Architect’s Advice

In the end, planning permission is no more than a couple of sheets of A4 paper. On those pages are the council’s written approval for works to be carried out on the given site, in accordance with the submitted drawings, within three years. So much depends upon those little pieces of paper. Finally receiving them…

St. George’s Hill was founded by master builder W.G. Tarrant in 1911, who wanted to build an idyllic countryside retreat in Surrey to attract London’s captains of industry. Like the nearby Wentworth Estate, Tarrant’s winding road plans and ample planting of leafy trees and hedges creates the sensation of travelling along a continuous country lane…

After a lifetime of building homes, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing hundreds of projects fulfil their owner’s wildest dreams. I’ve also witnessed people fall foul of mistakes which cause their dreams to crumble before them. Some are seemingly insignificant, some should be common sense – either way these are the ten common mistakes which…

Everyone who wants to build a new home or improve their current one is first and foremost concerned with cost. For many of our clients, developing their property is the largest personal investment they have ever or will ever make, so it’s crucial to be able to gain detailed cost estimates as early as possible.…

Creating your dream home requires delicate planning and close attention to detail. If you’re putting your investment and your future in the hands of an architect you need to make sure you find the right one. The right architect for you is one you can trust implicitly; with whom you can form a bond of…

Few places in the UK, indeed, in the world, are more desirable to live than the rolling, leafy hills of the Wentworth Estate. Tucked away near the village of Virginia Water are some of the finest and most valuable homes money can buy. Part of what makes the Wentworth Estate so attractive is the efforts…

Renovating your home or building a new one can be one of the most exciting times of your life. It can also be one of the most stressful. To ensure your project is a time you’ll never want to forget rather than a time you can’t wait to, here are ten questions which will have…

Image courtesy of Architects’ Journal Since 2015, there’s been a push for roof extensions to gain permitted development status, as long as they do not exceed the height of an adjoining building. This would mean that eligible developments would not require planning permission if there are no neighbour objections. Developers and home owners would be…

More and more people are escaping the squeeze of London life to find space to breathe in the Home Counties, which is reflected in our increasingly rural portfolio of bespoke homes. But with multiple layers of overlapping protections and very strict local authorities (not to mention disgruntled locals), it’s easy to be scared off building…

There are many reasons you might want an extension. Perhaps your family’s grown, or you’ve transitioned to working from home, or you want to finally install that home gym you’ve always dreamed of. But before you let your imagination run wild, you need to ask yourself the following four questions so that you have a…