Design and Build Refurbishment, London
One contract, one studio, one point of responsibility. From the first design decision to the last day on site.
Most residential refurbishments in London are delivered through two separate relationships: a designer who produces the drawings, and a contractor who builds from them. When those two relationships work well together, the result is good. When they do not — and they often do not — the client spends the project arbitrating between them.
A design and build contract removes that gap. One studio holds the design and the delivery under a single contract. The decisions made in design are made by the same team that executes them on site. When something changes during construction — and something always changes during construction — it is resolved within the same relationship, not across two of them.
Phasezero Design Studio offers design and build contracts for full house refurbishments across London. One contract, one fee structure, one studio accountable for the outcome.
What design and build means in practice
A single point of responsibility In a traditional refurbishment, the client holds separate contracts with the designer and the contractor. If the build does not match the design intent, or if a construction issue requires a design response, the client is in the middle. In a design and build arrangement, Phasezero holds both. The client's single point of contact is the studio, and the studio is accountable for both what is designed and what is built.
Design decisions that survive construction The gap between a design drawing and a finished room is where most refurbishment projects lose quality. Materials specified in design are substituted on site. Details resolved on paper are simplified in construction. In a design and build contract, the studio that made the design decisions is present when those decisions are executed. The intent survives.
A single fee structure Separate contracts mean separate fees, separate contingencies, and separate commercial interests. A design and build contract consolidates the fee into a single structure. The client knows what they are paying and to whom.
Faster decision-making on site Construction produces decisions every day. In a traditional arrangement, each decision that involves the designer requires a communication loop between contractor and designer, with the client copied. In a design and build arrangement, the decision is made within the studio. Programmes move faster when decisions do.
When design and build is the right approach
Design and build is not the right structure for every project. It works best where the client's priority is a single accountable relationship and a result that matches the design intent — and where the scope is substantial enough that the integration of design and delivery adds real value.
Full house refurbishments are the strongest fit. A project at this scale involves hundreds of design and construction decisions, many of them interdependent. Holding design and delivery under one roof means those decisions are made once, correctly, rather than negotiated between two separate teams.
It is also well-suited to clients who are time-constrained or based abroad, where the ability to deal with one studio rather than two significantly reduces the management burden on the client.
How the design and build process works
Stage 1 — Brief and feasibility We begin by understanding the property and the client's brief. Where planning constraints or structural conditions need to be established before design begins, we carry out a feasibility assessment at this stage.
Stage 2 — Design and planning We develop the design through concept, developed design, and technical design stages. Where planning permission or listed building consent is required, we manage the applications and coordinate with the local authority.
Stage 3 — Procurement and contractor appointment We procure the construction works, managing the tender process and appointing the contractor within the design and build structure. The studio holds the contractor relationship.
Stage 4 — Construction and delivery We manage the construction programme, maintain the design intent on site, and handle the decisions that arise during construction. The client receives regular updates and a single point of contact throughout.
Stage 5 — Completion and handover We manage the snagging and handover process and remain available after completion for any issues that arise.
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Questions we are often asked about design and build
Is design and build more expensive than a traditional arrangement? Not necessarily. The consolidated fee structure is transparent, and the reduction in client management time and the faster decision-making on site both have real cost value. The more relevant question is whether the integrated structure suits the project and the client — and for a full house refurbishment, it usually does.
Do I have less control over the design in a design and build contract? No. The design process is the same: the client is involved at each stage, approves the design before it moves forward, and retains full visibility of the decisions being made. The difference is that the team executing those decisions is the same team that made them.
What size of project suits design and build? Full house refurbishments are the strongest fit. Smaller projects — a single room, a bathroom, a kitchen — are generally better suited to a traditional arrangement where the design scope is limited and the contractor relationship is straightforward.
Do you work across London? Yes. We carry out design and build refurbishments across London, with particular experience in the period property stock of Chelsea, Kensington, Notting Hill, Islington, and Hampstead.
Or email us directly at contact@bd-phase-zero.co.uk
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