An aspect of the building project that is often not considered early enough in the process is the budget because this information is fundamental to guiding the design down a deliverable path. The budget is not simply the construction cost, but should encompass all of the other expenses such as design costs, approval fees, planning costs, financing, inspections, relocation of client if necessary and any other associated costs. This budget must be established in the early stages of the project so that it can influence the building design from the outset.
It may seem obvious but an itemised budget is essential as it highlights the considered costs. There will always be some unforeseen costs along the way but starting with a budget avoids potential indecision that can also creep in to the design and planning phase, which will undoubtedly increase costs.
It was clear with this project that the budget would have to be carefully considered as the property itself was reaching the top of it’s value and although design brief would add value to the overall property the clients did not want to invest too heavily in order to recoup as much of the additional value.

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