Why are your fees considerably less than traditional practices ?
Traditional architects charge on a percentage of the building works which is usually between 10% - 15%. Therefore for a £50,000 extension the architects fees could be between £5,000 - £7,500. Plans 2 Improve charges a fixed fee at the start of any domestic project. Our architectural fees will not increase for the duration of the project even if build costs increase or the drawings required amendments. Our fees are considerably less than a traditional commercial practice. We are able to offer such competitive fees by streamlining the architectural process, employing the use of state-of-the-art computer aided design applications and unique architectural database systems.

Do your fees include VAT ?
All our prices are VAT inclusive. We can provide VAT invoices on request.

Do your fees include council planning and building regulation fees ?
No, the Planning fee and Building Regulation fees made payable to the Local Authority are to be paid by the homeowner. We will advise you of the costs in writing prior to making the submissions. Planning is usually £150.00 with Building Regulation fees between £100.00 - £150.00 based on an average sized extension or loft conversion.

Does the price include Structural Engineering calculations and details ?
No, our fees are for architectural services to obtain Planning and Building Regulation approvals from the local authority. We are not structural engineers and as such you
will need to arrange structural engineering service prior to starting the building works. Typically we obtain a conditional building regulation approval subject to provision of structural calculations. We can off course if you wish assist you with the appointment
of an engineer. With regard to engineering services it is usually best to employ a local engineer.

Is postage and printing included in your fees ?
Yes, all postage and printing is included for submissions of planning and building regulations. We only charge printing costs if you require additional copies or issues to third parties. We provide a full set of drawings upon approval of planning and building regulations.

Is there anything else that is not included ?
All applications are different and all councils have different application requirements. Our fees include anything of an architectural nature but occasionally the council may ask for additional information which we are not qualified to provide. Examples include, and are not limited to, flood risk assessments, tree surveys, topological land surveys, protected species assessments, bio-diversity statements etc. If the council does require any of this information we will off course administer the process but a separate fee may be required to the specialist consultant. We can normally offer advice on these matters and the likelhood of them occuring during our initial home design consultation.

Why do you charge for home design consultations ?
Our consultations are not a quick 30 minutes visit to hard-sell our services to you. They typically last between 2-4 hours and include detailed information on design and various options available, planning research, scaled sketch drawings produced at your home, advice on building costs and construction in general. We will be provide you with all the information that you need to make an informed choice on whether to proceed with your development. We feel that our fee for this service is excellent value for money and prevents having to pay expensive professional fees at an early stage of the project.

How detailed are your drawings ?
Our drawings are extremely detailed and fully annotated. All of our work is produced in the UK by qualified staff. Typically a set of drawings will include existing and proposed plans and elevations, cross sections of the proposed works and specific spot details for foundations and roofs. All our drawings are fully annotated and include a full set of specification notes detailing the method of construction and types of materials to be used. Our drawings are far more detailed than actually required for building regulations approval. This is so that the builder has all the information to hand during the building process to avoid delays. All our drawings are computer generated and our details and notes have been developed over the years so that they comply with all the current regulations. Samples of our drawings are available for viewing on this website.

Are you insured ?
Plans 2 Improve has all relevant insurances including professional indemnity insurance with half a million pounds of cover per individual project. This indemnifies you should Plans 2 Improve or any staff make a mistake. We are also fully insured for public liability. Some smaller companies or consultants have only a limited level of insurance. We also carry out police CRB checks so that you can be assured that all staff are fully vetted before coming to your home.

What is the difference between Planning and Building Regulation Permissions ?
Planning drawings will include plans and elevations as existing and proposed. The Planning Officers will be checking to ensure that your development fits in with the street scene and does not adversly affect any neighbouring properties. Building Regulation drawings are more detailed and include sections and details to show that the development will be built to the correct standards.

How long do the approvals from the Local Authority take to be processed ?
The time it takes Local Authorities to process planning applications differs from council to council. Planning decisions should take a minimum of eight weeks to be processed if everything runs smoothly. The busier councils tend to be located in and around the London area. Unfortunately Plans 2 Improve has no control over the process once the application has been submitted although we do obviously chase the council on your behalf.

The process for obtaining Building Regulations approvals takes approximately six weeks. Plans 2 Improve willsubmit Building Regulation drawings aproximately 2-4 weeks after planning has been submitted.

Being realistic you should allow a minimum of 2-3 months to obtain both sets of approvals from your local authority.

Can I start building works before obtaining the approvals ?
Absolutely not - it is against the law to start building works without planning or building regulation submissions. If you do start works before approval you may be forced to put the building back to it's original state entirely at your own cost which may result in demolishing all new building works. It is extremely risky to start works prior to obtaining all approvals and Plans 2 Improve will always advise against such action no matter what the circumstances.

Do you also carry out surveys and what type of survey do you perform ?
Unlike most other companies our fees include a measured survey of your property. The survey is a measured survey to determine the layout and size of the rooms and boundaries. The survey is not a conditions or structural survey. If this type of survey is required then we would recommend that you contact a Chartered Surveyor or Structural Engineer. We are also not able to lift floor boards, knock holes in walls, expose foundations or drainruns or climb high structures without adequate protection for Health and Safety reasons.

Can we have our drawings on disc ?
Unlike most practices we are happy to supply CAD format drawings on CDROM for a small fee. We still retain the copyright and the drawings may not be passed onto other home-owners or consultants without our prior permission. The release of our CAD drawings is subject to a license agreement and is subject to conditions.