Questions,answered.

It is not a legal requirement. You can use an ARB-registered architect or an architectural designer. Either way, a good designer will usually find a better layout, a clearer planning route and a more complete set of drawings for your builder. On constrained sites, conservation areas or period houses, that difference is significant.

Householder applications have a statutory target of eight weeks from validation. Allow a little longer in conservation areas or where amendments are requested. A Lawful Development Certificate has the same target.

Single-storey rear extensions are often still possible, but side extensions and certain materials are restricted, and some Bristol streets have Article 4 directions. We check this for your specific address before design begins.

If you share a wall with a neighbour or will excavate near their foundations, the Party Wall Act will almost certainly apply. We prepare the information needed for notices and coordinate with surveyors if required.

Often not, if the house is outside a conservation area and the work stays within permitted development limits. Flats always need permission. We recommend a Lawful Development Certificate either way, so the position is recorded.

There is no single legal minimum for rooms, but a practical guide is around 2.2 metres from the top of the ceiling joists to the ridge before conversion. The stair needs 2 metres of headroom, with some relaxation for loft stairs.

Frequently, yes. The route depends on the building, its use and its location. Class Q prior approval, full planning and listed building consent each have different requirements. A short feasibility study identifies the right route.

Usually not. Most of the work happens in the roof, with access often from scaffolding. The disruption comes when the new stair is formed, which is normally a short period near the end of the build.

Yes, if the work affects the special architectural or historic interest of the building. That includes many internal alterations. We assess this with you and prepare the heritage statement needed for the application.

Replacement of historic windows is usually resisted. Slim double glazing in new sashes is sometimes accepted where the existing windows are not original. Secondary glazing is often the most acceptable route.

By finding problems early. Thorough surveys, a complete specification and a competitive tender reduce unknowns. We also recommend a contingency for old buildings, as some conditions only appear once work begins.

Only in limited circumstances, such as replacing an existing dwelling, converting a building or meeting the high bar for exceptional design. A site appraisal will tell you which route, if any, is realistic.

Yes. A short appraisal before purchase can reveal planning, access or ground issues that change the value of the land. It is far cheaper than discovering them afterwards.

Yes. We work in Newport, Monmouthshire and across South Wales under Welsh planning policy and building regulations, which differ from England in several respects.

It depends on the size and complexity of the property and the number of drawings required. After a short call and site visit we send a fixed fee proposal, broken into stages, so you know the cost before committing.

Planning controls what is built and how it looks in its context. Building regulations control how it is built: structure, fire safety, insulation and drainage. Most projects need building regulations approval even when planning is not required.

Yes. We regularly submit to Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset Council, the Devon district councils, the National Park authorities, Newport City Council and Monmouthshire.