Plan-it Partnership
§1
Do I need planning permission?
Quite possibly not. Many extensions and most loft conversions fall under permitted development: rights you already have as a homeowner, with no application required.
Whether yours does depends on the size and position of what you want to build, what's been added to the house before, and whether you're in a conservation area (parts of Kenilworth, Warwick and Leamington are). Get this call wrong and you either pay for an application you never needed, or build something you'll be asked to undo.
What we do: we check your property's planning position first, then tell you plainly which route applies: permitted development, a lawful development certificate to prove it, or a householder planning application we prepare and manage for you.
§2
What drawings will I need before builders can quote?
Two sets, usually. Drawings that show the council what you want to build, and technical drawings that show your builder how to build it properly.
Measured survey
We measure your house and produce accurate "existing" drawings: the baseline everything is judged against.
Proposed drawings
Your extension or conversion, designed and drawn. Revised with you until it's right.
The application
We prepare, submit and manage the planning application or certificate, including talking to the council so you don't have to.
Building-regulations package
The technical pack of construction detail, insulation and structure that Building Control approves and builders price from.
§3
What will it cost?
One fixed fee, in writing, before we start. That's the whole policy. No day rates, no percentages of your build cost, no meter running.
Your written quote separates, line by line:
- our fixed fee: survey, drawings, application, submissions
- the council's own application fee, paid to them, not us
- Building Control charges for your project's size
- anything third-party your project may need, such as structural calculations
A householder planning application currently costs £548 in application fees to the council (set nationally; we confirm the current figure when you apply). A good reason to get the route and the drawings right first time.
§4
How long does it take?
Plan for a season, not a week. Survey and drawings typically take a few weeks with your input; once validated, most householder applications are determined by the council in around eight weeks.
The timetable most people miss: builders worth having are booked months ahead, and they can't give you a firm price until the drawings exist. Starting the paperwork now is how your build starts on time next year.
We keep it moving: valid first time (invalid applications are simply returned), building regs prepared while planning is with the council where sensible, and you always know which stage you're at.
§5
Who we are, and our work near you
A Kenilworth practice, established 2012. We design and manage home-improvement plans across Coventry & Warwickshire: extensions, lofts, garage conversions and renovations, from first sketch to Building Control sign-off.
Planning application and full building-regs package for a kitchen-diner with two bedrooms above. Approved; built 2024.
Permitted development confirmed by certificate, with no full application needed. Built 2023.
Dormer bedroom and en-suite: drawings, regs pack and structural coordination, signed off by Building Control.
Plan-it told us we didn't need full planning at all. The certificate route saved us weeks and a fee.Homeowner, Kenilworth · single-storey extension · (placeholder: real testimonials to be transcribed with permission)
§6
Book your free 1-hour review and leave with answers
An hour on your property and your idea, with the people who would draw your plans. You leave knowing your likely planning route, the drawings you'll need, realistic timescales, and a written fixed-fee quote if we can help. No obligation either way.
We reply within one working day. Researching in the evening? Send the form now and we'll pick it up in the morning.