Homeowners

Choosing the right architect for your home extension or renovation is an important decision. This page outlines Harrison Stringfellow’s approach, experience, and the services we can provide.

As design-led, socially engaged practice, we look to ensure we are the right ‘fit’ for our clients. We start this process with an initial consultation, which gives us the chance to understand your brief and to introduce our team, ensuring a strong foundation for collaboration from the outset.

We often work with clients who have a keen interest in design or sustainability, and whose outlook aligns with our own social purpose. We are regularly appointed by homeowners who want, or need, to do something a bit different - maybe a traditionally-built property in a Conservation Area; a home in need of a deep refurbishment; a site in a sensitive Green Belt location; or where there are complex issues such as flooding to overcome.

House 219

We pride ourselves on tailoring our services to suit your project - our expertise covers all RIBA Work Stages (see illustration below), including:

Feasibility Studies:
Assessing the potential and constraints of your site, exploring the options through layouts, computer-generated models and imagery.
Sustainability and Energy Assessment:
Integrating sustainable design strategies from the outset and conducting energy performance studies as the design progresses.
Planning Applications, Building Regulations & Principal Designer:
Navigating statutory requirements and securing approvals.
Consultant Coordination:
Managing input from engineers, planners, and other specialists involved in the project, brought in at the right time.
Detailed Design:
Producing drawings, specifications, and documentation to obtain tenders from contractors
Expertise in using sustainable natural materials:
Understanding the importance of using breathable, natural materials, especially in older buildings- to ensure the longevity and health of your home.
Cost Planning:
Our built experience means we can give insight into current build costs and timescales at early stages, through to providing accurate cost plans at key stages, to help you manage your project budget.
Interior & Landscape Design:
Creating cohesive, functional, beautiful spaces inside and out.
On-Site Attendance:
Project management throughout the construction process to monitor quality and compliance, or sometimes just to offer advice on finishes or colours.

Early Sketch for house entension

To help you understand the overall process we have outlined the key project milestones:

We have then provided a number of examples of the type of homeowner projects that we work on.

Typical Project 1:
Single Story Extension

A common enquiry clients often approach us with is the redesign of their existing kitchen/living/dining spaces. This is often achieved through an extension and/or remodelling of the existing layout.

Assumptions: No planning approval required (the proposals fall under ‘Permitted Development Rights’)

Typical Project 2:
Two-storey extension/ and loft conversion

Some clients are looking to increase the footprint of both their ground and first floors to improve the way they use their home. A two storey extension will typically require planning permission.

Extending up into roof space can also be an excellent opportunity to provide an additional bedroom, bathroom or office/study space.

Assumptions: Planning approval required

Typical Project 3:
Listed Blg refurbishment or Large-scale Extension

We are involved in a number of projects that are more extensive, either in the physical size and scale of the proposal, or complexity due to historical or planning constraints.

We have a wide range of experience negotiating the planning system and whether we are working in conservation areas, with listed buildings or new build sites we approach each project with creative flair, site sensitivity and to best suit your brief.

Assumptions: Planning (and/or Listed Blg) approval required. And Coordination of larger Design Team often required eg Ecology, Heritage, Highways.