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Open Plan Living

What was originally a small galley kitchen to this Victoria house has now been opened out to create a large light Kitchen/Diner living space. Ideal for modern living

Helping Hampshire to transform homes

Many people would like to make changes to the structure or outlay of their homes in order to make them more suitable for day to day living and create more effective use of space. Whether these changes are major or minor, many people simply put off the work due to being unsure about where to start. At The Home Shop we address these issues and offer a truly comprehensive service to help you create a home that really works for you and your lifestyle. We provide expert designs for construction, building and renovation work, no matter how big or how small the proposed changes are. To save you time, we also offer expert project management in regards of delivering the result of the plans, ensuring perfect and precise work takes place. We can assist with any rebuilding or renovation work you want done at your home, in particular being able to assist with the increasingly sought after bi-fold doors.

Bi-fold doors are an innovative and highly appreciated design which helps people to re-imagine their homes in a way they want it to be. Other than allowing a wider amount of access to rooms and homes, bi-fold doors also allow for more natural light to flow through a room. This helps increase the energy efficiency of a building, a quality which many of us are seeking as a means to reduce our increasingly expensive energy consumption.

Our services as the leading providers of architectural services in Winchester and Hampshire are as broad and as inclusive as you would need and expect them to be to ensure your precise requirements are met. From initial discussions and plan design and development through to the completion of the work itself, we deliver an end-to-end, one-stop service. We also assist with all technical and practical matters associated with carrying out work on a property, in particular helping you with applying for and obtaining planning permission.

We are here to help you turn your ideal house into the perfect home. No matter how big or how small you believe the project to be, we can ensure it comes into being in the most professional way possible, meeting any budgetary constraints that may be in place. We always welcome people contacting us with questions or queries regarding ideas they have, and we are always happy to share our ideas and knowledge with you.

The planning application process

Whether you are building an entirely new property or are extending your home, a planning application is needed. This process can be time-consuming, taking up to eight weeks. As such, it takes up a considerable amount of time in concerns to the build.

To better understand the planning application process, the decisions made during each stage and the amount of work required, what follows is a general list of the stages undertaken during the planning process:

– Submission of planning application. This is the actual submission of the forms necessary to validate the procedure. The application is checked to ensure that it has been completed properly and that all necessary fees have been submitted. Once done, the actual processing of the forms will start.

– Consultation. All necessary bodies are consulted in regards to the application. This lasts for 28 days and includes the local council, as well as consultants from all relevant authorities from those dealing with landscaping to those working for the environment agency. Expert views are gathered on the application itself during this stage.

– Consideration. The case officer visits and inspects the site, project drawings, any comments made on the designs, national and regional planning policies, impact on neighbouring properties, parking issues and various other issues to make an on-site assessment. Photographs may also be taken to gather relevant information. If there are any significant problems which can be addressed via alteration of the proposal, the case officer will inform the applicant.

– Recommendation from Case Officer. At the base level, the case officer writes a report which either accepts or rejects the application. If accepted, the application moves to the final decision stage.

– The decision. The actual decision is made pertaining to whether or not the work can go ahead. The appropriate committee convenes in some cases, though householder applications are generally accepted or rejected by a senior planning officer. If a committee is required, the case officer presents the case to the committee who will debate the application. If less than six objections are made, the application is approved. If more than six objections are made, the application is refused. However, in this case, the applicant can lodge an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

This process is one of the longest during a building or renovation project. You can be assured that we will help guide you through every stage of the process. As part of our architectural services in Hampshire, we will ensure that the process is completed with minimal hassle for you and with minimal time wasted.