OUR PRACTICE

I am Neil Barr and I am the Director of DLK Architects.

In the past I have asked myself, what would I look for if I were employing an architectural firm.

I would certainly look for a sense of style and imagination. Also, a good track record and a level of experience supporting a professional approach to the work.
A sense of lateral thinking to solve problems, original thinking and new ideas. I would hope that there would something new for me to consider.

I would look for a positive approach, and a sense of interest taken in my project.

If employing an architectural practice, I would look for value and would want to have an understanding of what I am paying for in detail.
I would want to make a fixed-price appointment and to clearly understand the fee structure I am presented with.

This is the service we look to offer.

Please do contact me if you would like to know more about the Practice, more details are set out below.

WHAT WE DO

Services

We normally offer a full architectural service, working with clients from the earliest stage of a Feasibility Study for the project, to seeking relevant Local Authority Consents, through to their engagement of a building contractor and seeing the work constructed on site under a formal building contract.

But work does not always involve the full service; some customers are only looking for us to work on certain stages or aspects of the project’s development. We are here to help and happy to work on the design and planning stages only with you for example.

In addition to the use of electronic media, we do still use hand drawing techniques occasionally to present schemes, which can create a softer and more personalised presentation.
We can also create 3-d modelling for you which clearly conveys the project’s design.
Some examples are shown in our website.

Do contact us if you would like to know more about the architectural service as a whole and how we work.

Neil Barr

Director, DLK Architects

Feasibility Studies

At whatever scale, an early assessment of outline design options, projection of outline costings and reporting on potential possibilities and constraints in terms of Planning and other consents, creates a critical foundation for a project which can then be developed further and in more detail within your chosen timescale.
Every project is different and has specific qualities; I would be very happy to discuss these, and indeed any other details relating to your plans, with you further.

Planning Applications

This is an exciting stage of any project in which we actually design the scheme with you in detail.
Your building, or changes to the building need to be planned out in terms of the accommodation you look to achieve and the external appearance of the scheme is designed.
We look to offer imagination and an appropriate sense of efficiency and we can model the developing scheme in 3d for you now, some examples are illustrated elsewhere in our website.
Most planning applications are best preceded by a pre-application enquiry to the authorities now under current planning procedures.
We can guide you through the process and make these applications for you.

Building Regulation Applications

Once Planning Consent has been achieved for your project, Building Regulation Consent must be sought for the work.
This is a technical consent granted by your local authority and normally best sought using more detailed drawings describing at least the overall construction of the project, if not the overall tender package used to approach builders at a later stage.
Again, we would make this application for you and fully inform you of progress until consent is achieved.

Quinquennial Conditions Surveys

The surveys are required within ecclesiastical or education settings on the whole and we undertake surveys regularly with building owners and over a wide geographical area.
Please do contact us specifically about this aspect if this is a piece of work you are considering.

3d Modelling

While we need to use two dimensional drawings for purposes in all the stages of the project, an electronic model which brings these into three dimensions is much easier and more exciting in many cases, to see and understand.
We create models electronically in-house for many projects now.
Occasionally we also build physical models which can still have their uses.
Models can be used to create single ‘still’ views of the scheme in three dimensions, or animated as a universal media file for you to keep, a video which will show a tour around your scheme.
We have included examples elsewhere in the website.
N

Problem solvers

N

Lateral thinking

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Personal approach

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Professional service

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Cost Effective

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Commercially - minded

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Quinquennial Surveys

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Personal Service

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We take an interest