Lynn Palmer Architects has launched BluPrint, a suite of pre-designed homes for self builders wanting a more affordable alternative to a fully bespoke architect-designed home.
The vision is designed to support those unable to afford commissioning a home from scratch, using a gap in the market that sits between the pattern books of package companies and a one-off architect designed home.
This led to the BluPrint concept, with three pre-designed homes that buyers can customise, with a fourth design to come. The route offers all the benefits of opting for an architectural practice to design a home from scratch, with sustainability at their heart. The pre-design stage helps speed up the design and spec process, while offering costs savings due to the homes not being drawn up individually.
The practice calculates that this route can deliver up to 40% savings on professional fees and costings, and speed up the work to submit a planning application for approval. However, the designs can be tailored to each buyers’ preferences and budgets, but naturally revisions increase costs. For example, for the double-gabled design each wing can be pushed up or back to customise the home to the buyer’s budget or plot size.
Prices vary depending on plot location and topography, but construction start from £505,500 for the B1 Linear House design, shown at the top. This includes an allowance for everything from foundations to kitchens, which can be specced up.
This gives buyers a starting point where the initial design work, pricing and planning are factored in, which empowers them to make decisions around revisions that impact the process and costs.
The homes were designed with serviced plots in mind, such as Graven Hill, but the model is flexible and will work across the UK, as well as on single plots – as long as planning is achievable.
To date the practice has received interest from custom build enablers looking to bring on multi-plot sites, as it offers a package of designs, using timber frames from English Brothers to deliver the homes, that work well on such development.
The package includes:
- Architectural design planning package
- Architectural Building Regulation package
- Timber frame design and structural details
- Whole house energy solution, including UFH layouts, MVHR design, air source design and specification
- SAP calculations and energy report
- Quantity surveyor cost plan
“We’re really excited to have launched these homes, as BluPrint represents a genuine saving for consumers, with the designs providing a flexible alternative to the bespoke route, that encapsulates many of the costs, and the implications of design changes. This will empower people, helping them with the process of creating their ideal home, while balancing the realities of their budget with their ambition.
“Our designs offers self builders a new route to building, while the reputation of English Brothers meaning that buyers can trust the process from start to finish.”
The catalogue to date:
Main image: the B2 Twin Gables design. Top right: BluPrint B2 cube home. Bottom right: The B2 Cube House design
