A bespoke concrete feasibility pack is a set of early-stage documents — a checklist, sample brief, drawing requirements and risk log — used during RIBA Stages 2 and 3 to confirm a concrete feature is buildable, transportable and affordable before detailed design begins. Catching weight, fixing and tolerance issues now prevents costly redesign at Stage 4 and beyond.

Bespoke concrete rewards early commitment. A board-marked reception wall, a cantilevered stair tread, a monolithic bar top — these features carry enormous design weight, and that ambition is far easier to protect when feasibility is tested at the concept stage rather than discovered on site. The earlier you interrogate weight, span, fixings and mould geometry, the less likely a beautiful idea is to unravel during value engineering.

This guide sets out a practical feasibility workflow for architects, interior designers and project managers, mapped to RIBA Stages 2 and 3. You’ll find the components of a feasibility pack, a working checklist, sample brief and drawing requirements, a risk log structure and the input points MASS Concrete uses to pressure-test a design from concept to specification. At the end, you can download the full template to share with your team.

The core principle is simple: early feasibility prevents late pain. A concrete feature that is spatially coordinated, structurally understood and properly costed at Stage 3 carries far less risk into Technical Design — and far less friction into tender.

What is RIBA Stage 2, and why does it matter for concrete?

RIBA Stage 2 is Concept Design — the point at which the client first sees visualisations and drawings developed from the project brief. It’s where the architectural concept takes shape, alongside outline proposals for structural design, services and an initial cost plan.

For a bespoke concrete feature, Stage 2 is the moment to ask the questions that decide whether the concept is deliverable. Is the wall panel buildable at the size shown? Can a 2.4-metre stair tread be cast, transported and lifted into place? Does the floor structure carry a full-aggregate polished surface? Getting design input at this stage protects the design intent before it becomes embedded in coordinated drawings.

The RIBA Stage 2 checklist makes the workflow explicit. It calls for the architect to develop the final project brief, confirm that time and cost parameters are reasonable, advise the client on appointing specialists for structure and other matters, and — critically — obtain client approval before proceeding to Stage 3. The same checklist warns that innovation in design, specification or materials carries risk, and that risks should be assessed before proposals are finalised. Bespoke concrete sits squarely in that territory.

Stage 3, Spatial Coordination, is where Stage 2 assumptions are tested and validated. The RIBA describes it as making sure the architectural and engineering information prepared at Stage 2 is coordinated before the detailed manufacturing and construction information is produced at Stage 4. In other words, Stage 3 is not the place to rethink the concept — it’s the place to confirm it holds together. A feasibility pack completed early gives you the evidence to do exactly that.

What goes into a bespoke concrete feasibility pack?

A feasibility pack is a single, shareable set of documents that captures everything needed to judge whether a concrete feature is viable. Rather than scattering assumptions across emails and sketches, it brings the decision-critical information into one place.

A robust pack covers six areas:

  • Geometry and dimensions — overall sizes, thicknesses, curves, cutouts and the largest single element.
  • Weight and structural demand — estimated panel or unit weight, point loads, and the supporting structure’s capacity.
  • Fixings and connections — proposed fixing method, substrate type, adjustment requirements and access.
  • Manufacturing constraints — mould feasibility, casting orientation, demoulding and curing time.
  • Logistics — transport dimensions, lifting and handling, and site access from kerb to final position.
  • Finish and tolerance — texture, colour, aggregate exposure, sheen level and acceptable variation.

Each area maps directly to a real-world risk. A stunning curved panel is meaningless if it can’t clear a stairwell; a full-aggregate polished surface is undeliverable if the slab beneath it was never specified for polishing. The pack forces these conversations forward — from concept to specification — rather than leaving them for the contractor to discover.

The relevant European standards for precast concrete reinforce why this breadth matters. BS 8297 covers the design, manufacture and installation of architectural precast cladding, while the EN 13369 family addresses manufacturing tolerances, minimum dimensions, surface quality, durability, and — tellingly — safety in transport and during erection. Feasibility is never just about whether something looks right. It’s about whether it can be made, moved, fixed and lived with.

The bespoke concrete feasibility checklist

A working checklist turns a vague “”is this possible?”” into a structured set of decisions. Use it at Stage 2 to flag risks, then revisit it at Stage 3 to confirm each item is resolved and coordinated.

Geometry and weight

  • Largest single element identified and dimensioned
  • Estimated unit weight calculated
  • Supporting structure confirmed to carry the load
  • Movement joints and deflection allowances considered

Fixings and interfaces

  • Fixing method proposed and matched to substrate
  • Three-way site adjustment available where needed
  • Access for installation confirmed
  • Interfaces with adjacent trades (glazing, joinery, M\&E) coordinated

Tolerances

  • Product, erection and interfacing tolerances agreed
  • Joint widths and shadow gaps specified
  • Fixing locations checked against structural setting-out

Finish and samples

  • Texture, colour and aggregate exposure defined
  • Sheen or appearance level specified, not described loosely
  • Sample-led approval process scheduled
  • Natural variation acknowledged and benchmarked

Tolerances deserve particular attention. Guidance on tolerances for precast and prestressed concrete distinguishes between product tolerances (how accurately a unit is cast), erection tolerances (how accurately it’s positioned) and interfacing tolerances (how it meets neighbouring elements). Resolving these early protects joint performance, visual quality and economic buildability — the difference between a crisp, intentional shadow gap and an apologetic strip of mastic.

Sample brief and drawing requirements

A good feasibility brief is short, specific and honest about what’s fixed and what’s still open. For a bespoke concrete feature, it should capture:

  • Application and location — what the feature is and where it sits, named precisely (a double-height reception wall, a hotel bar top, an external campus sign).
  • Design intent — the look, feel and reference imagery driving the concept.
  • Dimensions and constraints — known sizes, site limitations and immovable interfaces.
  • Finish requirements — colour, texture, aggregate, sheen, and any branding to be embossed, debossed or etched.
  • Performance needs — slip resistance, fire performance, weather exposure, traffic and acoustic or thermal requirements.
  • Programme — key dates for samples, sign-off and installation.

Drawing requirements at this stage should be proportionate. Stage 2 calls for concept-level information: plans, elevations and sections showing the feature in context, with indicative dimensions and a note of the largest element. By Stage 3, those drawings should be coordinated with structural setting-out, fixing zones and the spaces required for adjacent systems — enough detail to allow Stage 4 to proceed without further iteration. Sharing these early lets the concrete partner feed back on mould feasibility and casting orientation while changes are still cheap.

Building a risk log for bespoke concrete

A risk log is where feasibility becomes accountable. Each identified risk gets an owner, a likelihood, an impact and a mitigation — turning a list of worries into a managed plan.

Typical bespoke concrete risks include:

  • Weight exceeding structural capacity — mitigated by lightweight mixes, foam-backed surfaces or early structural review.
  • Element too large to transport or install — mitigated by splitting into modules with coordinated joints.
  • Fixing clashes with structure or services — mitigated by coordinating fixing zones at Stage 3.
  • Finish variation disappointing the client — mitigated by a sample-led approval process and clear benchmarks.
  • Programme slippage from late mould design — mitigated by engaging the manufacturer at concept stage.

This discipline aligns with formal duties, too. The ICE guidance for design risk management sets out how designers can demonstrate that designs can be built, used, maintained and eventually demolished safely under the CDM 2015 regulations. A bespoke concrete feature — heavy, often worked at height, occasionally innovative in its fixing — is exactly the kind of element where documented design risk management protects both the design and the people delivering it.

The four MASS input points: how we pressure-test a design

MASS Concrete assesses every bespoke feature against four input points — Material, Aesthetics, Structural and Sustainability. Together they turn an open-ended ambition into a deliverable specification.

  • Material — the mix itself. Bespoke concrete can carry quartz, granite, recycled glass, mother of pearl or metal shavings, each altering colour, weight and wear. The mix is a design variable, chosen deliberately rather than bolted on after a mood board is approved.
  • Aesthetics — texture, colour, sheen and aggregate exposure. A polished surface should call up a defined appearance level, not a loose “”high gloss,”” because sheen is a function of process control and substrate quality, not taste alone.
  • Structural — weight, span, fixings and the supporting structure. Many surfaces are backed with HD foam to reduce weight, making them suitable for standard carcasses without additional strengthening — but that judgement belongs at concept stage.
  • Sustainability — concrete’s durability is itself a sustainability argument; a feature that lasts decades and never needs replacing earns its carbon. Material choices and end-of-life considerations sit here too.

Run a concept through these four points at Stage 2 and you surface most feasibility issues before they harden into coordinated drawings. That’s the whole point: protect the design intent by interrogating it early, while the answers are still easy to act on.

Manufacturing, logistics and how they shape feasibility

A concrete feature lives or dies by whether it can be made and moved. Mould feasibility comes first — complex curves, deep reveals or sharp returns all influence casting orientation, demoulding and cost. A feature that needs a one-off mould carries a different cost and programme profile to one cast from a repeatable formwork.

Curing and finishing follow their own logic. Polished and honed surfaces, in particular, demand a slab or unit designed for the job from the outset; concrete suitable for many conventional finishes is often unsuitable for polishing. A jobsite or factory mock-up using the intended materials and methods is the most reliable way to align expectations before production runs.

Then comes logistics — frequently the silent killer of an ambitious concept. Transport dimensions, lifting weights, lorry access, door widths, lift sizes and the final manoeuvre into position all need checking at concept stage. MASS Concrete’s mechanical hanging systems offer three-way site adjustment for exactly this reason: real buildings are never as square as drawings suggest. Resolving handling and access early is how a large-format panel arrives intact rather than redesigned in a panic.

Costing the feature without nasty surprises

Cost is where feasibility meets reality. A bespoke concrete feature carries costs across mould fabrication, materials, finishing, transport and installation — and each shifts with the decisions made at concept stage. A simpler mould, a more available aggregate or a modular split can move a budget meaningfully.

Structuring those costs consistently makes them defensible. The RICS New Rules of Measurement (NRM) provide a standard approach to order-of-cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works, giving clients confidence in the quality and consistency of the figures they’re shown. Aligning your feasibility costs with NRM means the concrete feature can be value-engineered intelligently rather than cut blindly — protecting the design rather than sacrificing it the moment the budget tightens.

Costing early also gives you options. If the figure is high, you can adjust the mould strategy, revisit the finish or rationalise the geometry while the design is still fluid — long before a contractor’s tender forces a less elegant compromise.

Take the feasibility pack into your next project

Bespoke concrete is at its best when ambition and feasibility are tested together, early. A board-marked wall, a cantilevered tread, a seamless reception desk — each becomes far more deliverable when weight, fixings, tolerances, logistics and cost are interrogated at Stages 2 and 3 rather than rediscovered at Stage 4.

The feasibility pack brings all of that into one structured workflow: checklist, sample brief, drawing requirements and risk log, ready to adapt to your project and share with your team. Use it to protect the design intent from concept through to specification.

Download the bespoke concrete feasibility pack to put this workflow to work on your next project — or speak to our team on 01202 628 140 to test a concept early, while the answers are still easy to act on.

Frequently asked questions

What is a bespoke concrete feasibility pack?

It’s a set of early-stage documents — a checklist, sample brief, drawing requirements and risk log — used to confirm a concrete feature is buildable, transportable and affordable. It captures geometry, weight, fixings, manufacturing constraints, logistics and finish in one shareable place, so design teams can judge viability before committing to detailed design.

When should feasibility be assessed in the RIBA Plan of Work?

Feasibility should be tested at RIBA Stage 2 (Concept Design) and confirmed at Stage 3 (Spatial Coordination). Stage 2 is where the architectural concept and outline structural proposals take shape; Stage 3 validates that those assumptions are coordinated before detailed manufacturing information is produced at Stage 4.

Why does early feasibility matter for bespoke concrete?

Bespoke concrete features are heavy, often large and sometimes innovative in their fixing. Issues with weight, transport, fixings or finish are far cheaper to resolve at concept stage than after drawings are coordinated or a contractor is appointed. Early feasibility protects the design intent and reduces costly redesign.

What are the biggest feasibility risks with bespoke concrete features?

The most common risks are weight exceeding structural capacity, elements too large to transport or install, fixing clashes with structure or services, finish variation disappointing the client, and programme slippage from late mould design. Each can be mitigated through early structural review, modular design, coordinated fixing zones and a sample-led approval process.

Who should be involved in a bespoke concrete feasibility assessment?

The architect or designer leads, supported by the project manager, structural engineer, cost consultant and the concrete manufacturer. Engaging the manufacturer at concept stage is particularly valuable, as it surfaces mould feasibility, weight and logistics issues while the design is still flexible.