Advice / MainPoint Architecture
Straight answers before you commit
Useful starting points for extensions, loft conversions, renovations and new-build projects. The right route depends on your property and proposed work.
Do I need planning permission?
Some work can be carried out under permitted development rights, which allow specified changes subject to limits and conditions. Do not assume those rights apply to your property. We review the proposal and relevant constraints before recommending an application route.
A Lawful Development Certificate can provide formal confirmation that the specified work is lawful for planning purposes. It does not replace other approvals.
Government guidance on lawful development ↗How is planning different from Building Regulations?
Planning considers whether a proposal is acceptable in its location. Building Regulations address technical requirements for building work. They are separate processes: having one approval does not automatically provide the other.
Planning Portal guidance ↗What drawings and documents will I receive?
The package depends on the stage you appoint us for. A measured survey records the existing building. Design drawings show proposed changes. Application packages include the relevant drawings, forms and agreed supporting information. Technical packages develop the details and coordinate specialist information.
See drawing types and deliverables ↗How much will my project cost?
Allow separately for design fees, statutory application fees, specialist consultants and the construction work itself. Site conditions, the extent of alterations, specifications and contractor availability affect the budget. Guide design fees are a starting point, not a construction estimate.
View guide fees and exclusions ↗When should I contact a builder?
An early conversation may help establish availability and discuss the budget. For comparable quotations, contractors need the same drawings, scope and schedules. Pricing an incomplete brief can leave different assumptions and exclusions in each quotation.
How we manage tender information ↗How long does the process take?
Timing depends on survey access, the number of design reviews, specialist reports, your decisions and the application route. Authority requests or design changes may affect the programme. We discuss the likely sequence for your project rather than promise one timescale for every property.
See the stages and handovers ↗What to bring to the first conversation
Your property address or postcode, photographs, existing plans or estate-agent drawings, any planning references, a short description of the changes, your budget and preferred timing. Tell us whether you own the property and whether a builder or consultant is already involved.
Guidance relates to projects in England and is an introduction, not property-specific advice.
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Tell us what you want to change. We will explain the next steps, likely scope and how we can help.
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