During the Design Clinic I will draw up a good working layout and give you general advice on what to watch out for during the building process.
Most people commissioning the Design Clinic are aware or have had some sort of negative experience where the tradesperson has been asked to design the layout. For example, I will advise you on what to ask and not to ask of the tradesperson. With a good layout life is often made easier for the builder so that he can concentrate on the work that needs to be done instead of losing time and money trying to work out the unresolved spaces.
Having works carried out in your home disturbs your privacy and can be unsettling at the best of times. In this state it can be hard to remember your intent and not wish they were out of your space before the work is fully completed. During the Design Clinic I give general pointers what to watch out for when getting a builder in to your home to do the small works. I also advise you on how to be firm about what you want to get done and how to have the confidence to make sure your house is completed to your satisfaction.
There are, from time to time, different grants available for upgrading a property, e.g. to meet disability standards or for protected buildings.
Through up to date knowledge of these I can suggest who to contact for possible grants. Often grant aids from the authorities have time limits for the funding to be drawn down. I can also advise on how you can ensure your project moves along and does not become a typical never-ending building project.
Additionally you always have the option of seeing your project through to completion with us – see Full Architectural Services for more details.
Lynn, Limerick
Aoife, Co. Clare
The online design clinic experience worked as well for me and I would recommend it as an alternative to a home visit. I shared photos and measurements beforehand as well as the general scope of my extension needs and ideas.
The first part of our discussion was based on my wishlist for my extension and how I intended to use the space, and talking online about this was very straightforward. When it came to putting ideas down on paper, I did feel that this would be more challenging to do online, but by doing a screenshare Patti was easily able to sketch and talk me through different options.
At the end of our session (which we split into two segments to accommodate a break from the laptop), I came away with a clear idea of how my new space should look and the next day Patti shared drawings based on our clinic discussion that I can now take to builders for cost estimates.
Linda, Limerick City
Somehow in a few hours, Patti understood how I live and what is important to me. While being sensitive to my limited budget and wanting to retain the old-fashioned feel of the cottage, she designed a new layout that brings in light, includes storage, and makes for an overall more comfortable, relaxing place to live. Passionate and knowledgeable about the conservation of older buildings, Patti was supportive and encouraging but also realistic about the work I could do myself. Patti completely changed my outlook on what can be achieved in the space I have and I can't recommend her enough.
Kerry, Co. Cork
Kathleen, Co. Clare
Brian & Claire, Co. Limerick
Patti agreed to travel all the way to the north coast of Donegal to meet with us and we are so glad she did. Her expertise, advice and support were invaluable. She listened to our needs, advised us and made the whole experience feel very collaborative and enjoyable. She was able to merge our ideas with her knowledge and creativity to create a plan which we are absolutely delighted with. Most importantly for us, her expertise in restoring our old house in keeping with the existing building and all its wonderful features has been exceptional. We would highly recommend Patti for any renovation projects.
Niall & Ciara, Co. Donegal
Even though we had an idea of what we wanted to achieve in the renovation of an old cottage and the building of an extension, we couldn’t make it work ourselves. With Patti’s skill, as well as her insights, experience and knowledge, we worked together to come up with a design which maximises the site and creates a lovely flow within the design. In just a few hours, we created a house plan that we are very happy with – thanks to Patti.
Colm & Kathleen, Co. Tipperary
Kerry & David, Co. Dublin
We had discussed altering our home and had come up with lots of ideas, but we needed some clarity in the form of expert advice. Patti listened to our requirements, assessed the house and came up with lots of ideas, that were both practical and creative. At the end of the day Patti left us with a plan that was exactly what we were hoping for! We are thrilled with the outcome and would highly recommend Patti to anyone seeking to improve their home.
Mick & Anne, Co. Limerick
Barbara & Bryan, Co. Clare
Thank you for your time and for the drawings and your creativity. We genuinely think your service is quite unique and truly good value. We really needed something like this for us to start making decisions. It's a great foundation to understand how the space can be re-modelled to create a comfortable and flowing home.
Pat & Phil, Co. Tipperary
Maighread & Liam, Co. Tipperary
Gillian, Co. Tipperary
Sarah & Cian, Limerick City
Bernie, Co Limerick
John, Co. Limerick
Ann Marie Kennedy, Co. Limerick
The Design Clinic with Patti was invaluable in helping us to see the potential of the buildings, and to use the existing footprint in the best possible way to maximise light and space.
Reinventing these old buildings into our home has been a challenge but one that was made easier by the creativity, positivity and respect for the history of the place that Patti brought to the project.
Lindsay & Kevin, Co. Galway
Lisa and Con, Co. Cork
We had our Design Clinic conducted over Skype due to Covid 19. Patti really captured what we were looking to achieve and how best we could integrate this into our home. We didn’t lose any of the value of Patti’s brilliant Design Clinic concept, we just didn’t get to meet her in person! Our end product design is exactly what we need. Many thanks Patti.
Julie and Zenia, Co. Cork
Eadaoin & David, Co. Tipperary
Vivienne, Limerick City
Maeve & Darragh, Co. Tipperary
We have great satisfaction of how Patti maximises the use of the sun from early in the morning till late in the evening, which saves on our fuel bills and is good for the environment. Mostly, however, there is a sense of well being from living in a house where the sun is going through all day. We would never had envisioned the home that we have without Patti's professional advice. Overall we found the service superb.
Dorothy & Peter, Co. Tipperary
The consultation work was really enjoyable! Very happy with how we managed to fit in a functional, contemporary layout into a not-so-willing older cottage and delighted with how the drawings have come out; love how they've maximised the space, particularly getting full use of the end room with the mountain views! Patti is very knowledgeable, thorough, and has great respect for detail when working with older properties, which can be a difficult find in today's world. Thank you Patti.
Bobby & Tony, Co. Tipperary
I highly recommend Patti and her in-depth design clinic. For us, what we were originally looking for was a revised layout and extension of our old 1950s home. With Patti's skill set and creativity, what we got was a detailed plan creating optimised flow of space, increased light and maximised views. Her creativity against focus, clarity and sustainability ensured we obtained maximum effectiveness and a cohesiveness between the old and new. Patti is extremely thorough, detailed in her approach, process, design, drawings and outcome. If you are looking for an expert safe pair of hands to ensure you get the most out of your existing structure versus what you want as well as what you need, Patti is the professional you have been looking for.
Joan & Shane, Co. Tipperary
Karen, Co. Tipperary
We discussed at length what I wanted and what I needed. This process was not easy for me but with Patti’s patience and encouragement and at the end of a very long day I had a plan I really liked.
Thank you sincerely Patti.
Joan Co. Cork
Lorraine & Derek, Co. Tipperary
Patti brought us on a grand tour of our house and showed us things about it that we never considered. We are delighted with the outcome drawing. It gives us a really good basis for moving forward as we have a drawing to take to builders for costings. We can now take time to consider the design and fine tune the specifics of our new space. Patti has taken the fear out of the process and we really looking forward to taking our next steps.
Sinéad & Niall, Co. Tipperary