Process

At our first meeting, we'll listen to your brief and requirements and make sure that we're the right people for your project. We'll discuss particulars, offering advice about planning, generic budgets, programme and architectural approach. There is no charge for this service. Once appointed, we'll clarify the brief with you in more detail, then we'll start doing what we love - designing your home.

When we take on a project, the first thing we do is to carry out a full measured survey of your property and its surroundings. It is essential to obtain accurate drawings from the offset as these will be used throughout. Our creative team then brainstorms design ideas, preparing a number of feasibility options for discussion based on your brief. The final design will be developed from the feasibility drawings, refined following a meeting between you and our design team.

Once you've approved the design, we'll prepare and submit a planning application on your behalf, identifying the best way forward. We have extensive local knowledge of the planning processes in the south east and have experience with listed buildings and projects in conservation areas. We pride ourselves in the quality and rigour exercised in the production of our drawings and supporting document. In addition, we'll advise you in advance if any further reports or surveys are required from other consultants in order to satisfy the local authority validation criteria. The local authorities are targeted with providing a decision in eight weeks from submission. In some circumstances, full planning permission is not required and the work can be completed under permitted development rights. For this we'll obtain a Certificate of Lawfulness.

Building regulation drawings address all aspects of the project from foundations through to roof tiles. We present and gain your approval for all components and finishes, and coordinate the specifications provided by other consultants (e.g. engineers). This pack of information is used to obtain an accurate tender price from building contractors as well as building regulations approval from the local authority, which is a legal requirement. We recommend using an approved inspector for building regulation approval and we've built good working relationship with a number of these, which you may find useful.