Interview with director of ASBA: Philip McCullough

For big projects, Phillip McCullough, director of ASBA, urges that people consult with professionals to get the best design, space and allocation of resource possible.

What do you and your company do?

I am a director of a group of architects, ASBA, which consists of about 50 members in total throughout the UK, founded in about 1995. We specialise in giving advice to clients who want to build their own house or extend or alter their existing house.

What sort of services do you offer your clients?

Well, we like to be there from the very beginning to help our clients really think about and establish what they want. We like to establish exactly where the need or desire for a certain space has come from. Why does someone want a bigger kitchen or an extra bedroom for example? How are they going to use the extra space? We give our clients advice on alterations and extensions that make sense and fit in with what they want.

What's the most important part of your job?

The most important thing for me is to get the customer onboard and engaged and to be a part of the design team as much as any of the architects. Also we're trusted to deliver and to pick up the faults or errors in people's designs or plans we offer a personalised consultation and creating an end product that everyone can be proud of is an absolute joy.

How is the economic downturn affecting the market you operate in?

I haven't seen a great deal of change as of yet, indeed many are saying that extensions and making additional space in your existing home is the more affordable and therefore more desirable option at the moment. The whole idea of not moving but improving may be catching on perhaps. However, I don't think any sector is safe and the government should do more to aid us such as reducing the VAT on the cost of home extensions.

Have you got any horror stories?

Once we had a case where we were called halfway through a job on a garage conversion that the customer wanted to integrate into the house. The builders involved had built the floor to the conversion a step lower as the customer had asked but unfortunately this didn't comply with Building Regulations and they spent £1000s trying to correct it. I reckon the moral of this story is to get an architect in first off to sort all the right and workable design features out and you'll save a great deal in the long run and get the kind of space that will really work.

Any brilliant or proud moments?

Once we organised the move of a Grade 1 listed building which had been built in 1650. We moved it 2 miles, that was a proud day for me.

Finally, what's the most important thing to consider when doing a self build or renovating a home?

It's really important that you get in contractors that you can trust and that come with recommendations. Ask to see their previous work or talk to their previous customers and if they're reluctant, that's usually a sign that they're not reputable.