Rowlands Architecture

We were very lucky to have been referred to Tom and Phil by our friends and I am so grateful for all the hard work they have done for us. From the initial visit to finishing the project, we couldn't have asked for a better team. What sets Tom and Phil apart from other architects is the transparency - fees, hours, expectations, budget vs actual costs, steps and process. At the beginning, like many others, we didn't know where to even start - we had a budget and we wanted a kitchen extension but we felt so overwhelmed. Tom and Phil took us through everything, it's been two years of hard work: nailing the designs, ensuring everything in place, obtaining approvals, finding an excellent builder, not compromising on quality materials and more importantly being excellent at finding solutions in those moments when you just want to give up and cry! Initially we definitely underestimated the importance of having a good architect and only now we understand how much cost it saved us and what good finish we achieved by having Phil and Tom from start to finish. For our next project we have already lined them up and wouldn't trust anyone else. We can't shout loud enough to anyone we know how amazing, professional and creative they are.

Tom was very professional, friendly and helpful throughout our project (a one-story rear extension), recommending an excellent builder and patiently advising as our budget and plans fluctuated. He was always available for a chat in person or over Zoom, fully and fairly explained his pricing structure from the outset. He offered his own ideas without ever imposing them, and we're sure the extension is much the better for his involvement. If/when we decide to go ahead with our loft extension, we will not hesitate to give Tom a call.

We've had the pleasure of working with Rowlands Architecture across a number of designs where the partnership between client, architect and garden designer is key to the success of the project. Tom is a joy to work with: creative; thoughtful; communicative; with great attention to detail and the ability to make sure all parties are on the same page. We look forward to more projects with Rowlands Architecture in the future.

Tom worked on a side return extension on our late-victorian terraced house. He understood our brief really quickly, and was able to balance understanding our priorities with challenging and helping us to develop our thinking to make sure we got the most from the design and the space, while also identifying possible cost-savings and which expenses were essential or worthwhile. We did a lot of the kitchen design ourselves, as well as managing builders when they started work, and he was happy to accommodate this, which we appreciated. Extremely reliable and kept us in the loop at every step. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend working with Tom.

The brief was to remodel our 1920s semi into a large modern family home. Tom understood our requirements really well and we couldn't be more pleased with the space he designed - a wrap-around extension; 2-storey to the side and 1-storey on the back. In particular, he was able to accommodate our changing ideas comfortably and gave excellent advice on design features, without the end result looking too 'design-y'. We would recommend him without hesitation.