in a conservation area or your home is a listed building then you are likely to be restricted in the materials you can use. Most Victorian roofs in the North-West are slate from North Wales, but stone can be found, along with clay tiles. There are many types of slate available. Slate comes in different colours and strengths, which depends on where it comes from. If there are no planning restrictions then you can look at alternatives to slate that give a similar look. Manmade slate-look materials will be cheaper, but most will not have the same longevity/durability as natural slate and rarely look as good. Consider colour, texture, size and laying pattern. If you want to add more decorative detail you can use a combination of different slate colours or even add in different shapes.

The gutter is usually highly visible and choosing a suitable profile, considering the material and colour can make a huge difference. Most people choose black o white UPVC for the gutter but not only do they look terrible on a period home, they will also need replacing sooner than more traditional materials. Victorian gutters were usually cast iron and half round or ogee profile. Cast iron needs more maintenance and once it has rusted will need to be replaced but it can still last for many decades and longer than plastic with the right maintenance. Aluminium gutters can be made in heritage profiles and come ready finished with a paint coating. You can even get specially finished versions that have the same texture as cast iron. Aluminium is relatively low maintenance and long lasting. Copper is also an option and although it the most expensive choice it is likely to last the longest and has a very unique look as it weathers naturally to a green finish, needing little to no maintenance.

The gable and the eaves are where the roof meets the wall. Some have a parapet, some have an overhang, some have highly decorative gothic bargeboards, others have classical brick details, some have decorative brackets, and others have a flush fascia. In short Victorian roofs, and how they finish at the wall, can be very different. Take a good look at yours. Chances are you haven't really noticed it much, soffits and such details are often overlooked. These simple details are an opportunity to add quality and distinctiveness to your home. Modern roofs now often use verge tiles to finish a gable in a simple way. These were not commonly used by Victorians, especially not on a slate roof. Modern soffits and eaves are often covered by plastic strips that only have low maintenance in their favour. Consider your options and think about the shapes, materials, colours and textures that you could introduce here to give your home that refined Regency look or the decorative Gothic look, whichever suits your home and your tastes.

This first step is the most important, not only for every home design project but for any and every building project from a 2-bed holiday cottage to a teaching hospital or even an international airport! This is the key to building design success.

In this blog post I'm going to explain why you need to take this step, what this step is, what the benefits are, and how you can take this step today.

Many clients come to me feeling overwhelmed with ALL THE DECISIONS! They are not sure where to start or who can help them. I know it can seem confusing and complicated to design your home but there are some simple steps that you can take right now and a few decisions to make at the beginning that will get your project off to the right start.

You need your characterful Victorian / Edwardian home to work for your modern family life instead of a typical family from 100 years ago. This is the first step that you need to take to reach your goal of living in a comfortable and beautiful home.

This first step is the most important as it lays the foundations for all that is to come. Think of this as being like the strip of concrete that goes into the ground that the rest of the building is built off.

This first step is the foundational work that you need to do to create your vision for your home. Architects call this 'The Strategic Brief'.

Put simply, it is a description of what you need and want.

I call this designing your vision and I've created some worksheets and checklists to help you.

You vision needs to be clear and include the following:

Describe your needs, as a family and for each individual. Your ages, hobbies, daily habits and routines at home can all be included. Also any special events that you celebrate at home. Think about how many people need to spend time in each space and how they want to use those spaces in your home.

Gather together all the information you have about your home and garden. Put it in one place so its easy to get to. If you can make this digital even better.

The three key priorities for a project are time, cost and quality. You need to decide what deadline you want to meet, what your budget is, and what quality means for you. Then decide which of these is the most important to you.

These are the would like to haves. Describe the materials, styles and colours you love. Gather inspirational images from magazines or online. Pinterest and Houzz are both good ways to do this online and you can easily share these with your designer.

Research by the Royal Institute of British Architects, shows that the clients brief is fundamental to the buildings success. ('Working with Architects' Client Survey 2016)

Getting a great building can mean many things, some of them more wide ranging than you might expect. Here are some of those benefits:

Studies have shown that quality design has a positive impact on resale and rental values, which can be as much as 11% to 20% higher for quality designed buildings.

Comfort, air quality, noise and privacy all contribute to your enjoyment of your home, as well as to your health and well being.

The 'Wow' factor is known to encourage people to visit, so could help make your homelife more sociable with friends and family wanting to pop round.

There is a lot of evidence that shows that good quality design can support better community spirit, a sense of pride, identity and even mental health. Although it is limited how much you can affect your entire neighbourhood with your own home, it is possible to uplift the image of your street, especially if your neighbours follow your lead, and this can have a positive impact for you and your neighbours.

You can reduce energy and water use as well as protecting local wildlife and the planet through good design. This doesn't always have to cost more and even if it does initially it can save you money in the long term.

If you own an historic building that you are custodian of, or you want to pioneer outstanding contemporary design, then your project could contribute to local and national culture and create a long term legacy for future generations to enjoy and be inspired by.

Get yourself a copy of the Design Your Home Vision Checklist for free so that you can get started today.

Once you've completed this checklist email it back to get a free 20 minute phone consultation, when you can discuss your project further and find out how iarchitect can help you take the next step to achieving your dream home.