Feasibility studies - what they are and how they help?
Let’s suppose you still need to determine the details of your project due to funds, or perhaps a challenging location, or particular planning requirements. A feasibility study is a great way to explore your existing situation and proposed options before fully committing to the project.
So, what is a feasibility study?
A feasibility study is a desktop study carried out by your architect to explore different options that confirm the viability of your proposed project and help you make a qualified decision on how to proceed.
It is important to be clear about your expectations with your architect; the more precise you can be, the clearer the feasibility study will be. Your architect can also advise if other consultants are required, such as planning consultants or conservation specialists.
The RIBA Plan of Work suggests a feasibility study as an outcome for the early stages of the project, such as:
Stage 0 - Strategic Definition
Stage 1 - Preparation and Briefing
Sometimes it might be suitable to include Stage 2 - Concept Design in the feasibility study as well. For these projects, the study would include exploring multiple design options backed up with more detailed costs and advice on planning.
What does a feasibility study cover?
A feasibility study is a comprehensive document that helps you understand how your project can be developed, including the advantages and risks you need to be mindful of..
Specifically, it will cover all or some of these areas:
Planning requirements - what are the planning guides for the area of your proposed development, and how could those affect your vision?
For example, if your project is within a conservation area, an area of outstanding natural beauty, or if it is a listed building - the planning conditions will all be different. This will impact the overall programme and the project budget.
Through a feasibility study, you can better understand how the planning situation relates to your project and find a strategy for how to approach planning to get the best results.
For some complex developments, your architect might recommend engaging a planning consultant to work with them on the feasibility study.
Environmental considerations - if your proposal is in a flood area or on contaminated land, ecological concerns can significantly impact the project development and budget.
Specialist sustainable options for your proposed building - such as achieving Passivhaus standards, or installing rainwater harvesting, or heat pumps - would also be considered an environmental consideration. And again, these considerations could be affected by planning guidelines and would certainly affect your budget.
At the feasibility stage, you can explore with your architect which of your desired sustainable options is suitable for your proposal. And in the case of dangerous site conditions, how to best resolve them to enable your proposal to become a reality.
Local neighbourhood - this relates to your direct neighbours and the overall area. For example, if there’s a school next door and you can hear the kids in the playground, then it is probably not ideal if your proposed project is for older adults seeking a calm and quiet environment.
Or if your site is within the entry lane of a nearby airport, your proposal might not be affected by height restrictions typical of these areas, but you might still need to apply for a full planning application instead of using the permitted development rights, i.e. Certificate of Lawfulness.
Challenges of the local neighbourhood may impact your project's programme, and it is helpful to know that early.
Budget - we have already mentioned above how your project budget might be affected. In general a feasibility study will provide a detailed estimate for your proposal. However, in some cases, such as commercial developments, your architect would work with a quantity surveyor to get accurate costs that reflect the current market.
If you aim to achieve a specific budget, it is helpful to work out your options at this early stage. Some areas can't be explored unless there is a developed design proposal, but you can clarify and confirm everything that is not variable and is less impacted by the design. Also, you can ask for advice on cost-effective materials, finishes and fittings, that still suit your style and desired design. Which brings us to the last point of our little list:
Design - any design options at the feasibility study stage will be general and focus on the size of the spaces, flows of the function, and orientation on the site. The design options could be backed up with a cost estimate and presented with a mood board to give you a more accurate idea of the vision.
Your architect is still at the stage of exploring possibilities with you, so these design options will need to be developed to a different level for a planning application submission.
What are the advantages of a feasibility study for you?
You will receive an excellent overview of your proposal, which will help you decide if and how to proceed. In more detail, a feasibility study would give you:
A qualified estimate of the viability of your project
Awareness of the risk in the project
A detailed cost estimate and programme
Design options
No long-term commitment to the proposed development. You could proceed with the proposal and your architect further, but you can also stop here if the feasibility doesn't confirm your expectations. If you continue, part of the work for the project has been done, and you can move straight to the following stages, such as planning
A feasibility study is an excellent tool for determining your proposed development. You can approach your architect directly and ask for a feasibility study. Most architects will accept that because it’s a great way to find out all the needy-greedy about a project and also to get to know the clients. We architects are human too and we like to know who and what we are committing to.
If you have more questions about feasibility studies and how Carta Nova approaches them, please get in touch.
