Architect’s Advice

According to estate agents, London’s housing market has been surging since Christmas. This has certainly been reflected here at DGA, where we are witnessing a large increase in clients calling us who are looking to buy properties. From our conversations, it is clear that everyone had been sitting on their hands waiting for the outcome…

There are signs that the London housing market has been reinvigorated, with many clients old and new contacting us because they want to buy a home with the intent to restore, refurbish or extend it to their tastes and to increase its value. But buying a property which is incompatible with your plans could result…

Few decisions will have greater impact on the success or failure of your project than the contractor you choose. Even if you breeze through the planning process and hire an exceptional architect, the quality of your home will be determined by the skill of those building it. Here are a few key tips to make…

Submitting a planning application is the first step to building your dream home. Between a quarter and a third of planning applications are unsuccessful, depending on borough, so it’s very important that you know how to apply correctly. The last thing you want is to have to repeat the process due to a technicality. First…

You may have been excited to hear the news that you will be able to extend your property two storeys upwards without having to apply for planning permission. Unfortunately, once you read past the headlines, the details reveal little to be excited about. This change in planning policy, announced by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, would…

It’s almost impossible to build so far from anyone else that you won’t have to think about the impact your development will have on others. Informing and involving neighbours is essential to a successful application and, just as importantly, it’s common courtesy. Neighbours are so integral to planning applications, I’ve dedicated this article to them.…

Planning applications are lengthy, involved processes that can take anywhere from weeks to years to reach a conclusion. In relatively simple developments where every stage progresses smoothly you could be able to start building work within a couple of months, but neighbour objections, listed status negotiations and appeals can stretch that date far out of…

Planning applications are tough, but don’t make them harder than they have to be. Here’s our advice on how to maximise your chances of planning success.

Jeremy McGivern, a luxury property market expert, Managing Director of Mercury Homesearch and regular contributor to our blog, recently sat down with John to talk about the biggest mistakes people make when buying or creating their own home – and how to avoid them.

Feeling overwhelmed by Richmond’s complex planning policies? Read our introduction to planning success in one of London’s strictest boroughs.