Frequently asked questions
The questions people ask first
If yours isn't here, it is exactly the kind of thing the free Clarity Call is for.
Starting out
Why speak to an architect before a builder?
A builder prices what is drawn. An architect helps you decide what should be drawn in the first place: what is possible on your home, what it is likely to cost and what needs to be settled before anyone quotes. Getting that order right is where most of the money is saved.
Where do I start?
With the free 15-minute Clarity Call. We talk through where you are, what you are trying to achieve and the sensible next step. For most projects that is a Clarity Pack. For a simple project with a clear brief it can be straight into design. Sometimes it is to wait, and that is a good outcome too.
Do you work on projects like mine?
Mostly we help homeowners in Surrey with extensions, renovations, loft conversions and the occasional new home, typically where the budget is from about £100,000 and the decisions matter. If yours is different, the Clarity Call is the quickest way to find out whether we are the right fit.
Fees
What are your fees?
The first stage, the Clarity Pack, is £1,500, £2,250, £2,950 + VAT, depending on how much your project needs testing. It works out what your project really involves, so the later stages are proposed after it, for your project, with a fixed fee for each stage set out in writing before it starts.
Do you charge a percentage of the build cost?
No. Each stage has its own fixed fee, set out in writing before it starts. No additional work is ever started or invoiced without your agreement in writing first.
Is any of the Clarity Pack fee credited if I go ahead?
Yes. If you go on to the next stage within six months, part of the Clarity Pack fee comes off it: £750 on Clarity Pack Complete, £500 on Clarity Pack Plus, £250 on Clarity Pack.
What is not included in your fees?
Fees paid to the council, the measured survey (about £1,000 to £1,500, paid directly to the surveyor, and some surveyors charge VAT on top) and specialist consultants such as the structural engineer and party wall surveyor. We name these in every proposal so nothing comes as a surprise.
Planning and regulations
Can you promise we will get planning permission?
No, and nobody honestly can. The council decides. What we can do is read the policy and the recent decisions nearby properly, name the risks early, and shape the scheme to give it the best chance.
How long does planning take?
Councils usually decide a householder application in about 8 to 12 weeks from when it is validated. Some take longer. We give you a realistic window, not a date, because the timescale is the council’s.
Do I need planning permission at all?
Not always. Some extensions and lofts can go ahead under permitted development, the rights that let certain work happen without a full planning application. Even then, a lawful development certificate is often worth having, and permitted development does not mean you can start straight away. Building regulations still apply.
What is the difference between planning permission and building regulations?
Planning permission is about what you build and how it affects the area and your neighbours. Building regulations are about how it is built: structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation and drainage. Most projects need building regulations approval even when they do not need planning.
Time, changes and builders
How long does a whole project take?
Allow roughly 12 to 18 months from the first call to moving back in for a typical extension or renovation. That covers the design, planning, technical drawings, finding a builder and the build itself. We will give you a realistic window for your project at the Clarity Pack stage.
What happens if I change my mind during design?
That is normal. Design & Planning includes up to three rounds of changes once a layout is chosen. A change to the brief itself, such as a new room or a different footprint, is agreed with you in writing, with its fee, before any work on it starts.
Do you find the builder?
In the Technical stage we send the drawings to up to four builders, answer their questions, share the answers with all of them and give you a written comparison of the prices with a recommendation. If you already have a builder in mind, they can be one of the four.
Who will I deal with?
James. He leads every project personally, from the first call onwards.
Not sure where to start? Start here.
Fifteen minutes on the phone with James. We talk through where you are, what you are trying to achieve, and what the sensible next step looks like. There is no pressure and no obligation. Sometimes the right outcome of a call is simply a clearer head.
Book a free 15-minute Clarity Call (opens in a new tab)
James calls you at the time you pick. You describe the house and what you want to do; he tells you what he would do first and whether a Clarity Pack is worth it. No preparation needed.
No selling. Just a clear view on the smartest next step. Prefer to write? Send a short note.
