What kind of jobs are you suitable for?
Our services are great for first-time home buyers, property developers and anyone who’s looking for a quick turnaround and concept to completion architectural service. Perfect for clients who want to do extensions, garage conversions, loft conversions, internal refurbishment or add a garden office. Click on any of the services underlined to find out more about them: surveys, planning drawings, scope of work, build quote appraisals.
​
​
What is permitted development?
Permitted development is the right given to the house by the government to allow you to build without the need for planning permission. These are rights given to houses by the government to allow you to build without the need for planning permission. There are several others and various criteria your property must meet.
​
What are building regulations?
​In summary, these are a second set of drawings to show the technical details of the project, such as insulation, types of walls, timber details, waterproofing, fire regulations and any other technical details. These need to be sent to building control before you can build. Building control will inspect the works to ensure they are compliant and issue you a certificate. Building regulations don’t specify brand types, they specify the requirement. The building contractor and the client will then need to choose the brand. These are mandatory for any building project. For more information on Building Regulations click here.
​
What is building control?
​Building control is an organisation that can be private or run by the local authority. They are responsible for checking the plans and building works that meet the regulations.
​
What are building control costs?
The costs for building control depend on the local authority and the size of the building. Typically, the fees would be around £500 – £1000.
​
How long does the process take?
We offer a quick turnaround solution for your project. However, some projects might take a bit longer due to their size. Please contact us to discuss timelines.
​
What is structural engineering?
Structural engineering is the process of designing the structure of your building, such as designing foundations, walls, and steel beams. In most projects, we need to use steel to support the opening of walls. Find out more about Structural Engineering here.
​​
Can you help us find a builder?
Yes we can, our tendering team will be more than happy to help.
​
What happens if I use you as an agent?
We will submit the plans for you free of charge, which means we do the planning forms for you. We then nominate you to pay the fees and we put you down as a contact from the planning department. They will contact you to arrange a site visit and they may ask you for various services, such as:
Fire strategy report
Design and access statement
Heritage statement
Parking survey
Flood risk assessment
SAP calculations
​
What happens if planning is refused?
If the planning is refused, we will advise you for free on the meaning of the decision. If you would like to redesign and resubmit, we charge £50 – £200 depending on the size of the project. Planning is typically free to resubmit within 12 months (1 free submission).
​
What is a build over agreement?
If you are building an extension that requires you to move a manhole or is within 3m of a sewer pipe, you most likely will need to apply for permission from the water board. Thames Water charges £299 for this and requires a structural plan of how your building will sit in relation to the sewer. Go Plans charges £150 for this design, which we can usually do remotely with pictures. Please note, sometimes this is not possible, and a CCTV survey is required.
​
What if we need help during the building process?
We frequently discuss the changes that might be needed directly with your builder and update the plans. This might be free of charge. However, some changes may have additional costs. Nothing would be done without fully discussing it with the client first. If you choose to opt for our project manager service, they will communicate with the builders for you.