bespoke construction
step 01
initial discussion
The very first step is to get in contact with us to have a chat about the project and budget, to answer any questions you may have for us, and then to arrange a short initial face to face meeting if necessary. This could be on your site, which would allow us to survey the area and requirements straight away, at our offices which would allow you to see some examples of our work. This is also the point which we would discuss any planning issues, and how we could overcome this if necessary for you.
This is your opportunity to mention any special items you would like – secret entrances or storage, vehicle turntables, integrated pneumatics; the sky’s the limit, no idea is too out there for us – and we will discuss how this could be implemented and the potential costs involved.
Any site visit further than 30 miles from our base at Long Stratton would attract a small charge to cover our costs, but this is entirely refundable against future work.
step 02
proposal
Following the initial brief we work on producing designs, including any interior furnishings, producing 3D renderings and any detail models as required, and publish this to you in the form of a physical booklet or as a pdf download if preferred – normally this is presented at a second sign off meeting to capture any small changes required, and this can be via Skype or in person.
This work is a chargeable part of the process, the cost of which varies depending on the complexity of the project under discussion. We send a quotation for this immediately after our first meeting and will start work as soon as payment is made. Depending on current workload this would normally take around two weeks to complete.
Following sign-off, if we are managing any planning issues, this would be the point at which documents would be submitted, and we would wait for confirmation before continuing.
step 03
prefabrication
We produce all of our work in house before deconstructing and delivering to you. This ensures we build to the best quality as we have all our equipment around us with good lighting and shelter from the weather. This is also almost always quicker from manufacturing start date to finished on site, as less time is lost from inclement weather, and avoids areas of the building becoming damp or dirty from being exposed during construction.
This means that when we get to your site, we are likely to be there for only a few days as the reassembly procedure goes very quickly. Prefabrication time depends on the size of unit but for a mid size would generally take around 6-8 weeks.
step 04
foundations
Depending on the building weight, duty, and required floor height, we would either use our concrete easifoot foundations, or we would already have sent dimensional requirements to our ground screw sub contractor who would have contacted you for any further information about your site and will be ready to place screws to suit load bearing areas of our frame.
Both options take only a morning to install and are completely removable. The only thing we require you to ensure is that the site is clear of any obstacles (like trees, shrubs, large rocks etc.) – both systems allow a considerable amount of site slope, so there is no need for a completely level area.
The advantages of both these foundations are that they are very quick and easy to place and completely moveable; if you need to move the unit in the future you can easily take our easifoot foundations with you to your next home, and screw foundations can also be removed by the subcontractor and reused – both also having a 25 year guarantee.
step 05
assembly on site
We normally pack our deconstructed units as stacks of panels and ship them to site that way – it is possible to send units either fully built or broken into only two pieces if speed of assembly is imperative, but this requires specialised shipping and handling on site which is more expensive, and means that if you want to move the unit again you would need to engage these specialist services again. It would also mean that far more site access would be required – our flat panels can be carried by two through most gateways.
We would place the floor panels on the foundation feet and bolt into position tight and square, followed by any equipment to be bolted to/supported by the floor. The sides and roof would be next, connecting electrics as we go, followed finally by any trimming and final internal and external finishing.
Time for all this, again, depends on the complexity and size of the unit, but would generally take between 2 – 5 days to be fully complete.
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