F5 Journal
Architecture,
beyond the drawing.
Practical guides to working with an architect, preparing a renovation and building a home in Spain.
What to do when your architect’s first design does not fit
Turn an uncomfortable first reaction into specific feedback, shared priorities and a design revision you can assess.
How to compare architect fees when the services differ
Compare scope, deliverables and exclusions first, so the final figures refer to services you actually understand.
What to give your architect when your home has no reliable drawings
Gather records, photographs and observations while keeping old plans separate from what is actually known about the property.
How to set priorities when your home brief exceeds your budget
Review activities, compare meaningful compromises and protect the essentials before developing a home that cannot meet your financial framework.
Layout changes: how to decide and record them
Assess a proposed change, understand its consequences and keep everyone working from an identifiable, agreed version.
How to compare building quotations: items, scope and exclusions
Check that contractors have priced the same work, then turn differences in quantities, specifications and scope into clear questions.
How to prepare a client decision schedule
Organise choices, required information and responsibilities so you can respond clearly and recognise decisions that are holding up other work.
When building work differs from the drawings: how to record an issue
Identify the relevant drawing, describe the discrepancy and ask for a documented assessment before accepting a change or covering the work.
Damp before a renovation: what to prepare for a professional assessment
Record where signs appear, when they change and what previous work has been done before deciding how to treat damp during a renovation.
Cracks in a home: how to record them and request an assessment
Gather location, history and dated photographs without assuming that a crack’s appearance or a single measurement establishes its cause or safety.
Noise between rooms: how to describe the problem before renovating
Describe the sound, its timing and the activity it interrupts so that acoustic options can be assessed against a useful objective.
An overheating home: what to observe before choosing an intervention
Record rooms, timing, sunlight and everyday use to help assess improvements before choosing equipment or building work.
Living at home during a renovation: planning phases and everyday life
Turn everyday household needs into clear conditions so the team can assess whether occupation and construction can work together.
Construction handover: documents, outstanding work and follow-up
Prepare a structured final review, keep a clear list of outstanding items and gather the information needed to use and maintain your home.
How to choose an architect in Spain: experience, registration and scope
Prepare a useful brief, ask better interview questions and compare the services behind each fee proposal for your Spanish property.
When do you need an architect for a renovation in Spain?
Check your particular property and proposed work before deciding which professional services, documents and local procedures are needed.
Building a house in Spain: professionals, decisions and stages
Plan the checks, appointments and decisions that connect a suitable plot with a clear brief, a coordinated project and an organised handover.
Appointing an architect in Spain while living abroad
Organise property information, communication and approvals for a Spanish project when you cannot attend the property regularly.