House Plans UK: How to Get Started with Your House Build, Renovation, or Extension
House plans is a very general term for referring to a more comprehensive set of architectural drawings that include not only floor plans, but likely a location map, site plans, sections, elevations, and detail drawings. These drawings outline and convey the design of a house or building. For the sake of this article, we’ll use architectural drawings and ‘house plans’ interchangeably.
With every architectural drawing set, it’s typical to have existing drawings depicting the current and existing building (if there is one), the site on which it’s located, and proposed drawings depicting the new home design or scheme.
Both the existing and proposed drawings illustrate various aspects of a building, including its positioning and orientation on-site in relation to natural features, neighbouring buildings, sunlight, and views. They’re also essential for understanding the home’s appearance, including its form (shape), scale (size), and materiality (external and internal expression). They are an integral part of preparing for your house build, renovation, or extension project.
Are you thinking about building? If so, you are advised to obtain a comprehensive architectural drawing package from an architectural practice such as FORMA Architecture.
In this article, we explore the steps in obtaining house plans, some expert tips to consider, and expert answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about house plans in the UK.
How do I get the plans for my house in the UK?
The first step to obtaining plans for your new home or extension is contacting your chosen architectural designer to discuss your house goals and form a brief. From there, the architectural designer will typically ask you to get a building and topographical survey from a qualified surveyor.
A building survey is a detailed inspection of any existing structures on your land, while a topographical survey (or land survey) is a detailed map of the land that shows both natural and man-made features, including the contours of the land (levels), boundaries, and surrounding features such as trees, buildings, roads, and fences.
Often, your architectural designer will be able to recommend a local surveyor. Alternatively, you can do a Google search to find one in your local area that meets your budget requirements. A building and topographical survey can cost anywhere between £500 to £2000 depending on location, scale, and complexity, among other factors.
At FORMA Architecture, we can provide an example of a good survey that includes the level of detail we require to create your house plans, site plans, elevations, sections, 3D model, and visualisations. Alternatively, we can contact our preferred surveyors and liaise directly for a more hands-off experience.
What does the architectural process look like?
We follow the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Plan of Work at FORMA Architecture. This approach ensures we always focus on quality, from the first idea to the final handover and use of the house plans. Each stage is as follows:
Stage 1: Brief and preparation
We’ll meet via video call to discuss your intentions and create a brief that sets out everything you want to achieve. We’ll use your building and topographical survey to make a first set of drawings of the current site and any existing buildings. We call these the existing drawings. These drawings will provide a foundation for subsequent stages.
Stage 2: Concept design
Using your brief, we’ll create some initial digital 3D designs using modelling software to give you a visual of your ideas. We will then review the designs together via a video call to identify your preferences and gather your feedback to refine the concepts further. We call these your conceptual designs.
Stage 3: Spatial coordination
We'll use your feedback from the last stage to develop your chosen design and create a full planning permission application drawing package and statement. We’ll submit this package to your local planning authority to procure planning permission approval.
Are house plans important for obtaining planning permission in the UK?
Yes. You must have house plans (architectural drawings) to apply for planning permission for a house or extension in the UK. Planning permission is crucial for any development, whether it involves new buildings or significant changes to existing structures.
Your architectural designer will be familiar with the planning application process and can guide you through it, which can take anywhere between 8 and 12 weeks. For unusually large or complex applications, the time limit is 13 weeks.
At FORMA Architecture, we support you throughout the planning application process. To give your application the best chance of approval, we provide the planning officer with comprehensive drawings illustrating the building's thoughtful response to the surrounding cultural, historical, and environmental landscape. We also detail the structure’s form, scale, orientation, material, and more.
What happens after I’ve got planning permission?
Once your planning application is granted, it’s time to continue with the next stage, technical design, which includes acquiring building regulations approval and the structural design from an Engineer.
During this phase, your architectural designer will create a technical drawing set. This will comprise detailed, dimensioned drawings that illustrate a wealth of information including structural, insulative, waterproofing and air-tightness details, material assembly within the floors, walls, and roof; MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) drawings; as well as specifications and schedules mapping out details in regards to materials, doors and windows, rainwater goods, fixtures and trims and so forth.
Your architectural designer will submit the drawing set to Building Control for building regulations approval which ensures the health, safety, and accessibility of a building, and an engineer for their input regarding the building's structure.
Your build will receive final approval once the architects incorporate each party’s feedback and answer all questions and concerns. You can then take this technical drawing package and submit it for tender, which is a term used for soliciting quotes from builders for the cost of construction.
FORMA Architecture is happy to research and contact local builders on your behalf to provide you with a range of quotes. Once you’ve settled on a builder and quote you’re happy with, construction can begin!
Top tips and considerations before obtaining house plans UK
Here are three top tips from FORMA Architecture to consider before obtaining your UK house plans for a new build, renovation, or extension.
Tip #1: Define your needs and priorities
Before meeting with your architectural designer, it's good to have a rough idea of your needs and priorities for your new build or extension so that you can communicate these effectively to the architectural designer. This is a great starting point for any home design and will help the architectural designer create conceptual house plans that meet your expectations.
Start by listing your must-haves, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and whether you want an open-plan layout. Also, consider future needs like family growth or a home office.
Need some inspiration? During your free 30-minute consultation, FORMA Architecture will work with you, taking the time to understand your wants and needs to guide you on what’s feasible.
Incorporating energy efficiency and eco-friendly home design from the start can lead to long-term savings and a smaller carbon footprint. At FORMA Architecture, we care about creating energy-efficient homes, not only for the environment but also for reducing your running costs and enhancing your comfort.
Tip #2: Know your budget and the potential costs
Once you know what kind of work you want done, you need to know whether you have the budget to achieve it. Having an idea of both expected and unexpected costs before having house plans drawn up is essential to managing your budget effectively and avoiding financial surprises.
Expected costs could include:
Land or plot purchase
Architectural design fees
Planning permission fees
Building Control fees
Engineer fees
Construction costs
Contractor fees
Site preparation and clearance
Materials and finishes
Utility Connections
Inspection Fees
Interior fixtures and fittings
Landscaping
Furniture
Unexpected costs could include:
Groundwork and foundation issues
Delays and cost overruns
Design changes
Rising material and labour costs
Planning and building regulatory compliance issues
Site access and logistics
Waste removal and environmental regulations
Other consultants (i.e. environmental or acoustic consultants)
Generally, the cost of building a new home from scratch in the UK can be anywhere between £1800 - £3000 per square metre. However, this is just a rough estimation. The contractor can give you more accurate figures once they’ve assessed your technical drawings.
Tip #3: Get an architectural designer involved as early as you can
The sooner you have an architectural designer on board, the sooner you can start putting your ideas on paper. An architect can help tailor your home to your specific needs and effectively communicate your vision to the planning authorities so that you can get your renovation, extension, or new build project in motion and completed within your desired timeframe.
Get house plans for your dream home with FORMA Architecture
Taking the first step towards achieving your house goals can be daunting. The process of obtaining house plans and the subsequent planning and building regulation stages can seem long and uncertain.
FORMA Architecture will walk you through each stage of the architectural process, from preparing your brief to securing planning approval and starting your build so you can carry on living life while you get excited about the new life you’re building.
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to get started today.
FAQs
-
While sites like Rightmove may offer existing plans, they aren’t reliable. A surveyor will provide an accurate survey which the architectural designer will use to create the existing drawings and 3D model.
-
Yes, if you obtain the necessary planning permission approval, you can build a house on your land in the UK. FORMA Architecture has a fantastic track record of obtaining planning permission for new builds and extensions in the UK.
-
This depends on various factors including location, materials, labour costs, and the specifics of your house design. It’s worth noting that you can apply for a VAT refund on building materials and services if you build new.
-
This depends on various factors such as the size of the build, the quality of the craftsmanship, your choice of materials, as well as the extent of your involvement.
The cost to build typically ranges from £1800 - £3000 per square metre. The average size of new-build houses in the UK is around 67.82 square metres. So you would expect to pay at least £122,400 to build a house of this size.
If you have an existing building, reconfiguring the internal spaces or adding an extension may be a more cost-effective way to achieve your house goals.
-
Keeping the design simple and using cost-effective materials can help aspiring self-builders reduce costs. It is however worth investing a little in certain materials and products that will create a more energy-efficient and subsequently cost-effective home in the long run.
Managing the projects yourself can also reduce expenses, but be warned, it may age you by 10+ years!
