Practice 1 min read
Feasibility first: five questions to answer before you commission a design
The cheapest time to change a project is before it has a design. These are the questions we ask every client at the start.
Most projects that struggle do so because of a decision made — or not made — before design began. A short feasibility stage answers the questions that shape everything else.
1. What does the site actually allow?
Zoning envelopes, setbacks, height limits and parking requirements define the real building area, which is often very different from the plot size multiplied by the permitted ratio.
2. What is the building for, precisely?
“Offices” or “apartments” is not a brief. Floor-plate depth, unit mix and servicing all depend on who will use the building and how.
3. What will it cost — roughly?
An order-of-magnitude cost plan at this stage, even within ±20 percent, prevents a design being developed that the budget can never support.
4. How long will it take?
Approvals, procurement and construction durations determine when revenue starts. Phasing can change the financial picture completely.
5. What could go wrong?
Ground conditions, utility capacity, neighbouring buildings and authority requirements each carry risk. Naming them early is the first step to pricing and managing them.
