Category: General (Page 16 of 28)

Meet an Architect – Help Simon Communities

April 22, 2015 / barros / 2 Comments

The RIAI and the Simon Communities of Ireland have again joined forces for the 11th annual fundraising initiative “Simon Open Door”.

We are delighted to announce our participation in this important campaign for the 6th year in a row.

The Simon Communities of Ireland work with people who experience homelessness and housing exclusion in Ireland.

Anyone hoping to build, renovate or extend their home may be interested in this initiative. Isabel Barros Architects in Wexford will offer an hour long consultation in return for a donation of €55 to charity. This generous donation of time and expertise will help fund Simon’s work assisting people to move on from the crisis of homelessness, to independent living in quality accommodation. All of the money raised goes towards the work of the Simon Communities of Ireland

You can sign up for an appointment with Isabel Barros Architects on either Saturday 9th May or Sunday 10th May, just log in at www.simonopendoor.ie. If for some reason these dates do not suit you, please book a time anyway and send us a note asking to have a different date.

Read Testimonials about the Simon Open Door.

Join Simon Open Door page in Facebook.

The Secret Guide to Deal with Architects – Take 8

April 9, 2015 / barros / 3 Comments

Our 8th secret tip about how to deal with an Architect focus on the time frame to complete your construction project.

If you have just landed here do not miss our previous tips:

8. Be Aware of Time

Be prepared for a long journey. Most construction projects take a considerable amount of time until completion. Don’t be deluded by TV programmes like “Room to Improve” where everything is squeezed into an hour show giving you the (wrong) impression that just a week have passed.

Hot tip: Your Architect needs time to plan and design things properly. Sometimes it may look like a waste of time but, in reality, it is time you gain during construction and nearly always money you save. You are also unlikely to be the Architect’s only client. So make sure you communicate your decisions as early as possible to avoid delays.

Go to Take 9 – Pay on Time

Start from Take 1 – Stages

The Secret Guide to Deal with Architects – Take 7

November 13, 2014 / barros / 2 Comments

Our 7th secret tip about how to deal with an Architect focus on the importance of the design process.

If you have just landed here do not miss our previous tips:

7. Enjoy the process

When you appoint an Architect you give her/him a problem to solve, a challenge to do. It may be a new house on a new site, it may be an extension to an awkward existing house, or improving a house layout that is not working, or a shop that is not attracting clients, etc, etc. In order to solve your problem the Architect will go through a design process that will consider a number of factors. Make sure you participate in this process by providing your Architect with a solid brief and by letting her/him know what are your likes/dislikes, aspirations and goals.

Hot tip: The first steps of the design process are hugely important, they are the foundations of your project. You should engage with your Architect as early as possible. If in doubt about what you want or need, ask your Architect for an opinion. Architects deal with a wide range of people and age groups, they may know better than you what you will need in 10 years time, for example. Listen, reflect and think. You may even realize you need to change the initial brief, but this is the moment to do it before the process develops to more complex drawings/documents. Remember to enjoy this process, it is often a life changing experience!

Go to Take 8 – Be Aware of Time

Start from Take 1 – Stages.