Single storey rear extension in West London
“We really enjoyed the process, and we feel like that we were really listened to, and yeah, I don’t think that we could have a house that’s kind of better suited to our to our lifestyle”
The clients are a family of four with a cat. They enjoy reading, cooking, living around the kitchen area, and outdoor activities. Their day-to-day lifestyle required a space that allowed independence, but also allowed living together as a family.
The principal objective, on which we agreed from the very early design stages, was to create a strong, elongated, open design, where each space and activity is strongly differentiated while still being within the same area, and to connect all these concatenated spaces not only to the rear garden and patio, but also, visually, to the front yard. This was the main idea from which the whole project unfolded.
Ground floor flat extension and refurbishment in Muswell Hill , North London
“When I tell my friends the project was on time and on budget, they don’t believe it, ”
In this interview by video, the owner, Amit, talks about the design process and the construction of his ground-floor flat’s side and rear extensions in the Muswell Hill Conservation Area, in North London, from a client’s perspective.
Amit talks about the brief, his aspirations, and how he worked with Alez Architects to see all the possibilities available in order to unlock the existing property´s full potential. He had never worked with architects before, and he describes how helpful this was, right from the outset - at the inception stage, during the planning, and during construction.
It was a small project, but it involved quite a lot of complexities, which was something that became obvious during the first meeting, and which Amit had not realized at first. In this short video Amit touches on some of these complexities, such as the Conservation Area, the planning process, and the big tree in the garden.
Amit also talks about how three-dimensional models, sketches and computer-generated images helped him to understand the proposed space and its potential, and how the use of mood boards, a material selection pallet and interior design resulted in a more cohesive space and the overall look and feel of the solution.
Amit talks about how delighted he was to see that the project achieved a good result , was completed on time and remained within the budget.
Property developer, Kensington & Chelsea, South West London
“An Architect who knows the value of works, what they’re going to cost and potentially add in terms of value is something which is very beneficial for me as a developer”
In this interview by video, Nazim talks about how he has been working with the team at Alez Architects in the past 7-8 years.
Nazim Choudhury is an experienced London property developer and investor. He is currently working in a variety of projects, ranging from individual house refurbishments to extensions in Central London, for letting or selling as student accommodation. He is also working on ‘new-build’ multi-unit property developments.
He describes how the budget is managed by our designers, always bearing in mind all the figures and costs, and taking account of the fact that design decisions cost money, and of the relation between value and amount spent − procedures that are essential in order to maximise profit for the developer while maintaining high standards of quality.
Also, explains how buyers are becoming more demanding, and appreciate high quality, even in student accommodation, and how Alez Architects understand that the end product needs to sell well.
Nazim talks about how important it is for him as a client to know that there is always someone at the other end of the phone, how, sometimes, unexpected situations occur on site and a quick response is needed in order to avoid a standstill on the construction site, which would have a big financial impact.
“I’ve worked with Mauro on numerous projects from house refurbishments to multi million pound developments. Regardless of project size I’ve found him to be attentive, pragmatic in approach with an understanding of what it is we as a development company require and want to achieve”
“We had a really limited budget I think, I’m quite surprised with what we’ve been able to do with it. I assumed we just have the kind of standard box extension. But what we’ve ended up with is something that we really didn’t think that we could afford here. So we’re delighted”
“We have been working with Alez for a number of years now and our repeat business speaks for itself.
Mauro and the team are extremely knowledgeable and have delivered a number of successful planning approvals for us, in and around Hertfordshire. Unlike other architectural practices, Alez are always responsive and are very good at both understanding and sticking to the brief, our team would have no hesitation in recommending their services.”
“We purchased a town house in Chelsea, London, which required a full renovation and extension, we met Mauro through a common friend , and found that the Alez Architects team had the expertise, acumen and passion that we were looking for. We were listened to, and they fulfilled every aspect of the brief, they were always available and responsive, ,we would definitely recommend”