Most buildings need a supply of gas, electricity and water. Routing for services must be taken into account at the stage of first planning the building since piping and wiring are built into the infrastructure. It's important to have the right services in all rooms, so this must be considered at the planning stage.

The need for services affects how a builidng may be arranged. If a building has more than one storey, drainage for the upper floors must be considered. It's best to avoid having the main bathroom over a living room, for instance. If it's unavoidable, the floor and drains must be properly insulated. It best to keep drains inside the building to avoid unsightly elevations.

When working with an existing building, we always assess the services in place already. It is important to make the most of the existing provision. This means making sure services are properly maintained and used efficiently. We will look at the age and condition of piping, cabling and heating systems and advise on updating and repairs.

Often, it is not economic in either financial or environmental terms to rip out existing fittings and replace them immediately - it may be better to use them more efficiently until replacement is necessary. To make best use an existing system, additional insulation will help to reduce energy waste and maintenance to fix any leaks or blockages will improve efficiency.

When planning a new building we advise zoning heating so that the heating for different parts of the building can be separately controlled. This means, for example, that working rooms can be heated during the daytime while bedrooms are heated only in the evening and early morning. Zoning cuts costs and avoids wasting energy heating unused spaces.

Technology is moving fast and it is difficult to predict future trends in services. It is already hard to accommodate some new services, such as computer networking, telephone lines and cable TV, in some existing buildings. It is important when laying service routes to consider possible future needs, or the need to access or replace servicing installed now.

Some homeowners are keen to install phone, computer and TV points in all rooms, and this is unnecessary. Wireless networking is reducing the need for cabled services and allows flexibility without the need for excessive routing of cables. We can advise on the best strategy to give adaptability with efficient and economic routing.

Energy efficiency and efficient use of water are important aspects of sustainability. All our building plans take account of the need to preserve water and keep use of fossil fuels and mains electricity to a minimum. There is more about this in the Sustainability section. Few people have time to invest in complicated management of their heating system, so we will always work towards a simple solution that is properly set to be easy to live with and manage.