1st Edition

Small Practice and the Sole Practitioner

    240 Pages
    by RIBA Publishing

    This book is a practical guide for students or those already running or thinking of running a small practice on how to set up and run a small architectural practice and how to run multiple small projects efficiently. It is split into three distinct sections: Part 1 begins with the practicalities of setting up a small architectural business; Part 2 goes into detail on how to run your small practice, including valuable advice on business planning and cash flow; and Part 3 follows with guidance on running multiple small projects. Structured around the RIBA Plan of Work, this section has plenty of examples of the kinds of projects - both domestic and non-domestic - that the small practice might take on, and finishing with 10 illustrated case studies of domestic and commercial projects from £50,000–£750,000.

    Part 1: Setting up the practice.  Context.  What is a 'small architectural practice'?  Small Practice Projects.  The Value of Experience & Contacts before setting up a practice.  Setting Up.   Setting up a new Practice.  Stage 1 - Questions, Conversations and Research.  Stage 2 - Getting first thoughts and decisions down on paper.  Stage 3 - Making arrangements more specific and setting up.  Stage 4 - Ready to trade.  Closing your Business, Retirement, Insolvency, Emergency Plan & Insolvency.  Alternative Company Structures.  RIBA Chartered Practice Accreditation, Specialization.  Part 2: Practice Management.  Financial Management.  Office Management.  People Management.  Part 3: Project Management.  RIBA Plan of Work 2013.  10 case studies.  Further Reading.  Web Resources.  Awards for Small Projects.  Codes.  Legislation.

    Biography

    Marianne Davys has 30 years in practice as an architect, working on large and small commercial and domestic projects for both large and small practices and for two local authorities in London. For the past 16 years Marianne has run her own small practice from her home in North London. She regularly lectures to Part 3 students in Cambridge on the setting up and running of a small architectural practice.