We visit you to discuss your requirements and ideas and advise you on what may be possible. We can give you an idea on the fees, costs and timescales involved, and do not charge for this service.

Many projects require planning permission. We produce a full set of drawings and supplementary information as required by the Local Authority. We liaise with the planning officer to ensure they are happy with the proposals and to answer any questions that they may have. Minor design amendments, if required, are carried out at no extra cost.

Most projects require the existing land or building to be measured and accurately drawn. A set of existing drawings is vital to producing the best proposals and reduces the chance of problems when construction starts.

We produce design drawings for you to consider, based on a set idea you may have, alternatives we may suggest, or a combination of the two. Throught the design process we work with you, visiting you to discuss the design to ensure that not only are you happy with what you are getting, but that we are happy that there is the best possible chance of obtaining planning or building regulation permission.

Obtaining planning permission is not always straightforward. If there is some doubt about how a proposal will be received, we submit a pre-application enquiry to the Local Authority. This provides initial feedback from the planning officer and enables the proposed scheme to be tailored to suit the advice.

Some building projects can be carried out without planning permission. We can advise you on what is allowable, and obtain a Lawful Development Certificate from the Local Authority to confirm the work did not require formal permission, a vital document for if and when you sell your home.

Most projects require building regulation consent, even if planning permission was not required. We produce a full set of working drawings, not just suitable for the consent, but with information required by a builder to price from and carry out the works. This includes full dimensions, finishes and electrical layouts.

It is important to plan ahead when you want to carry out building work. A planning application takes approximately 8 weeks to be determined, and a building regulation application around 6 weeks. With the time required for the design, drawings and appointing a builder, we suggest you allow six months for the whole process.

Most building regulation applications require the input of a structural engineer. They provide calculations for the floor and roof structures as well as for any beams or structural supports. We have a number of local contacts who we have worked with for many years and can recommend to you.