How much does a planning application cost? A planning application costs £172 in England and £166 in Wales. This is the fee payable to your local council for processing the full householder planning application. Do I need planning permission? You may not even need to apply for planning permission at all. You should call up… Read more »
Two storey extension above by Neil, an architect on Design for Me. View his full profile and shortlist him for your project here A two storey extension can be a cost effective way of gaining maximum floorspace for your property, without eating too much into your garden. It will also mean that your house… Read more »
Finding plots in London and other major UK cities With empty plots of land being difficult and often very expensive to come by, it’s no wonder that many self-builders and renovators instead convert an existing building into their dream home, applying for a change of use to residential. This is particularly of interest in the UK’s… Read more »
Do I need planning permission for a garden room? Garden rooms or buildings do not require planning permission, if they fall within permitted development guidelines. To classify as an ‘outbuilding’ under permitted development rules, it must not contain sleeping accommodation and must be single storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5m. There are a few… Read more »
Extension design above by Eddy, architect from Westminster, London. See more and shortlist them for your home project here. Our complete guide for your loft conversion plans A loft conversion is one of the most cost-effective and convenient ways to increase space in your home. One of the major advantage is that the work can… Read more »
Can you build a house in your garden? If you have a large garden (or driveway in fact) that’s accessible directly from the road, it can provide a fantastic development opportunity to build a house on your land. The advantages of this approach to a self-building are potentially huge: It could significantly increase the total value of… Read more »
Extension design above by Amos, architect from Islington, London. See more and shortlist them for your home project here. You may be considering applying for planning for a mansard roof extension if your existing loft space is not high enough or the wrong shape for a straight conversion or dormer extension. What is a mansard roof… Read more »
How long does a planning application take? Extension pictures above by Barry, architect on Design for Me. Visit his profile here and shortlist him for your project Whether you are proposing an extension, loft conversion or new build, planning permission usually takes eight weeks to be granted, unless your application is ‘unusually large or complex’,… Read more »
Extension design above by Gareth, architect from Haringey, London. See more and shortlist them for your home project here. Before we answer the question, ‘Do I need a party wall surveyor’, we’ll address the more important question, ‘Do I need to serve a party wall notice?’ as you may not require a surveyor if… Read more »
Beginner’s guide to barn conversions An old barn can provide the perfect shell to create your ideal home. These large and often very solid structures give the opportunity to create a house with huge expanses of space and high ceilings. Most importantly, by retaining the original form, materials or structure, it adds character, charm and history to your otherwise… Read more »
