Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of jobs is Go Plans suitable for?

Go plans was designed for clients like first-time home buyers, property developers and anyone who’s looking for a quick turnaround and concept to completion architectural service. Perfect for clients who want to do extensions, garage conversions, loft conversions, internal refurbishment or add a garden office.

Can you guarantee that we get an approval for our project?

Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that. We can only guarantee our team will do everything they can to get your approval. Most houses have permitted development rights, which are guaranteed to be approved, as long as your house meets the requirements set by the government.

What is permitted development?

Permitted development is the right given to the house by the government to allow you to build without the need for planning permission. These are rights given to houses by the government to allow you to build without the need for planning permission. There are several others and various criteria your property must meet. Please, see more information here.

What are building regulations?

In summary, these are a second set of drawings to show the technical details of the project, such as insulation, types of walls, timber details, waterproofing, fire regulations and any other technical details. These need to be sent to building control before you can build. Building control will inspect the works to ensure they are compliant and issue you a certificate. Building regulations don’t specify brand types, they specify the requirement. The building contractor and the client will then need to choose the brand. These are mandatory for any building project.

What is building control?

Building control is an organisation that can be private or run by the local authority. They are responsible for checking the plans and building works that meet the regulations.

What are building control costs?

The costs for building control depend on the local authority and the size of the building. Typically, the fees would be around £500 – £1000.

How long does the process take?

Go Plans offers a quick turnaround solution for your project. However, some projects might take a bit longer due to their size.

What is structural engineering?

Structural engineering is the process of designing the structure of your building, such as designing foundations, walls, and steel beams. In most projects, we need to use steel to support the opening of walls.

Can you help find a builder?

Yes, we can! Our Go Net database is free for all of our clients. Fill in the form and we will help you find the best contractor for your project.

What happens if I choose Go Plans as my agents?

We will submit the plans for you free of charge, which means Go Plans does the planning forms for you. We then nominate you to pay the fees and we put you down as a contact from the planning department. They will contact you to arrange a site visit and they may ask you for various services, such as:

Fire strategy report
Design and access statement
Heritage statement
Parking survey
Flood risk assessment
SAP calculations

What happens if the planning is refused?

If the planning is refused, we will advise you for free on the meaning of the decision. If you would like to redesign and resubmit, we charge £50 – £200 depending on the size of the project. Planning is typically free to resubmit within 12 months (1 free submission).

What is a build over agreement?

If you are building an extension that requires you to move a manhole or is within 3m of a sewer pipe, you most likely will need to apply for permission from the water board. Thames Water charges £299 for this and requires a structural plan of how your building will sit in relation to the sewer. Go Plans charges £150 for this design, which we can usually do remotely with pictures. Please note, sometimes this is not possible, and a CCTV survey is required.

What if we need any help during the building process?

Go Plans frequently discusses the changes that might be needed directly with your builder and update the plans. This might be free of charge. However, some changes may have additional costs. Nothing would be done without fully discussing it with the client first.

GET IN TOUCH!

Book your casual, no-obligation chat with one of our expert consultants today!

We’ll gladly talk you through each stage of the process and give you an idea of exactly how Go Plans can help get your project underway.

     Excellent  
     Based on 14 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Fatima El-ghardouf 
 2024-04-15
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had the pleasure of working with oliver and his team, and I must say, I was thoroughly impressed by their creativity, attention to detail, and overall professionalism. This designer's ability to blend functionality with aesthetic appeal in their architectural designs is truly remarkable
  
 
       
   Stuart 
 2024-03-27
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Over the past few years my partner and I have been talking about extending onto our lounge and turning it into a dining area, as well as a place to perform our music to friends and family.
We didn’t know where to start and found it very daunting, so a friend suggested finding project management which made total sense.

I came across a few companies that offered some kind of project management, but after speaking to one of the team at Go Plans I found they were the only company that offered a bespoke service from start to finish.

Once we spoke about the cost of project management, I initially thought it was a little pricy however, once they broke it down, I realized they were actually very reasonable as they end up saving you a fair amount of money, so for me it was a no brainer and decided to go for it.

I am now at the tendering stage, and it is going very smoothly and importantly stress free for both my partner and me.

The team at Go Plans are very attentive and make you feel totally at ease as they have a professional team member for every area of the build.

To sum it up so far, I am extremely happy as they really do cover absolutely everything and each team member I have spoken to is friendly, professional and very good at their job.

I look forward to continuing the project with Go Plans as I know I am in very good hands.
  
 
       
   Matt Arnold 
 2024-01-30
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Go Plans made our lives so much less stressful during the early stages of our single storey wraparound extension. They did all of the architectural plans, structural engineering/building regulation plans for our contractors and also dealt with building control matters. Meeting with their team in person and via Zoom was stress free, flexible and really put us at ease. They were also competitively priced. Would recommend and use them again on a build in future.
  
 
       
   Ryan 
 2024-01-30
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had building floor plans drawn up by Go Plans, these were done to a high standard and completed on time. Go Plans also helped me with structural calculations which were passed on to my builder as I await planning permission before work commences on my garage conversion project. This was also applied for on my behalf by Go Plans. Everything was explained to me in high levels of detail and as someone who has never carried out building work on this scale before, it was also incredibly helpful to have GoPlans assisting me every step of the way. Overall I would thoroughly recommend.
  
 
       
   Bill and Abby 
 2024-01-30
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We used Go Plans to prepare our planning application, building regulations and structural engineering plans for our extension project. They did an excellent job and were very helpful and efficient.

They came to measure up our house to create 'existing' drawings. Their architect then helped us develop our proposals and created drawings and 3D images. After Go Plans secured planning permission, they also advised on building regulations matters and prepared and supported that application.

We would recommend.
  
 
       
   Fredrik Hjelmare 
 2024-01-29
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Go plans provided a quick and streamlined design experience with well timed handovers between different professionals. Our plan did however fall short of the planning authority's expectations, due to fire regulations, and after accepting the outcome Go plans helped us out free of charge with necessary adjustments. I would recommend Go plans for their quick and easy service, especially for smaller jobs.
  
 
       
   Miss Potts 
 2024-01-29
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Go plans drew up my loft  conversion and helped me with getting planning permission for the loft conversion. They can support with whole process from drawing plans to securing the builders for the job. They explained everything well and answered all my questions, which there were lots of as this was my first time. I would recommend.
  
 
       
   Jessica Jerrome 
 2023-10-12
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. After having issues with our previous architect. Go Plans were very helpful and quick in getting the necessary changes and drawings done that we needed for our building work.
Cannot fault them.
  
 
       
   Angus E 
 2023-07-24
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Go Plans helped us with a planning application for a new roof. They were very helpful, quick to respond and made the process of doing construction work in a conservation area a lot easier!
  
 
       
   Zyleen Hewins 
 2023-06-08
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have had a fantastic experience with Karim as the structural engineer. He is very knowledgeable, personable and happy to help with anything and everything. He has guided me on my build and I couldn't have done it without him. Any project would be better off with him on it!