Category: Money

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5 Impossible Flats

Zollikon is proud to discuss some flats recently designed to fit within a challenging but highly sustainable space. This development will bring a range of benefits:

  • enhance the neighbourhood by replacing a litter-strewn wasteland with a well thought-out and maintained scheme
  • replace unmanaged and even dangerous (dead) trees with an urban appropriate “living space” that includes retaining and managing wild trees, a new row of screening trees, a living wall, living roof and sustainable timber cladding materials
  • reduce a local flooding issue for at risk neighbours by enhanced monitoring of a riperian landowner who has a history of neglecting a waterway
  • eliminate any risk entirely for the scheme’s residents by building the ground floor and accesses above the flood tip-over point. (Unbelievably, this was not done in a large neighbouring scheme with dozens of flats just a decade ago!!!)
  • create a safer environment for neighbours using the “secure by design” principles of including windows overlooking public spaces, private ownership and usage. Granular statistics show crime is a problem for the general public in the immediate area to be enhanced by this much-needed Zollikon scheme
  • create much needed housing in a highly sustainable location, i.e. an area very well serviced by shops, schools, public transport, parks, medical care, work opportunities, etc.
  • create beautiful, space efficient homes with well thought-out layouts and features that people will be happy and proud to live in

Zollikon is very proud to have been involved in this scheme from the start – at which point every other person said this derelict, wasteland site was unbuildable – and to have then gone on to build and evidence the scheme’s merits, thereby securing the support of the local planning department despite all the “it’s impossible” nay-sayers.

A construction logistics plan, an extensive topograpical survey all the way to the local high street, uncovering historical records going back over 100 years, legal advice, pixel-level land registry agreement, 3D rendering, a highly original low impact build technique, graphs, photos, statistics, motion capture traffic surveys… The work was great, but the rewards far greater.

5 sets of residents will be glad that Zollikon creatively dreamed and diligently transformed the impossible into the possible, as they enjoy their beautiful new homes.

If you have a piece of land that you think might be buildable – even if “experts” have told you it is “impossible” – please do contact Zollikon for a fresh, intelligent appraisal.

Equally, if you would like to make an investment into land development, where returns of 2-20 times are achievable, Zollikon would love to speak with you about a possible partnership.

We are always happy to listen, look and think.

Zollikon – realising the possible.

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New detached house – Zollikon wins another appeal

From the very start I thought the application was a 50/50 case and indeed we did fail at the first attempt, when the Local Planning Authority (aka ‘the council’) rejected the application. The case had its definite merits and issues, but no neighbours had objected and on balance the clients and I agreed that the application ought to be given another chance – the application simply ‘felt right’.

So we pulled out all the stops for an appeal. We gathered further evidence to counter the LPA’s reasons for refusal, including going through the LPA’s own adopted policies with a fine tooth-comb. This detailed process unearthed some useful ammunition which we presented using all the skills learned from previous experience as a journalist, photographer, editor, Chartered Institute of Marketing post-grad, PLC communications manager, etc.

The rain started falling exactly as the Appeal Inspector arrived for his visit to view the proposed building plot. He declined a warming coffee and seemed tentative when we offered him a wet ladder to climb up (to see the neighbour’s garden for comparison purposes) despite my assuring him I had just secured and tested it. He survived. I also guided him around some soaked decking in case it was slippery. No slapstick mishaps please! Several minutes after he had left, we saw him outside in the street, still musing the situation. We struggled to interpret his body language – if only we could read his thoughts – perhaps he thought it was a 50/50 case too?

One morning a few weeks later, I excitedly phoned the clients to let them know the happy news of our win – clean forgetting that they were away in America. I have never heard someone more forgiving after being woken up at 5am!

Builders are now being engaged and the clients are looking forward to enjoying their new house.

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Alpine Chalet

While on the subject of Switzerland (see previous post), if you would like help developing property in Switzerland please do get in touch. Projects and building land can be bought surprisingly cheaply, Swiss finance rates can be very low, tax breaks are available (e.g. no inheritance tax in some cantons) and foreign ownership is possible. Zollikon would be delighted to help with your project whether you are interested in a private holiday home or perhaps a rental investment.

On my last “busman’s holiday” I paid particular attention to converted historic agricultural buildings in the tourist heartland of the Interlaken / Lucerne region. There are many such buildings in the most jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery with healthy year-round potential – from skiing in the winter to summer hikes and cycling amidst meadows of wild alpine flowers. Whilst largely retaining picture-postcard rustic beauty externally, some of the re-worked barns are modern masterpieces internally, demonstrating world-class Swiss expertise in timber, concrete and fit-out.

To whet your appetite, some links to examples of buildings, building land and rental examples:

https://www.immoscout24.ch/en

https://www.immostreet.ch/en

https://www.homegate.ch/buy/real-estate-search

https://www.interhome.co.uk/switzerland

https://alp.holidaybooking.ch/?language=en

https://chalet.myswitzerland.com/?lang=en

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Government raises planning application fees by 20%

Twenty per cent. That’s a fair bit, particularly when some planning departments who claim to be tremendously overworked seem to spend an awful lot of time and money fighting doomed appeals following wrong refusals. It’s the latest in a long line of rising taxes around planning and property, e.g. many planning departments have already increased their income in recent years by bringing in hefty charges for pre-application advice (in my experience the money is normally more wisely spent on an expert planning consultant who is freer to give a more balanced and creative opinion).

The increase has just been announced for 17th January, so you have a full FIVE DAYS to get your application in!

Although some will see this as payment for a service, I see it as yet another tax-hike because developers are enhancing a vital community asset for this and future generations – the built environment – at their own private cost. If the collective community wants to police this in ever-finer detail with more and more red tape, then it should collectively pay for this.

It could be argued that this size of increase is unlikely to deter any homeowner from attempting to improve their greatest asset, nor any land-owner from trying to add some zeros to the value of their land. Governments have always sought to increase tax revenues. There’s a lot of money in obtaining planning permission and this move is part of a trend of tapping into what is seen as an easy target, in order to finance an ever-growing army of those in public pay.

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Past Projects

Zollikon has been around for a few years and worked on a large number of projects. The following examples are listed to give an idea of our experience:

  • Design, planning permission and building regulations for renovation, extension and conversion of derelict bungalow to house, sympathetic to Grade II listed neighbour – Zollikon success after client’s previous failure.

  • Extension and conversion of existing building to 7 flats – building regulations/plans for stalled project, including subterranean, to enable sale.

  • Several rear extensions using new Neighbour Consultation Scheme to double normal permitted development rights (PDR) limits.

  • Double and triple planning application strategies to benefit from both permitted and consented planning on the same building.

  • Conversion of historic stables to habitable – design, construction/building regulations detailing, build management including full under-pinning, tanking, restoration of lime mortar, structural reinforcement.

  • Multi-disciplinary case management (planning, barristers, design, structural, Party Wall) for multi-million town centre flats project involving defective title deeds, legacy planning and multi-party negotiations

  • School playground/outdoor classroom design, plans and 3D visuals to assist students with special needs (pro bono)

  • Architectural plans, legal searches, joint venture business plan and multi-party negotiations to treble value of town centre plot to create up to 25 flats.

  • Large kitchen/living/dining parapet extension, en suite, porch and extensive landscaping for substantial house – design, planning application, construction detailing.

  • 19 new build one and two bedroom flats – feasibility study.

  • Successful negotiation with council Building Control Department to allow 5m x 4m rear extension as ‘porch’ to enable building regulations exemption.

  • Extensions to two flats – design and planning application.

  • Double dormer loft conversion within Permitted Development Rights, with fire curtain protected route option through open plan ground floor.

  • New-build 2 bedroom detached bungalow – planning inspectorate appeal and land acquisition consultancy.

  • Manse loft conversion with L shaped dormer to create 3 new bedrooms, bathroom and study. Also orangery, conservatory and open plan remodelling. Planning permissions, design and building regulations.

  • Achieving Building Control completion certificates on extensive structural, thermal, electrical and other works to six dwellings within 2 months (following several years of unsuccessful attempts before Zollikon’s involvement).

  • Successful Listed Building Consent for loft conversion, stairs and windows on Grade II cottage.

  • House extension and conversion to 4 flats/25 rooms – design, successful planning appeal, build management.

  • 1800m2 industrial units – business development consultancy and plans to maximise return.

  • Bungalow extension, interior alterations and crack investigation – design, building plans, structural engineer liaison.

  • Front extension to lounge and porch (builder’s own home) – design and planning application.

  • Two storey side extension into loft (different builder’s own home), including new log burner and en suite – reworking existing loft plans, construction/building regulations detailing.

  • 100 seat restaurant dining area and kitchen layout, licence application.

  • Joint venture, finance, plans, building regulations, build management consultancy for new property developers.

  • Plans, planning permission, building regulations, build checking for rear extension covering entire back garden in conservation area (subsequently recommended for and achieved planning for two storey extension in same conservation area, subsequently recommended for third extension in same conservation area…)

  • Design, planning and building regs for eighth customer in the same road completed! – all word of mouth recommendations.

  • Extensive project to combine two flats into one house, convert loft and add double side dormers and lower ground floor extension, remodelling to include: extra bedroom, extra en suite, extra toilet, extra utility room, 2 new offices, reworked bedroom, new bathroom, new open plan kitchen-diner-family room, 3 new staircases. All achieved within permitted development rights.

  • Extensive remodelling and extension to house forming one wing end of Grade II listed 18th century stately home in AONB, following Zollikon success on the other wing’s sister house.

  • Plot-finding, site acquisition, topographical survey, plans and planning application for 5 new flats on vacant urban brownfield site.



Perhaps your project contains elements similar to one or more of the above examples? Perhaps you have a new challenge for us – we love overcoming challenges! Zollikon has a lot of experience, skills and hunger to succeed for our clients. We look forward to helping you.

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Loft Stairs

There are several great advantages to converting a loft compared with a ground floor extension:

  • no costly new foundations needed (subject to checking)
  • no new roof needed
  • no wasted garden space
  • upstairs bedroom/s
  • loft bathrooms/en suites can make good use of eaves
  • upgrading roof insulation benefits the whole house
  • generous planning PDRs can reduce planning costs and risks

So, lots of good reasons to consider a loft. These pluses need weighing against issues such as the need to consider fire safety, structural reinforcement and noise transmission, but so long as the basic height needed is there, a loft is a definite possibility.

One issue that does need consideration at an early stage is access – stairs.

Issues include:

  • Stairs and access to them, will cost space on the first floor
  • Placing loft stairs over existing stairs can be an efficient use of space
  • Stairs typically need to arrive in a high point of the roof to provide enough headroom
  • Building regulations stipulate a maximum stair pitch of 42 degrees
  • Each tread must have a minimum of 2 metres clear height above, except loft stairs, which may have a centre-line height of 1.9m with a lower edge of 1.8m to allow for a sloped roof above
  • Loft staircase headroom can be helped by Velux/roof lites and dormers
  • There are also minimums for stair landings and rules governing door openings near stairs
  • If the stairs create accommodation on a third floor, enhanced fire safety requirements and protected route escape rules can be met using a whole range of tools (e.g. linked smoke alarms, heat detectors, fire doors, intumescent products, fire boards, fire curtains and sprinkler systems)
  • Carpeted loft stairs will be quieter for nearby bedrooms
  • Winds and low ceilings will impact on moving larger furniture
  • For minor breaches, building inspectors (local authority building control officers or approved independent inspectors) have some discretion to decide what they consider to be a safe staircase
  • There is no rule governing the minimum width of private staircases
  • Risers and treads must be consistent – adding or removing height to the bottom step to make up for an error is not OK!
  • Spiral staircases and space saver (alternating treads) stairs can be an option.
  • If buying a second hand staircase, please consider/remember (or Google!) the 100mm sphere safety rule.

And so on.

Of course, you do not need to learn all of the above; Zollikon is here to take the technical load off your shoulders and assist as you specify your priority and design preferences.

Zollikon uses 3D CAD software which is a huge benefit when dealing with tight spaces, minimum heights, rising steps and sloped ceilings. We can add thickness to loft floors and ceilings to show the impact of reinforcing and insulating work needed in loft conversions. From your point of view, you will get to see your staircase, floor, walls, ceilings in 3D from any angle you like. We can even populate the model with people of your height to help understand the dimensions.

The sort of experience, expertise and software that Zollikon offers will go a long way to making a complex subject user-friendly for you. Loft stairs – tick.

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Cost v investment – how much should you spend on architecture?

It can be a tricky thing, money. I like what it can buy and enable but it can be an awkward thing to have enough of, to ask for, to keep, to share, not to waste, etc, etc. Life would be a lot simpler without having to think about it. Unfortunately, for most of us adults, we do have to think about it, quite a lot.

When managing the build of some flats last year, sometimes a higher price than I thought reasonable led to decisions as to whether the expense could really be justified or what effect a cheaper alternative might have on future revenue. In property, the costs do tend to be big (as anyone with a mortgage probably knows) but thankfully so are the rewards. Property and building figures are like normal life – just with more zeros.

It made me appreciate what good architecture is really worth, in monetary terms. Achieving planning on a plot of land can increase its value by 10 or 20 times before a brick is laid. I have happily helped quite a few clients make life-changing profits using careful design and legal knowledge, sometimes where other, much more expensive, architectural agencies had already tried and failed. It is perhaps unsurprising that Zollikon Architecture has not advertised in years, has frequently worked for multiple clients in one road (the most is now 8 clients in one road – all word of mouth recommendations) and has had to turn away quite a lot of work over the years.

I have seen web sites offering architectural and planning services for a few hundred pounds, while a planning consultant on one job told me the architect’s fees on a modest domestic extension she was involved with had just ticked over into 6 figures. So, should you spend £500 or over £100,000? That’s an incredible spread and whilst the size of investment and returns are often linked, I wouldn’t advise opting for either extreme unless your budget is a broken pushbike or a Bugatti Chiron.

Some agencies have a set menu of charges, others charge per square foot or as a percentage of the build budget. A friend currently working on the design of a FTSE 100 head office in Pall Mall works for a fancied London agency and sometimes charges 20% of project costs, though that does include extensive specifying, build management and… the rent and rates of a rather nice Thames-side office.

Zollikon prefers to provide detailed quotations that list and explain items of work and costs in the interests of clarity – and no hidden charges! (unlike our poor client whose previous agency had failed to obtain planning permission and then asked for another £5000 for a simple written appeal).

Zollikon Architecture works hard to ensure we offer good value for money. I frequently save and enable customers 5, 6 and even 7 figure sums that far outweigh our fees, sometimes with just one crucial thought, comment or snippet of knowledge, though more often after a great deal of hard work. Whether you are building/obtaining planning to enable an improved lifestyle or bank balance, it pays to get the right help, even if that is not the very cheapest that can be found. Zollikon has succeeded many times for clients who have brought us in to help after others have failed.

Conversely, others have lost out by going their own way to save costs:

  • One homeowner saved £1000 by using a young structural engineer on his house improvements only to spend £10,000 more on so many steel beams that the building control inspector asked if the client was building a car park or a shopping centre!
    • Cost of ‘saving’: £9000.
  • A young developer saved £5000 by changing my careful cut roof design on a new build on the advice of his backer’s architect without telling me, only to lose essential natural light (necessitating some remedial clerestory windows as a poor rescue plan) and make impossible the easy loft conversion (adding two bedrooms, a bathroom and a further 80k profit) I had carefully designed in.
    • Cost of ‘saving’: £75,000.
  • Another made planning permission for a new-build house vastly more difficult, perhaps impossible, because he ignored my advice that in planning, timing and sequence can be everything.
    • Cost of ‘saving’: £150,000.
  • I have lost count of the number of times research has led me to over-rule solicitor advice and I have later been proved right. I once gave a multi-branch solicitor’s ‘Head of Property’ partner some planning permission tax advice that he said would save a client of his 6 figures – during a meeting for some work he charged me £1000 for and then failed to succeed in!
    • Cost of poor advice: £countless.

Much of Zollikon’s work is mentally intense and it sometimes reminds me of the fatigue after a finals or post-grad exam – except they only lasted three hours! But the fruits more than justify our effort and your expense. Clients with transformed lifestyles and net worth show the end results make all the hard work, long hours and money spent extremely worth while.

Zollikon is not the cheapest nor the most expensive, but we believe our service represents great value and a wise investment. We work hard on all our projects to understand and meet customer needs, save costs, maximise assets and enable client benefits worth far more than our fees.

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Zollikon Architecture flats launched to market

When we bought our small terraced home in 2007, little did we know that 10 years later we would have successfully extended and converted it into 4 flats.

It has been a long, transformative, arduous, educational, profitable and ultimately uplifting process…

The site always had potential but it took some creative design to enable 4 viable flats on a very tight site. There was also quite a battle with the local planning authority who were fantastically unhelpful – and wrong! as proved when they were forced to accept the obvious merits of our case by the Planning Inspectorate at appeal.

Then there was the credit crunch mess of cowboy banks gambling too much (of taxpayers’ money) and then too little (to protect their bonuses?!). I will never forget one large lender withdrawing from the market telling me they were unwilling to lend for our flats in Surrey as flats were risky because “there are lots of unsold flats in central Manchester”! Words fail.

Then a widely recommended builder promptly went bust days before starting, leaving us with no option but to self-build to beat a fast-looming planning deadline. Later, the water company managed to dig up the footpath 7 times before getting it right and we had to synthesise and redraw 6 contradictory electrical supply technical plans from the statutory supplier into one definitive drawing which they immediately approved. So, not always easy.

On the positive side, it has brought a huge breadth and depth of hands-on knowledge, a tremendous feeling of satisfaction, a healthy profit and a fantastic contribution to the community and its housing stock within 10 yards of a busy London commuter railway station. Within days of launch an airline pilot and young couple wanted to move in, with many more viewings being booked. Neighbours and a local housebuilder have stopped by to congratulate and thank us on a job well done to improve the area. The first building directly opposite anyone leaving the railway station is now not a dilapidated eyesore but a bright, transformed development to welcome and lift the spirits of travellers.

I am glad now to have more time to spend on Zollikon Architecture again – and with much enhanced knowledge. Despite, or perhaps because of, the countless obstacles met and overcome through sheer bloody-minded hard work over years, the flats project will remain a source of pride (and hopefully income) for many years to come.

An artist selling inspirational artwork in Covent Garden recently reminded me of some powerful words by President Theodore Roosevelt:


“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

It still strikes a chord as I read it now. Thankfully, we met every defeat, and every armchair critic, with a victory.