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It鈥檚 a Wednesday afternoon in late June, and Britain鈥檚 young architects squint at yet another unsolicited email, stretch their aching backs and glance at the blinds lowered against the glorious sunshine. Meanwhile, in a garden in Brixton, five happy exceptions to this rule are floating a frisbee through fat clouds of barbeque smoke.

All five are here because they set up their own businesses and chased the dream of independence, creative control and, of course, flexible working hours 鈥� useful on days like this. And all five have gone some way towards winning their bet. Nick Cross and Max de Ros茅e of Nick Cross Associates started with an invoice of 拢2000 and a sideline in dog sitting and built up to a turnover of 拢100,000 in two years. Julian Hakes of Hakes Associates turned a competition win into a 拢800,000 business, begining at the ludicrously young age of 24, and Pascal Scheurer and Holly Porter have successfully nursed their infant practice through its first 18 months.

All five agree that starting their business was exhilarating, but all agree that it鈥檚 tough being a hopeful unknown in an industry where reputation means everything. So, if you鈥檙e thinking of embarking on a great adventure of your own, what advice would our young pioneers have for you?

Surface to Air partners Pascale Scheurer and Holly Porter enjoy the garden party with Max de Ros茅e (standing), Nick Cross鈥� partner

Photo: Tim Foster

Age is not as important as you may think. Scheurer set up her practice, Surface to Air, at the age of 29, but she says youth can be an advantage. 鈥淥nce you start creeping into your 30s, financial ties and other responsibilities can get in the way. When you鈥檝e got a mortgage and kids, you鈥檙e less likely to give up that monthly pay cheque.鈥�

The first thing to do is forget you鈥檙e an architect 鈥� you鈥檙e running a business. Before you start, get some advice from an accountant, a friendly bank manager or an old hand. Scheurer suggests finding a mentor who鈥檒l give up an hour or two of their time each month to talk business in return for lunch. 鈥淲e used a family friend but there are online services that are often free and reliable 鈥� the Business Link website is a good place to start,鈥� she says.

Most of all you need a business plan, some idea of where your income鈥檚 going to come from 鈥� and a fallback plan just in case. And you don鈥檛 have to take it from Scheurer. Simon Foxall of The Architects Practice has just written a book for the RIBA on the subject. He says: 鈥淨uite a lot of young practices work for other architects when they鈥檙e setting up; other people teach.鈥�

You need to register your new status with the Inland Revenue within three months and keep careful accounts of all you spend as well as receipts. Most high street banks offer special advice packs for new companies.

To practise as an architect, you need to be qualified and registered with the Architects Registration Board. The ARB requires you to have insurance up to 拢250,000, so you鈥檒l need to approach a broker 鈥� or preferably several, as quotes tend to vary. The good news is it鈥檚 not likely to cost you much. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e starting, your risk levels are very low 鈥� usually you don鈥檛 get sued for a few years until you鈥檝e built something and it starts leaking,鈥� says Foxall. The RIBA can help you arrange low-cost insurance through its scheme for new practices, he adds.

Cross tucks into the food as Julian Hakes takes a call on his mobile.

Photo: Tim Foster

Now you鈥檙e ready to go into business, you have four options: you can set up as a sole trader, a partnership, a limited company or a limited liability partnership. Business Link or the DTI鈥檚 Small Business Service can help you choose which is best for you.

There are few rules governing sole traders and partnerships, although Foxall says it鈥檚 a good idea to draw up an agreement covering how you will work and share out profits. Limited companies are becoming more common in architecture 鈥� they limit your personal financial exposure, but you have to register with Companies House and send them your accounts every year for anyone to inspect on their website. LLPs are a cross between a partnership and a limited company 鈥� they are relatively new but proving popular. 鈥淚t relates to the scale of your ambition,鈥� says Foxall. 鈥淚f you know you鈥檙e going to be running a large company in five years, it鈥檚 not a bad idea to set up as a limited company from day one.鈥�

For the first six months, we dealt with all of our clients using the payphone on the wall, feeding in 10p piece after 10p piece

Julian Hakes, Hakes Associates

Although a moderate fee income will go a long way when you start out, especially if you work out of your home, don鈥檛 underestimate the cost of set-up expenses such as business cards, stationery and especially software.

Julian and Cari Hakes, who started Hakes Associates when they were both 24, struck an interest-free credit deal with computer supplier Dell. 鈥淵ou have to spend at least 拢10,000 or it鈥檚 not worth their while,鈥� says Julian, now 33. 鈥淪oftware is a big investment 鈥� a licence costs 拢6000 initially and 拢1000 a yet to maintain. We made the mistake of leasing it for a while but the costs spiralled.鈥�

Location, location, location

You鈥檙e going to need a base, even if it is the spare bedroom. For the first six months, Hakes Associates鈥� home was an empty room at a Cambridge hall of residence 鈥� the pair taught there after qualifying. 鈥淲e dealt with all of our clients using the payphone on the wall,鈥� laughs Julian.

It鈥檚 cynical but your address does matter.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e in the centre people will think you鈥檙e affluent and getting work,鈥� says Porter. Cross鈥� business cards boast an office on London鈥檚 Harley Street, although he is quick to add that it isn鈥檛 as grand as it sounds. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually my old flat and it鈥檚 a windowless dungeon.鈥�

Photo: Tim Foster

So you鈥檝e got a base and a business plan, but how do you go about actually winning work? According to RIBA president Jack Pringle, who set up his own practice when he was 29, it may not be as hard as you think. 鈥淔or the first year, you鈥檙e in a honeymoon period when clients want to give new practices work, but after that you鈥檙e on your own,鈥� he says. He also offers a familiar-sounding yet valuable bit of advice: 鈥淵ou have to develop a service culture: clients are right whether you think they are or not.鈥�

The Hakes entered open competitions as students to build up their presentational skills and a portfolio 鈥� and ensure they had some form of income. 鈥淭he clients and the panel were judging the ideas, not your reputation,鈥� says Julian Hake. 鈥淐ompetitions give you the luxury of anonymity. Make the most of having nothing to lose.鈥�

鈥淵ou never know who鈥檚 going to call next,鈥� says Cross. His practice has designed offices for film production companies and has several residential schemes in the pipeline, but last year it nearly ended up designing a karaoke parlour. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 turn something like that down because it鈥檚 not what you do.鈥�

Because however hard you鈥檙e working, it still has to be fun. 鈥淭he first week after you start your new practice is probably the most exhilarating week of your life 鈥� it鈥檚 a bit like when you first drive a car,鈥� says Pringle. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not for everyone 鈥� you have to have nerves of steel 鈥� but if it鈥檚 for you, go for it.鈥�