Building your own home
Building a new house presents a wonderful opportunity to step beyond the ordinary.
Our design ethos comes from a passion for natural narratives, taking inspiration from locality and lifestyle, so that your home is designed as a response to its surroundings, and to the way you like to live.
This relationship and relevance is fundamental to good architecture. New build homes create beautiful, comfortable places to live when they are aligned to your needs, and in harmony with site environment and orientation. Conscious of this context, we meticulously map your vision to the location and landscape, maximising the benefit of views and sunlight to ensure your home is as enjoyable and energy efficient as possible.
Conversation is key, and we look forward to learning about your aspirations.
Giles Architects can assist with new build schemes including:
- Development of vacant land
- Replacement of an existing dwelling
- Subdivision of a residential plot
- Self-build projects
Design and planning
During the pre-design phase, we present a thorough analysis of site constraints and considerations, advise on planning implications and restrictions, assess outline build costs, and help you to develop a brief firmly founded on viability, vision and value.
We closely collaborate with our clients through the design stages, responding carefully to their aspirations, budget and timeline, providing expert guidance and support through the planning application and approvals process. We also assist with building regulations compliance, tender documentation, and the selection of builders or main contractors, project managers and other consultants.
Construction systems
We are very experienced with traditional house building, and also have a passion for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) including timber frame, structural insulated panels (SIPs), insulated concrete formwork (ICF), and high-performance building fabrics. Whenever possible, we favour innovative, off-site fabrication and on-site technologies which can dramatically speed the build process.
Our team is dedicated to designing high quality sustainable homes, using eco-friendly solutions, for example green roof systems and renewable energy technology such as ground and air source heat pumps, photo-voltaic tiles and solar panels.
Interior design
Space planning and layout are foremost in our design concepts, following an ‘inside out’ philosophy where exterior form is shaped by the spaces within.
This interior-first approach ensures we achieve the optimal footprint for your site, with beautifully positioned and proportioned rooms, pleasing sight lines and a natural flow between different levels, connecting zones and outdoor spaces.
This creates the backdrop for inspiring interior design, and we would be pleased to advise on materials and finishes, joinery details, bespoke furniture and fixings. As part of the interior design process we use mood boards and material samples. We also coordinate with M&E consultants and technology specialists to ensure infrastructure, lighting, home control and entertainment systems are fully integrated and future-proofed.
