HOME EXTENSIONS

At PINK LINES about 80% of the work we carry out relates to home extension plans. If you are considering an extension do make sure you ask us for a quote as our Standard Design Package for home extension plans is as low as £795 Plus vat.

If you look online for architect plans for an extension you will see that prices vary considerably. You can expect to pay around £3,k for an ARB or RIBA architect to create your extension whilst at PINK LINES it is substantially lower and offers considerable savings.

The big difference in price is because at PINK LINES most of us are Qualified Technicians and Technologists rather than ARB or RIBA Architects and as we are a collaborative practice with no large overheads we can offer considerably lower rates.

Clearly, if you are paying £3k for a package of plans that is easily available for around £1k you would expect to get a lot more for your money. Whilst this is probably true in some cases it is mostly not always true as we get countless enquiries for services from potential clients after they have been let down by an architect. Lack of transparency with fees is a big issue as homeowners get suckered in without knowing exactly what they are getting and what they are likely to be paying in the long term.

The is also the question of value, in other words do Architects provide more value to the client than Technicians? On the surface it would seem that Architects do bring more value to the table but again you have to look hard at the components to see if real value is being added rather than superficial value.

Many Architects talk about being a multidisciplinary practice and that they look at projects from various angles. For example, they may provide more details relating to Lighting Design, Energy Efficiency, Green Buildings, Future Proofing and the like but in my view most Technicians will offer the same advice for considerably less.

In our opinion. ARB & RIBA architects do a fine job, and they are entitled to charge higher rates given the amount of time and money they spend qualifying. I think the bigger issue is whether you really need an ARB or RIBA qualified architect to create home extension plans when many of them are such a simple build that any technician or draughtsman could create the necessary plans in their sleep for around £1k.

At PINK LINES we get inquiries almost every day from homeowners that don’t even want design plans for their extension because they mistakenly believe that since their proposed extension falls under permitted development and doesn’t require a planning application, they don’t need design plans. That too is a huge mistake because they are going to spend the biggest amount in their life on a house extension and to save about 1% or 2% of their budget, they are going to start off by creating their home extension plans. That’s a huge rookie mistake.

Good designers, either architect or technician, can easily save their client their fees through the use of creative design. They also know how to add real value and to create life changing living space. 

In conclusion, anyone thinking about creating their own extension plans to save a few quid need a serious rethink because the odds are extremely likely that they will lose thousands in potential capital value added by sticking a poorly designed box on the back of their house.

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At PINK LINES, we can create double storey extension plans for as little as £795 Plus Vet.

PINK LINES are Londen Based Architectural Designers and work within the residential sector throughout London and the home counties. If you have a project and would like a quote for residential architectural services, then get in touch and we will be delighted to provide you with expert impartial advice as well a free quote for the services you require.

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PINK LINES provide a full range of Architectural Services including:

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Design & Layout Plans
Home Extension Plans
•   Loft Conversion Plans

•    Design & Layout Plans
•    Planning Applications
•    Building Regulation Drawings
•    3D Visuals / CGI Animation / 360 Models / VRT
•    Structural Engineering Calcs
•    Party Wall Agreements
•    Sap Calculations
•    Specification & Schedules