We are hopefully not far off completing on our grand designs/’dream’ home – a 3500sq ft, knackered, victorian era mill.
Leaving aside the actually pro’s and cons of living in a mill/industrial building (we’ve lived in one before) – should we be using the services of an architect for its renovation?

The building does not have planning permission/change of use yet but for various reasons I’m certain it will be granted.

The general fabric/layout of the building will not be changed – the ground floor will be a workshop/studio for my wifes business, upper floor will be living accommodation and a mezzanine bedroom in the roof beams/space.

The only problem is we don’t have GrandDesigns amounts of money – I’m planning on doing most things myself (as per previous properties). I have the skills from previous properties, a good tool armoury and I have good friends/contacts for the stuff I cant do (Part P electrician & a good friend owns a heritage building restoration company-Churches, universities etc) – paid for at normal rates (not mates rates).

However the size is far bigger than anything we’ve done previously and the heating/heat recovery systems/insulation etc etc will need to be different to domestic installations.

Should I use an architect or figure it out as I go along!

As an architect I’d say yes!

But in all seriousness a good architect will help you realise your ambitions for the project and potentially save you time and money in the process. Bodging it as you go along could cost you both. It’s worth spending a bit for some professional advice sometimes!

We are googling local architects and will have a chat with a few.
I’m just kind of wanting to understand how they would fit in with my skills and the need to keep costs down by doing as much as possible myself. We are wanting the ‘naked’/exposed/industrial style of the building – think galv conduit/spun aluminium lamps/exposed brickwork etc rather than sleek/smooth/plasterered/rendered finishes.

To give you an idea of my background, I work as jack-of-all-trades (my title is development engineer)in the chem/plastics industry but I mainly design and construct equipment/processes using solidworks/CAD. i also project manage some fairly large stuff at times as well. I was going to make the steel/ laser cut staircase myself. The bedroom mezzanine I was going to do myself to current regs/local building control/inspection. I can also freely borrow the companies CO2 shotblaster, scaffolding, Hilti’s etc etc

Like I say – we dont have much money, one of the reasons for buying this mill is that allows us to be mortgage free. I don’t really want to borrow money to pay for work I could do myself.

You will get more if you use an architect but it’ll certainly cost you. If you aren’t doing much structural or messing with layout and extending then I think the benefits will be slight. If you can do 3D modelling and visualise things then you are quite a big step to doing a lot of it yourself. In your situation I’d definitely have a go. In fact I’ve got a similar background and done some similar but smaller projects myself. You’ll make a few mistakes and some will cost you money but overall you’ll save a packet. Its also very satisfying once done if you’ve done it yourself.

I think you need to find one who you can work with. We are on a similar mission albeit with a 1980s bungalow on a former mill site.. There are two key reasons – they’ll see the space in a different way to you. We went with a very open brief in text that represented the outcomes of what we thought our design encompassed. There’s was much better…

Secondly being able to go and have an informed conversation. Our last one was about the ceiling heights coming at 2250mm vs 2400 with downstands. Having someone who can articulate and understand how each would feel was a great help.

I have nothing to offer other than it sounds like a fantastic project and I’m very jealous 🙂

Chose a number of architects and interview them. You need to find one who you’ll be able to work with. Tell them what you’re doing and say that you’re looking for an architect who’ll help you to realise your plans. You can always set a fixed fee based on initial ideas then for planning and maybe for building regs. I haven’t done any percentage fee based work for 20 years.

OP, you will be making some alterations to the external fabric/envelope of the building in that you’ll be insulating it, changing the windows,doors to comply with Approved Document L of Building Regs
Is building listed or in a conservation area?

As a couple of answers above, as an Architect I would say yes without doubt you should use one. Make sure it’s the right one, by checking out past work and how you feel about them personally. If anyone is doing any drawings you should commission a proper measured survey. Without one risks cock up further along the process. Sounds like a great project. Make sure you watch ‘The Money Pit’ with Tom Hanks! And good luck.

OP, you will be making some alterations to the external fabric/envelope of the building in that you’ll be insulating it, changing the windows,doors to comply with Approved Document L of Building Regs
Is building listed or in a conservation area?

Doors & windows will be changed, but externally that’s pretty much it. Its in a deprived northern mill town so Im not wanting to be shouting too much.

Its sister building (identical building) behind ‘ours’ was demolished and is now scruffy brown field. No listings and certainly not a conservation area – nothing worth conserving!

If not an architect maybe a surveyor, or someone to advise. Sounds like the gf will be commercial, Upper floors domestic, either way change of use so check requirements such as insulation, heating, and check whether you will you need to pass EPC SAP SBEM. Partly for building regs and planning but also to make sure the place will work for you and be an asset as you never know if you may need to sell or take a loan on it.
Old buildings function differently so try to understand before adding modern materials which may function differently, I. E. If it has lime plaster or mortar, be careful of covering in cement products.
Do plenty of research and post some photos, good luck and enjoy.

From the sound of it you don’t need an architect to show you what you could achieve, but you will need someone who understands regulations and the construction requirements (possible needs to understand and organise the engineering), plus someone to create the various documents and coordinate with Planning and then Building Control and any tenders etc.

This is most likely an Architect, or at least someone with an understanding of the above – and if you haven’t planning consent yet then someone local who can ‘assist’ the process will be very useful.

FWIW We’re currently renovating an outbuilding into a granny annex, and we pretty much told the Architect what we wanted (plus supplied Visio diagrams of all faces plus room details – but I still consider that he’s been very valuable, and continues to be.